Blemishes Be Gone!
Blemishes aren’t a problem for teenagers only, but sometimes don’t go away as you get older. Adults are not immune to having blemishes. Whatever your age, it’s wise to be careful what you put on your skin since it will be absorbed into your body.
Gently, Gently.
Scrubbing your face is the worst thing you can do if you’re prone to acne. In fact, if you rub your skin too roughly, it’s more likely to stir up more blemishes and aggravate ones you already have. It’s better to gently clean your face.
By washing your face gently, you’ll avoid irritation that will make acne worse. For best results, don’t even use a washcloth. Instead, just splash some water on your face, then lather up your hands with the mild cleansing wash or mild soap.
Once you’ve washed your face, use a clean washcloth to gently pat the water off the skin until it’s dry.
Benzoyl Peroxide To Zap The Zits.
Make sure your skin is completely dry, then use an over-the-counter medication with benzoyl peroxide. This is the best active ingredient in non-prescription medication you can use to control blemishes. Benzoyl peroxide is a mild drying agent, and peroxide has long been used to cleanse skin.
Use 2.5% benzoyl peroxide as it has been shown to be just as effective as 5% or 10%, and is much less irritating. It’s a bad idea to irritate your skin and make acne worse instead of better.
Starting with a small amount of medication is important. Because this medication is a drying agent and can cause redness and itchiness, so don’t slather on a bunch right from the beginning. Start with just enough medication to very lightly cover your skin the first time, then gradually increase the amount you’re using. Within a couple of weeks you should be giving your skin a good coating of medication.
Be careful to stay away from the tender skin under your eyes. This skin is thinner and more easier irritated that the rest of the skin on your face, and not likely to break-out anyway.
Use Moisturizer.
Because benzoyl peroxide dries out your skin, it’s important to apply moisturizer. Once your skin is completely dry, lightly apply moisturizer to your face. After the moisturizer has time to dry, if you skin still appears dry or flaky, add some more.
It’s important to apply the moisturizer even when first beginning to use benzoyl peroxide. This is to keep your skin from drying out too much.
Will A Good Diet Help?
The scientific community is on again, off again, as to whether diet has any effect on acne. Too much iodine is known to aggravate blemishes, so don’t go overboard with the salt shaker if you’re using iodized salt, or eat too many iodine rich foods like clams, crabs or other shellfish.
If you notice that your skin tends to break out more after eating certain foods, however, ditch the scientific theory of the moment, and avoid those foods. Body chemistry and the effects of foods and other substances on our body is so complex, that scientists don’t always have the definitive answer. (How many drugs have been deemed safe, only to discover later they have bad side effects?)
When You Need Help Fast.
When you have a blemish and need help quick, try one of the following:
- If you run out of benzoyl peroxide and have a blemish, try using a little calamine lotion. This absorbs the excess oil, getting rid of the blemish.
- Immediately after washing your face, use an ice cube for 60 seconds on any blemishes. The chill helps reduce the inflammation and make them less noticeable.
- No squeezing the pimples! Though it might actually help the original blemish to heal more quickly, it will irritate the surrounding skin and may cause more blemishes.
- Be careful what kind of make-up you use. Especially bad for blemish prone skin is any kind of oil based make-up. If you want to wear make-up, look for fragrance-free types that are meant for people with sensitive skin.
Blemish Free Skin.
Acne is an unwanted problem but a good skin care regimen can usually help or totally eradicate the problem.
Clear skin is the clear goal.
