Must Knows for Treating Acne

Acne is a common skin condition that most people experience it at some point in their life. Your skin is beautiful with and without it but for those who dread it here’s some tips you can use to treat and prevent it at home.

A basic understanding of acne is important so that’s where we start

Acne is a skin condition that occurs when your pores get clogged with sebum (oil), dirt, bacteria and dead skin cells. It appears as pimples, black heads, white heads, small red bumps, and large painful lumps that can either be solid or pus-filled. It can appear all over your skin however the face, chest, back, and areas you remove hair are all among the most common places. Clogged hair follicles can trigger acne (dead skin cell build up) as well as sweating (oil production) so it is especially common in the bikini, underarm areas and thigh areas. Acne may also get triggered from hormonal changes, nutrition, stress, medications and overall life style.

Now that we have a basic understanding of acne let’s get into some general tips and tricks for at home treatment and prevention!

  • DOUBLE CLEANSE! Wash your face twice a day and twice each time! Just like you sweep your floors before mopping, you must to sweep all the dirt, debris, and any other environmental factors off your face before you can get into your pores and cleanse them.

  • MOISTURIZE! It’s so common for people who have oily skin to have the misconception that they should not moisturize because their skin is already oily but this lack of moisturizer actually triggers your skin to produce more oil to make up for the lack of hydration. Opt for an oil-free moisturizer instead, these will not clog your pores and will keep your skin hydrated and healthy.

  • EXFOLIATE 2-3 TIMES A WEEK! Exfoliating your skin is essential because it removes dead skin from the surface. If you have build up of dead skin cells, how can your skincare product penetrate into your pores? It can’t! It will just sit on the surface and you won’t be getting its full benefit so if you have a cleanser and moisturizer you love but your skin is still dull, breaking out or maybe feels more rough, begin to exfoliate!

  • DO NOT OVER EXFOLIATE!!!! Exfoliating 2-3 times a week is ideal. More than that can be irritating to the skin which can actually cause more inflammation and oil production meaning more acne!

  • DO NOT USE ALCOHOL BASED ASTRINGENTS OR TONERS! This is like over exfoliation, stripping your skin and drying out your skin causes your skin to fight back with more oils and only irritates it! Try products with ingredients such as Benzoyl Peroxide, Retinoids (retinol, adapalene, tretinoin), Salicylic Acid, or Azelaic Acid instead. (On September 21 we’ll be posting all about why these ingredients are beneficial in a new blog about treating skin care with ingedients!)

  • WIPE YOUR PHONE SCREENS

  • WASH YOUR PILLOWS AND SHEETS

  • DRINK WATER! Ditch the sugary juices, dairy drinks and caffeine and drink more water!! Sugar, dairy and caffeine are all foods that trigger acne. You want to have a minimum of 12 cups of water a day and if you must have some caffeine, juice or soda you want to add another cup of water so if you drink 2 cups of coffee daily you should be drinking 14 cups of water, your daily amount and the additional to balance out the not so good ingredients.

  • EAT LESS ACNE TRIGGERING FOODS! Besides sugar, dairy and caffeine there are more foods that trigger acne such as refined carbs, fried food and processed baked foods. Examples include food made with white flour such as white bread, crackers, white rice, rice noodles, fast food, milk and cheese.

  • EAT MORE ACNE FIGHTING FOODS! Food high in omega 3 fatty acids, antioxidants and vitamins a, e and zinc. Some examples are eggs, broccoli, salmon, whole grain such as brown rice, spinach, blueberries and cashews.

If professional help is needed you can seek out an Esthetician, a skincare professional, or Dermatologist, a doctor that specializes in skincare.

I recommend starting with an experienced esthetician that specializes in acne and clarifying facials because altering your lifestyle and maintaining an at home skincare routine is the most important part of treating and preventing acne.

At Bia’s Beauty Bar when you come in for a facial you fill out a Skin Health Questionaire, this is a form that asks you questions about your skin and life style so we can have a good understanding of whats really going on with your skin more than what is on the surface and will help is determining the life style changes you will need to make. During your facial you will receive a skin analysis which will further determine what we are are working with and will help us determine what products are best for your skin for in the treatment room as well as your at home care. Book a facial with Bia here.

If your acne persists you may seek help from a dermatologist where you can be prescribed medication to treat your acne. There are topical and oral medications for treating acne but always ask the doctor about the side effects and do your own research as well. There can be serious side effects with these medications, especially if you don’t follow life style changes your doctor gives you.

Bianca Rodriguez