• Acne Prevention
• Lifestyle and home remedies
• Acne triggers
• Treatment Tips
• Acne myths
Acne Prevention
• Wash acne-prone areas only twice a day. Washing removes excess oil and dead skin cells. But too much washing can irritate the skin. Wash areas with a gentle cleanser and use oil-free, water-based skin care products. Here are some NYC Ultherapy success stories that are useful to set up a beautiful skin routine.
• Use an over-the-counter acne cream or gel to help dry excess oil. Look for products containing benzoyl peroxide or salicylic acid as the active ingredient.
• Avoid heavy foundation makeup. Choose powder cosmetics over cream products
• Remove makeup before going to bed. cosmetics on your skin can clog pores. Also, be sure to throw out old makeup and clean your cosmetic brushes and applicators regularly with soapy water
• Wear loosefitting clothing. Tightfitting clothing traps heat and moisture and can irritate your skin. Also, whenever possible, avoid tightfitting straps, backpacks, helmets or sports equipment to prevent friction against your skin
• Shower after exercising or doing strenuous work. Oil and sweat on your skin can trap dirt and bacteria.
• Once your acne improves or clears, you may need to continue your acne medication or other treatment to prevent new acne breakouts
Lifestyle and home remedies
• Wash problem areas with a gentle cleanser. Products such as facial scrubs, astringents and masks generally aren’t recommended because they tend to irritate skin, which can worsen acne. Excessive washing and scrubbing also can irritate skin. If you tend to develop acne around your hairline, shampoo your hair frequently. If there is any pain, then Recommending Marijuana in New YorkWhat Should Doctors Know?
• Try over-the-counter acne lotion to dry excess oil and promote peeling. Look for products containing benzoyl peroxide or salicylic acid as the active ingredient
• Avoid irritants. You may want to avoid oily or greasy cosmetics, sunscreens, hairstyling products or acne concealers. Use products labeled “water-based” or “noncomedogenic.” For some people, the sun worsens acne. Additionally, some acne medications can make you more susceptible to the sun’s rays. Check with your doctor to see if your medication is one of these, and if so, stay out of the sun as much as possible and anytime you have to be in the sun, use sunscreen that doesn’t clog your pores.
• Watch what touches your face. Keep your hair clean and off your face. Also avoid resting your hands or objects, such as telephone receivers, on your face. Tight clothing or hats also can pose a problem, especially if you’ll be sweating. Sweat, dirt and oils can contribute to acne.
• Don’t pick or squeeze blemishes. Picking or squeezing can cause infection or scarring
Acne triggers
• times of stress
• hot and humid weather
• some women find their acne is worse around the time of their period
• severe acne in women or girls can be from abnormally high levels of certain hormones, which can be treated by your doctor
• certain medications can make acne worse; they include some types of steroids, anti-epilepsy pills and oral contraceptive pills
Treatment Tips
• try not to pick or squeeze pimples; it can make the inflammation worse and cause scarring
• removing blackheads is not recommended
• clean your skin gently twice a day and after exercise; avoid excessive scrubbing
• use a cleansing lotion or skin wash (as a soap substitute) to wash your face; regular soap may be too drying
• avoid using oily or greasy products on your skin or hair
• there are many treatments to help with acne and you may need to try more than one
• most treatments should be applied to the whole area of affected skin, not just to individual spots or pimples
• some products should be tested on a small area of skin when using for the first time; see individual products for details
• although small amounts of sunlight may help dry out pimples, avoid getting sunburnt by wearing a non-comodegenic (non-oily) SPF 30+ sunscreen
• if your acne is particularly severe, your doctor may refer you to a skin specialist, such as a dermatologist, who can prescribe stronger treatments
Acne myths
• Greasy foods and chocolate have proved to have little to no effect on the development or course of acne.
• Dirty skin. Acne isn’t caused by dirt. In fact, scrubbing the skin too hard or cleansing with harsh soaps or chemicals irritates the skin and can make acne worse. Simple cleansing of the skin to remove excess oil and dead skin cells is all that’s required.