If you’re dealing with acne, you’ll want to try as many acne treatments as possible as soon as possible. With stubborn acne spots, it can be easy to go for products that promise results. However, you should exercise a healthy dose of caution, as some acne treatments may actually worsen your skin. Before tackling the challenge of acne treatment, it is important to ‘bracket’ acne treatments to ensure you’re giving your skin the care it deserves. Here is everything you should know about this to up the game of your skin care and beauty regimen.
Firstly, analyse your acne
The first thing you need to know is how severe your acne is before you even consider treating it. If you have small, localized spots on the surface of your face, it’s likely that you have a mild acne case that can be treated with the correct skincare products. On the other hand, if you have painful, angry cysts that don’t go away on their own, you may be dealing with a more severe acne case. Treatment for this type of acne should always begin in the office, where a dermatologist can tell you exactly what you need to do to clear your skin.
The treatment should target bacteria and oil production
Acne is caused by two things: overproduction of oil (called sebum) in the skin, and the presence of the spot causing bacteria in the sebum. The bacteria thrive in sebum. When your skin produces more sebum than it can handle, bacteria multiply in the pores and dead skin clings to the pores, blocking them. This results in spots and acne. Any good skincare treatment will target the oil production in your pores. It shouldn’t try to remove your skin’s natural sebum, but rather regulate it to keep it at normal levels.
Overwashing your face will not help
The solution to acne is not to wash your face more often (unless, of course, you wash your face too often!). Cleaning your face with a gentle cleanser should only be done twice a day. Cleaning your face more than twice a day will strip your skin of its natural oils and cause more imbalance in your skin, which can lead to increased sebum production and acne.
Scrubbing the face is not that great idea
You might think you’re doing your best to get rid of acne by scrubbing your skin, but that’s not the way to go. Scrubbing your skin is a great way to get rid of dead skin, but it won’t get deep enough into your pores to get rid of the bacteria that causes spotty skin. Plus, it’s likely to make your skin more irritated and leave acne scars. So don’t do it! Instead, it’s better to use chemical exfoliants like salicylic Acid to treat acne. These exfoliants will get deeper into your pores without irritating your skin.
Don’t stop moisturizing your skin
If your skin is oily, you might be tempted to skip moisturising. However, this is not recommended as it will only encourage your skin to produce more oil in an effort to maintain hydration. Instead, opt for a moisturiser that is suitable for normal skin and contains high-quality active ingredients that help to strengthen your natural barrier and repair breakage.
