
When you think about acne, you probably think about teenagers. However, there are many adults of various ages that suffer from acne. Covering it up is one option, and medication is another, but several lifestyle changes and effective tips can help clear up your next breakout.
If you are tired of being embarrassed about your acne, now is the time to take action. Adults have enough responsibilities between their families and careers to limit their time to deal with unexpected acne breakouts. Following an easy routine, starting with proper cleansing can make a real difference.
Among the causes of adult, acne is stress and medication use. If you get your birth control by ordering through the Active Ingredients blog and you have just started or recently stopped, it could be causing your acne. If your adult acne becomes a real issue, talk to your dermatologist about the causes and how you can help your skin to clear up. Let’s look at a few effective at-home strategies to help you clear up your adult acne.
Daily Cleansing
To minimize your breakouts, cleaning your skin every day is crucial. While a twice-daily routine is healthy, over cleaning your skin can cause it to dry and damage. Using a soft baby washcloth or just your hands and warm water, gently wash your skin with a gentle, non-allergenic cleanser. When drying your skin, always pat it dry rather than rubbing it with a towel. Sensitive skin that is irritated is more likely to lead to a breakout.
Daily cleaning is essential to reducing the frequency of your acne breakouts. When sweat, dirt, and pollution are allowed to remain on your skin for too long, it can create conditions for a bad breakout.
Prescriptions
Your dermatologist may recommend that you try a prescription of pills or medicated cleanser to help reduce the acne problem. In some cases, birth control pills that regulate your natural hormones can be very effective in clearing up your skin. There are several prescription medications that you can discuss with your doctor to help minimize your acne. Some of the most common medications include antibiotics, benzoyl peroxide, tretinoin, and adapalene.
Light Therapy
Light therapy is one of the most innovative ways to help rid your skin of acne. This revolutionary treatment uses lasers to target your acne and remove the irritation in the skin. Although this treatment may be more costly than an over-the-counter cleanser, most patients claim that they have completely clear skin after only a few treatments.
Exfoliating Masks
If you have moderate to severe acne, you may be tempted to scrub your face smoothly with an exfoliating cream. These can be harsh on your skin and end up causing more irritation. Instead of a cream, you can try an exfoliating mask that will give you a deep clean without leaving abrasions on your skin. A mask that dries on your face and then is slowly peeled off can help you to lift and remove dirt from your skin and reduce breakouts.
Limit Dairy
You may love your yogurt or milk in your coffee, but including excess milk in your diet can worsen your acne. Dairy products can cause your oil glands to go into overdrive, leaving you struggling with new breakouts. Try replacing your yogurt with a fruit cup and the milk in your coffee with a powdered creamer until your skin starts to clear up.
Don’t Pick
Your hands contain oil and dirt that can quickly transfer to your face when you touch it. This oil and dirt can get into your pores and cause irritation. You may have to work hard to prevent yourself from obsessively picking at your face; it can be tempting. Keep in mind that picking at your acne can make it worse and even cause infection. You can even end up with permanent scars on your face from picking.
Creams
To prevent acne, it’s important to keep your skin soft and hydrated. Using cream once daily can help keep your breakouts to a minimum. Try to keep your creams light and water-based. Adding heavy, oily creams to your face could make your acne worse.
Limit Sugars
When you eat too much sugar, it can spike your natural insulin levels and lead to a breakout. If you are struggling with adult acne, you need to try to limit sugars like chocolate or cola to once a week. Make it a treat instead of an everyday snack. Natural sugars like those found in fruit are okay to keep in your regular diet.
Stay Clean
Most of the acne that hits adults is caused by skin irritation. Keeping your skin clean of dirt and bacteria is important in fighting acne. The simplest things you do each day could make your acne worse. For example, the screen on your phone is touched a thousand times a day and can be a breeding ground for bacteria. Once you touch your phone to your face, you could be spreading these bacteria. To help keep your exposure to a minimum, you will need to concentrate on staying clean. Wipe your phone screen several times a day, and use an antibacterial wipe on glasses, keyboards, and any other surface with which you come into regular contact.
Minimize Makeup
We all like to look our best, and when you have acne, your first reaction will likely be to cover it up with heavy makeup. Although it’s reasonable to want to hide embarrassing breakouts, covering your skin with makeup can only make things worse. If you are experiencing a breakout or are prone to acne, try keeping your makeup to a minimum. Eliminate heavy foundations that don’t allow your skin to breathe, and stick to a more natural look.
Trying to deal with adult acne can be frustrating, but it doesn’t have to be a life-long battle. Try some of these strategies, including regular washing, cutting out sugar, light therapy, and limiting your makeup to help you clear up your next acne outbreak.