|
|
|
|
The Truth About Acne Skin Care
|
|
Author: John Lenaghan
Topic: Health
Viewed: 63 time(s)
[ Not Rated Yet ]
|
Let's face it, you are engaged in an ongoing battle when you are
afflicted with acne. While acne treatments for a mild case of
acne are usually successful, moderate acne is a greater problem.
Even dermatologists cannot cure a severe case of acne but can
only provide an acne treatment regimen. However, you can support
your acne treatment efforts with proper acne skin care in order
to reduce the recurrence of acne flare-ups and not aggravate
existing acne. Knowing What You're Doing One of the first pieces
of advice is to make sure that you understand and follow the
directions for any acne remedy that you are using. If you are
taking a prescription acne medicine, read the patient leaflet
that accompanies the medication carefully. Typically for
moderate to severe acne a dermatologist may prescribe several
acne medicines, each with its own treatment protocol and
directions. In order to achieve the acne free skin that you
desire, it is important to use all the acne treatments properly
and in the correct order. Consider bringing a tablet of paper, a
pen, and a friend or relative with you to your appointment with
your dermatologist. Simply jot down some notes about the order
and time of day for applying each acne medicine and what its
purpose is. Remember, just because the acne clears with the use
of your acne medicines doesn?t necessarily mean that you have
succeeded in curing acne. Most people with moderate to severe
acne must continue to use their acne medicine long-term to
prevent any recurrence of their acne problem. Using the acne
treatments properly should translate to clear skin and freedom
from acne scars. What About Over-the-Counter Remedies? Besides
using medications prescribed by a doctor, there are a large
number of products on the market labeled as skin cleansers,
facial cleansers, pore cleansers, and facial pore cleaners that
can be used in curing acne. When cleansing skin that is
afflicted with acne, an important point to remember is not to
scrub the skin; never scrub your face with a washcloth. It is a
misconception that acne is caused by dirt clogging the pores of
the skin. You don?t scrub away the offending dirt; you can?t
scrub away the offensive acne and achieve acne free skin.
Over-washing or scrubbing skin afflicted with acne only serves
to aggravate the condition. Rather use only a gentle skin
cleanser, lukewarm water, and a gentle motion with your
fingertips as your primary acne skin care regime. When you wash
your face with your hands, be sure to first thoroughly wash your
hands. Do Natural Treatments Really Work? Look for gentle
cleansers that are sold as acne solutions. When you're
evaluating skin cleansers for acne, include natural acne
treatments in your search as well. For example, a soap made from
Echinacea and other herbal ingredients is an effective
antibiotic facial cleanser that helps fight acne and restore
clear skin. Tea tree oil also has known antibiotic properties
and serves as a mild anesthetic that will soothe the irritated
skin. Oily skin is implicated as a one of the causes of acne. It
doesn?t necessarily make sense to use a moisturizer on oily skin
as a means of achieving clear skin. But many of the acne
treatments, whether they are prescribed or available as
over-the-counter products, have a tendency to irritate the skin
while curing acne. A moisturizer is a boost to irritated skin
and keeps skin from becoming overly dry due to the acne
treatments that have been applied. Look for a moisturizer with
the following properties: - oil-free - won?t clog pores
(non-comodogenic) - containing a sun-screen Besides a great
desire to just scrub away the acne, many people try to remove
the acne pimples by hand as a way to get clear skin. People who
are afflicted with acne should avoid touching their face except
to gently wash it with mild cleanser as already discussed. By
trying to remove pimples by hand you run the risk of creating
acne scars that will last for a lifetime. Instead, have patience
and rely on your prescription or over-the-counter acne treatment
to work. Acne remedies usually take 6 to 8 weeks before curing
acne. For male acne sufferers, the daily ritual of shaving can
be a problem. One acne sufferer has recommended the Gillette
Sensor Excel as a gentle and effective razor to use. Other males
prefer to try an electric razor. The advice is to shave
delicately to avoid nicking the skin and to shave only as often
as necessary. Finding a moisturizing shave gel may be one way to
enhance your acne skin care program. Female acne sufferers have
their unique problems too, in finding the right cosmetic
products to use. Females who are accustomed to using a
foundation product may find that the foundation is difficult to
apply smoothly if the facial skin becomes irritated due to the
acne treatments being applied. You may have to abandon the use
of some cosmetics during the acne treatment period. Be sure to
select only oil-free cosmetics and ones that are labeled as
non-comodogenic (won?t clog pores) to use on your road to clear
skin. Proper acne skin care is a necessary addition to your
arsenal for fighting your battle with acne and achieving clear
skin once again.
About the author:
John Lenaghan offers information and advice about
|
|
|
