Caring For Blemish Prone Skin
Though commonly thought of as a problem for teenagers, blemishes don’t always disappear when you get older. Adults often have skin problems too. Whatever your age, it’s wise to be careful what you put on your skin since it will be absorbed into your body.
Easy Does It On The Scrubbing.
Scrubbing your face is the worst thing you can do if you’re prone to acne. It turns out it does the opposite. If you rub your skin too roughly, it’s more likely to stir up more blemishes and aggravate ones you already have. That makes it important to clean your face gently.
Gently washing your face helps to avoid irritation that will make acne worse. It’s best to not even use a washcloth. 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.
Control Acne With Benzoyl Peroxide.
Make sure your skin is completely dry, then use an over-the-counter medication with benzoyl peroxide. This active ingredient is the best non-prescription medication you can use to control blemishes. Peroxide has been used to cleanse skin a long time, and benzoyl peroxide is also a mild drying agent.
Use 2.5% benzoyl peroxide as it has been shown to be just as effective as 5% or 10%, but won’t irritate your skin so much. It’s not too helpful to irritate your skin and make acne worse instead of better.
It’s also important to start with a SMALL amount of medication. It’s a drying agent and can cause redness and itchiness, so don’t slather on a bunch right from the beginning. The first time, use 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 slathering a good coating of medication on your skin.
Be certain 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.
It’s important to apply moisturizer, because benzoyl peroxide dries out your skin. Once the medicine has soaked in and your skin is completely dry, then lightly apply moisturizer to your face. Once the moisturizer has time to dry, if you skin still appears dry or flaky, add some more.
It’s quite important to apply the moisturizer even when first beginning to use benzoyl peroxide. This is to help your skin keep from drying out too much.
What About Your Diet?
It’s an on again, off again thing with the scientific community as to whether diet has any effect on acne. Too much iodine will 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.
However, if you notice that your skin tends to break out more after eating certain foods, ditch the scientific theory of the moment, and avoid those foods. There are so many factors since body chemistry and the effects of foods and other substances on our skin is so complex, that scientists don’t always know the answer. (How many drugs have been thought safe, only to discover later they have bad side effects?)
Helpful Tips.
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 will soak up the excess oil and get rid of the blemish.
- Once you’ve got your face washed, use an ice cube for 60 seconds on any blemishes. The chill from the ice cube helps reduce the inflammation and make them less noticeable.
- No squeezing of blemishes! It may seem to allow it to heal more quickly, but will irritate the surrounding skin and may cause more blemishes.
- Watch what kind of make-up you use. An oil based make-up is especially bad for acne prone skin. If you want to wear make-up, make sure to use types meant for people with sensitive or acne prone skin.
Better Skin Is The Result.
Obviously no one wants acne, so it’s helpful that but a good skin care regimen can usually help or totally eradicate the problem.
Clear skin is the clear goal.
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