Acne is something that everyone deals with, whether it be a breakout here and there or constant flare-ups. There is no need to be embarrassed or ashamed because it is a natural process and can be caused by a wide array of different factors- including hormones, family history, oily skin, and more. While there are medications that can be prescribed to you by a dermatologist to get rid of acne, there are also a lot of things that you can do starting from home to reduce the growth of acne.
Showers
Regular showers can help rid your body of any foreign bacteria that can be contributing to the creation of acne, especially if you’re sweating a lot. A buildup of dirt, oil, and bacteria can cause a breakout- so make sure you’re hopping into the shower to help clear pores.
Exfoliation
Exfoliation is an important part of a skincare routine that you shouldn’t skip. Yes, our skin sheds dead skin cells in its own process, but when shedding, the skin can cling on and not completely fall off. The extra skin can cause a blockage which in turn, will cause acne. Using a gentle exfoliator about twice a week is a good way to make sure you’re letting your pores breathe healthily.
Soaps that target acne
There are great over-the-counter body washes that contain ingredients such as salicylic acid that helps dry out any active pimples. Using a soap targeted to fighting acne is a great way to reduce it. Everytime you hop in the shower, simply wash the affected areas with the cleanser.
Clothing
After working out or running around all day, your clothes can get pretty dirty from outside factors and your body sweat. As soon as you can, get into some fresh clothes as dirty clothes can cause your body to break out. Similarly, make sure your clothes aren’t too tight if you have existing acne, as it can cause irritation and increase the redness.
Sheets
How often are you changing your bedsheets? Overnight, we tend to sweat. Some may do more than others, but in the end, we all do it. Along with sweating, we’re also shedding our dead skin cells, letting our oils seep into the bed, and just getting the bed dirty. Not changing your sheets allows for things like this to accumulate and cause further acne. The sleep foundation recommends changing your sheets at least once a week to make sure we’re getting into clean beds to rest up (we also wrote about the health benefits of it here)!
Lotions
Non-comedogenic lotions, or non-clogging lotions are a good way to moisturize your skin without causing clogs in your pores that can further lead to acne. If possible, fragrance free non-comedogenic lotions will be your best bet to reduce the possibility of irritation.
Spot Treatment
There are many options for over-the-counter spot treatments that you apply over problem areas that help minimize the size of acne. While there are special formulas made by dermatologists, there are also homemade remedies that you can use such as tea tree oil to treat problem areas.
Hydration
Make sure you are always staying hydrated! Drinking water allows your body to rid itself of toxins, moisturizes the skin, allows it to remain supple, and gets collagen working. We wrote a really popular article about all the wonderful health benefits of drinking 3 Liters of water a day, so start a new habit today!
Diet
Eating an unhealthy diet can affect our bodies tremendously. In fact, a study showed that foods that have a high glycemic index (GI) raise your blood sugar and cause acne flare-ups. Make sure your diet is balanced with vegetables, fruits, whole grains, and protein.
Hair
If you have long hair that lays on your back or sits on your forehead, this can be causing acne. The oils on your hair sit on the area and add oil and dirt to the skin which, in turn, causes acne. In addition, when washing your hair, make sure when washing your hair, you get all residual shampoo and conditioner off your body when rinsing. The leftover soaps can cause clogged pores due to their ingredients.
