Acne Treatment Tips

1. Try not to pick at your skin. Picking can spread infection and cause permanent scarring.
2. Ice breakouts twice a day to reduce swelling and redness.
3. Do not bake your face in the sun thinking it will clear your acne – it will only create more dried skin cells to clog the pores and result in even more breakouts.
4. Breakouts don’t mean dirty skin. Avoid harsh soaps, rough washcloths and scrubs containing nutshells – they cause irritation and worsen acne
5. Use skin care products and makeup that are perfume free, oil free, and non-comedogenic (will not clog skin pores).
6. Wash clothes (especially pillow cases and towels) in detergents that are free from perfumes and dyes and avoid fabric softeners, especially the sheets used in the dryer. They leave a waxy residue that can contribute to clogged pores.
7. Drink at least eight glasses of water each day and eat leafy greens – water provides hydration and vegetables help maintain good elimination
8. Sleep seven to eight hours per night – not sleeping enough can cause physical stress making it difficult to clear acne.
9. Avoid iodides in the diet such as salty snacks, fast foods, processed foods, excessive dairy, iodized salt, and vitamins containing iodine
10. Keep up on your treatment plan. Skipping home treatment allows blackheads to form deep in the follicle causing new breakouts at a later date
11. Use toothpaste for teeth, not blemishes – for mild acne use a topical skin care product containing 2.5% benzoyl peroxide or salicylic acid
12. Blemishes on the chin area are almost always hormone-triggered, related to a woman's monthly cycle – this means that they will pop up faithfully every 28 days – keep the area especially clean and avoid resting your chin in your hand.
13. Use glass cleaner on cell phones and all other surfaces which you hold against the skin.
14. Get plenty of exercise to help reduce stress.

It is not enough to wash your face and use the right type of cosmetics – healthy food, water, sufficient sleep, moderate exercise, and stress reduction are all basic factors affecting how the skin looks and feels. Healthy skin is truly a reflection of a healthy body.