Acne is a skin condition that ranges from mild to chronic and can appear on various areas of the body, although the face is the most common spot. Although acne is generally associated with teenagers, it can affect people of all ages. Aside from its obvious physical effects, it can also cause serious emotional and self-esteem problems. Learn the truth about this extremely common yet potentially serious condition through the information presented in the following article.
To properly treat acne, look for a face wash or exfoliator with salicylic acid in it. Salicylic acid, while it may dry out your skin slightly, avoids oil from building up in your pores, which is the cause of acne. To reduce the incidence of dry skin, choose an oil-free moisturizer.
A rather smelly method of reducing acne involves garlic. Simply, place chopped garlic cloves in water and stir. Apply to affected areas of the face, and let sit for 10 minutes. The garlic will eliminate acne very quickly. Be sure not to use raw cloves by themselves, as they will not only provide you with a strong smell, but burn your skin if not diluted.
If you are an otherwise healthy adult woman with serious acne issues, consider asking your doctor if birth control pills could facilitate the problem. Birth control pills help regulate your hormone levels and most acne breakouts in young adults are related to hormone fluctuations. The regulation of hormones could reduce the number of breakouts you suffer.
If over-the-counter treatments haven’t improved your acne breakouts, a dermatologist can prescribe more advanced treatments. A cream that might be prescribed for you is Retin-A, which you apply to your skin daily. While effective for many patients, it’s important to understand that it does take several weeks to achieve improvement.
Reducing the amount of dairy and red meat in your diet may help reduce your acne symptoms. Both dairy and red meat can be difficult for our bodies to digest. Due to this, we compensate by releasing excess waste products through the skin, as oils, which translate into acne flare-ups. Try cutting back on how much you consume of these items and see if you notice a difference in your skin.
Using concealer on pimples can be a catch-22, actually worsening the problem and causing more of it. Save concealer for special occasions only and not everyday use. Acne will clear up faster with open air and normal cleansing and most likely be aggravated by any cover-up. What caused the pimple in the first place was probably clogged pores and the last thing you want to do is plug them up further.
Although acne is a subject that is often treated lightly, it can deeply affect the psyche of some of those who suffer from it, leading to depression and other emotional issues. Educating yourself on the causes, treatments and effects of acne can help you or someone you love to cope with this frequently miscomprehended condition. Get started by sharing the enlightening information in this article with anyone you know who can benefit from it.