How to prevent acne easily: 14 ways to reduce pimples

How to prevent acne easily: 14 ways to reduce pimples. Anyone who suffers from persistent acne knows how hard it can be to try to heal your skin. But even as you work to soothe your blisters, you can also take steps to prevent new blisters from forming, and break the often-tough cycle of pimples.

Although there is no safe way to get rid of acne for your skin forever, you can reduce acne breakouts and help keep your skin as healthy as possible.

Read on for 14 strategies to prevent pimples and be on your way to clearer skin.

Wash your face properly

Pimples can appear anywhere on the skin, but they most often appear on the face. While the skin microbiome is complex, scientists have identified a bacterium called Propionibacterium acnes that can cause acne breakouts. These bacteria cause inflammation when they convert sebum, the oil naturally found on the skin, into fatty acids.

Removing excess sebum, dirt, and sweat every day can help prevent pimples — but washing your face too often can make acne worse.

"When we strip our skin of its natural sebum with excess washing, it actually causes the skin to produce more oil to rebalance your complexion," says board-certified dermatologist Anar Miklov, MD. “So, washing your face excessively can actually exacerbate acne, as can using cleansers or astringents that dry out the skin too much.”

As a general rule, you won't want to wash your face more than twice a day.

Mikailove suggests using cleansers that are sulfate-free, fragrance-free, and gentle enough to be used twice daily. Avoid harsh physical exfoliants or drying foaming cleansers.

To wash your face:

1. Wet your face with warm (not hot) water.
2. Apply gentle cleanser in a gentle, circular motion with your fingers, not a washcloth.
3. Wash it well with water.
4. Leave it to dry.

Know your skin type

Knowing your skin type can help you decide which products to use and avoid. You can use the following parameters to determine your skin type, but you can also consult a dermatologist for help if you're still not sure:

• dry. Your skin often feels flaky and tight.
• oil. Your skin tends to look shiny by the end of the day.
• mix up. You have dry areas and oily areas. The oily area is usually your T-zone or your forehead, nose and chin.
• sensitive. Your skin reacts easily to products and is prone to rashes, discoloration, or irritation. You can have sensitive skin with any of the above skin types.

In general, people with oily skin are more likely to get acne, says Mikailove, but anyone can get breakouts. Having information about your skin type can make it easier to choose an acne treatment regimen that will help your skin clear.

According to Mikailove, if you have sensitive, acne-prone skin, too many products with active ingredients—such as salicylic acid cleansers, salicylic acid exfoliants, and retinol cream—may damage your skin's barrier and lead to more breakouts.

"If you have more oily skin, using a moisturizer designed for dry skin can be very clogging and pore-clogging," says Mikailove.

Use a moisturizer

Moisturizers help skin stay hydrated, which makes a huge difference for acne-prone skin. If your skin becomes very dry, it will secrete oil (sebum) to balance the dryness. And, as mentioned earlier, excess sebum can cause breakouts.

However, many moisturizers contain oil, synthetic fragrance, or other ingredients that may irritate your skin and cause breakouts. Be sure to check the ingredients list before purchasing a moisturizer to ensure it is fragrance-free and non-comedogenic.

Use over-the-counter acne treatments

Over-the-counter acne treatments can help heal pimples, and sometimes prevent them in the first place.

Just know that overusing over-the-counter remedies can sometimes lead to irritation and dryness, so it's important to follow the manufacturer's usage instructions.

Here's what you should know about the most common active ingredients you'll find in over-the-counter acne treatments:

1. Benzoyl peroxide. Benzoyl peroxide works best on inflammatory acne, such as cysts and red bumps, because it kills acne-causing bacteria.
2. salicylic acid; This ingredient is perfect for blackheads and whiteheads because it works to unclog pores and reduce inflammation.
3. matches. Sulfur is a natural ingredient that is often the gentler of the two mentioned above. It can dry out dead skin cells to open pores and absorb excess sebum.

Not sure which over-the-counter acne treatment might work best for your skin or your specific skin goals? It may be helpful to reach out to a dermatologist to get an expert opinion on your skin.

A dermatologist can make professional recommendations about products, along with advice about any potential drug interactions to consider. For example, using a beta hydroxy acid (such as salicylic acid) with retinol can cause excessive dryness and irritation, so you'll usually want to avoid mixing products with these ingredients.

Read:

10 skin care secrets for healthier skin in detail

Stay hydrated

If you are dehydrated, your body may signal the sebaceous glands in your skin to produce more sebum. Dehydration also gives your skin a dull appearance and promotes inflammation and discoloration.

To keep your body well hydrated, aim to drink at least eight 8-ounce glasses of water per day.

Drink more:

1. after training
2. When pregnant or breastfeeding
3. When spending time in a hot and humid environment

Cut back on makeup

While you may want to use makeup to cover your pimples, know that doing so can clog your pores and lead to breakouts.

If you don't want to remove your makeup from your daily routine, choose a non-comedogenic, fragrance-free foundation or concealer so that your skin doesn't irritate further.

Make sure to gently wash off any makeup at the end of your day, especially before you go to bed.

Besides limited makeup, it never hurts to pay attention to any other products you use near your face, especially styling products.

Hair spray, dry shampoo, and texturizing products can come in contact with your skin and cause outbreaks, so you may want to consider oil-free, non-comedogenic options for these products.

Try not to touch your face

Touching your face can transfer pore-clogging bacteria and impurities to your skin.

It's hard to avoid touching your face but try to pay attention to how often you touch your face and stop yourself from doing so as much as possible.

Also useful? Wash your hands regularly. That way, if you touch your face — and in all honesty, you probably will — your hands are clean.

Limit sun exposure

Catching a few rays may dry out blisters in the short term, but can have undesirable skin consequences in the long term. Frequent exposure to the sun dries out the skin, which over time causes it to produce more sebum and clog pores.

Using sunscreen can help protect your skin all year round. Of course, as you already know, sunscreens tend to be very greasy. To protect against the sun and breakouts, choose a sunscreen that is non-comedogenic and oil-free.

Don't be a pimple popper

While it may seem virtually impossible to resist squeezing those big whiteheads at the tip of your nose, your best bet is to avoid popping pimples.

Pop-up blisters often bleed, but they can make the problem worse by:

1. They become inflamed and the pores around them become clogged
2. infection
3. leaving behind scars

Try tea tree oil

Tea tree oil is a popular natural remedy for pimples. Tea tree oil contains a compound called terpinene-4-ol, which has been shown to kill certain bacteria, viruses, and fungi, as well as increase white blood cells to promote healing.

To use tea tree oil for pimples, apply one or two drops to the inflamed area. You can also add a few drops to your daily moisturizer or cleanser.

Use antibiotics

If over-the-counter acne treatments don't make much difference, your dermatologist can prescribe antibiotics to help reduce inflammation and bacteria on your skin. Antibiotics, which come in both topical and oral form, work by reducing the amount of Propionibacterium acnes bacteria on your skin, which can help ease breakouts.

Your dermatologist may recommend:

1. Topical antibiotics such as clindamycin (Cleocin) for mild acne
2. Oral antibiotics such as doxycycline (Vibramycin, Durex) for severe acne
3. Use benzoyl peroxide gel with your prescribed treatment

In the long term, your body can become resistant to antibiotics, making these medications less effective. It is essential to follow the regimen prescribed by your dermatologist so that you can get the most out of your prescribed treatment. Also, be sure to mention any other medications you are taking to avoid any negative interactions.

Apply French green clay

French Green Clay is an absorbent clay that is rich in minerals and has healing properties. According to 2010 research, French green clay contains powerful antibacterial properties. It helps draw out impurities, reduce inflammation, and absorb excess oil that may lead to breakouts.

You can buy French green clay in powder form. You can mix this powder with water to make a face mask. You can also add other skin-soothing ingredients like yogurt or honey for a more dynamic natural mask.

Avoid certain foods

Your diet may also affect the appearance of acne.

Some of the common causes that contribute to skin problems such as acne include:

1. processed foods
2. Dairy products
3. alcohol
4. refined sugars

Reducing your intake of these foods or following an anti-acne diet may help reduce breakouts. If cutting back on your acne doesn't seem to help your acne outbreak, you can try an acne diet to more clearly identify the cause.

An elimination diet typically involves cutting out gluten, dairy, eggs, soy, fast food, and alcohol for 23 days. This may sound a bit extreme, but after 23 days, you can begin to introduce these foods back into your diet, one at a time, and notice any changes in your skin. This can help you identify foods that trigger acne.

Important: Before starting any new type of diet, it's best to check with a dietitian to make sure you're still consuming the right amount of calories and nutrients for your body's needs.

Try de-stressing activities

Stress does not cause pimples, but it can make them worse. According to the American Academy of Dermatology (AAD), your body produces more sebum-stimulating hormones when you're stressed.

Some options to help manage stress include:

1. yoga
2. contemplation
3. note
4. massage
5. Aromatherapy
6. Practice

Acne management

Several ways to prevent pimples can also help you manage them. For example, eating a well-balanced diet, reducing stress, and not popping pimples may help shorten the period of time you have pimples.

If you have severe acne that persists even after you take steps to prevent it, you may want to try a prescription-strength treatment, such as:

1. Topical retinoids. These vitamin A derivatives can help prevent clogged pores.
2. Oral contraceptives or antiandrogens. These can reduce hormones that increase sebum production.
3. Oral isotretinoin (Accutane). This retinoid helps prevent clogged pores and reduces sebum production, inflammation and skin bacteria.

Powerful medical treatments can have a host of side effects, some of which are serious. A dermatologist can help you weigh the pros and cons and decide which treatment is right for you.

Learn more about acne treatment options.

What causes acne?

Hormones, especially androgens, can cause pills that stimulate sebum production.

Genetics, diet, overuse of skin products, and environmental factors such as pollution can all cause acne and other types of skin irritation.

Other common causes include:

1. Puberty, pregnancy and menstruation
2. Squeezing existing pimples
3. Brushing or rubbing your skin harshly
4. Pressure from things like hats, helmets, and backpack straps
5. high humidity
6. Cosmetics, such as oily products
7. some medicine

What is the difference between acne and pimples?

Although you'll often notice the terms "acne" and "pimple" used interchangeably, experts define acne as a skin condition that affects the hair follicles and glands in the skin. Pimples are a symptom of this skin condition.

Different types of acne can include a variety of pimples, including:

1. Blackheads (open, clogged pores on the surface of the skin)
2. Whiteheads (closed, clogged pores below the surface of the skin)
3. Papules (small red or pink bumps)
4. Pustules (papules with pus on top)
5. nodules (large, painful lumps deep below the surface of the skin)
6. cysts (painful pus-filled lumps under the surface of the skin)

When to call the doctor

Acne is very common and not life threatening. Despite this, it can cause a lot of discomfort, not to mention the impact on your self-esteem.

A few quickly disappearing pimples here and there may not be much cause for concern, but it's always worth getting stubborn pimples, cysts, and scars checked out by a professional. You don't have to give up just to live with acne.

The following signs could indicate that it is time to seek help from a skin care professional:

1. Acne that covers a large part of your body
2. Deep, painful spots cause discomfort
3. Fluid-filled cystic acne
4. acne scars
5. Skin discoloration and inflammation
6. Acne that doesn't get better with OTC treatments

In general, you should notice improvements within 4 to 6 weeks of starting any new treatment or home remedy, according to the AAD. If your acne is not clearing up, contacting a dermatologist may be a good next step. You can also discuss acne treatments with a pharmacist or general practitioner.

Watch a video: How to treat teenage acne

Dr Sam Bunting