Skin Care & Acne Prevention

Skin Care & Acne PreventionLet’s take a look at how to combat your acne.The main strategy to use is prevention where possible and betterskin care. Here are several top issues of focus for each:exercise,cosmetics,diet,hormones,hygiene,medications,shaving,stress.Exercise – Keeping in shape can help fight acne by fighting offnegative stress levels that can come from negative self-esteemand depression. However, some safeguards need to be in place toward off acne that can result from your workout routines. Firstwatch which products you use on your body because you'll mostlikely be sweating. With any sunscreen's for outdoor workoutactivities and any make-up or other cosmetics, check for“noncomedogenic” and “oil-free” on the labels to help preventpore clogging. And when your workout is finished, wash theproducts off as soon as possible, especially if you'll be goinginto a steam room or sauna where your pores will be opening upmore. You don't want these lotions and other cosmetics gettinginto your pores and clogging them up, resulting in blemishes.Watch what you put on your body with regards to clothing, sportsgear and equipment. For example, tight lycra and nylon exerciseoutfits might look great in the movies and magazine models, butif you are susceptible to acne problems, avoid these syntheticfabrics that tend to trap in body moisture and heat resulting ina bacteria frenzy. Instead, choose loose clothing made of cottonor natural blends to allow more air to get to your skin. And whenyou’re finished with your workout, get out of clothing wet fromperspiration or water sports. Shower and change into dry, cleanclothing. And keep your sports gear and equipment clean, too.Dirty headgear, for instance, can irritate forehead areas proneto acne problems. So toss headbands into the washing machineafter workout sessions.Tip: when cleaning your body after a workout, no need to scrubwith force and irritate skin. If possible, wash with medicatedsoap (check for “exfoliant” on the label) or medicated wipes fromyour athletic bag where showers aren't available.Tip: When drying with a towel, even if it's during your workoutto erase sweat, always blot instead of rub. That way you avoidgrinding excess dead skin, dirt, sweat and other chemicals intoyour pores and risking pore-clogging and skin irritation.Cosmetics – To avoid pore-clogging and skin irritations similarto acne and can contribute to acne, use products labeled“noncomedogenic” or “oil-free.” Shimmering facial colors cancontain a flaky mineral called mica that can cause skinirritations and clog pores. Other additives in coloring that cancause similar reactions are coal tar derivatives, carmine andheavy cream in blushes. More preventative measures include usinga lip gloss promoting a matte finish instead of a high gloss forless pore-clogging; note the more the shine, the more thencomedogenic content and the more the pores can clog.Beware eye creams can contain heavier concentrations ofmoisturizers than regular creams and lotions, meaning they havegreater potential to clog pores in the surrounding facial areas.Additionally use caution with hair styling products that containoils, alcohol and adhesives that should be kept away from skinand from seeping into pores along with perspiration duringworkouts; especially watch hair gels and mousses so they don'tcause clogging around your hairline. Use care when choosingfragrance and scented cosmetics, and opt for hypo-allergenic or“fragrance-free” versions where possible to avoid allergicreactions and skin irritations (a sampling 3-day test behind anear is recommended).Tip: Thoroughly clean your face and any other areas wherecosmetics are applied daily, especially if used when combinedwith exercising or other activities that promote sweating, wherethere is the opportunity for the chemicals to be absorbed orsoaked up into your pores.Shaving – Shaving for both genders is an excellent way ofexfoliating or removing dead skin to help with the prevention andspreading of acne instead of leaving the remains to clog pores.And for some light acne cases already in process, shaving canhelp rid whiteheads and blackheads from the face. A word ofcaution: for areas with infection or high inflammatory activity(redness, sensitive, open acne, sores, etc.), do not shave. Or atthe very least, use a shaving cream for sensitive skin. For bestresults with regular shaving, follow these procedures:Steer away from shaving creams that are oily and choose one forsensitive skin if available. Then moisten facial or other hairwith warm water, apply the shaving cream and lather well. Shavewith a sharp (not dull) blade. Note when shaving, use gentleswipes instead of heavy pressure ones that can irritateacne-prone areas. And go with the flow or “grain;” in otherwords, adapt to downward, lateral, angular or upward swipes, fora smoother shave with less nicks and irritating backward motions.Experiment with different razors, both electric and disposable,with single- double- or triple-edged (mach III) heads to seewhich works best for you. And try shaving in a warm shower forbetter results.For after shaving applications, try toning to stop bacteria deadin its tracks before it gets into your open follicles. Tryantibiotic gel or lotion, witch hazel, Dalacin T, a mildalcohol-free toner, Benzoyl Peroxide in gel form and SalicylicAcid in a gel.Shaving Tip: Electric razors may not shave as close to the skin;however, they help with the prevention of acne and other skinbreakout's and flare-ups better.Shaving Tip: If a non-electric razor is your choice, asingle-edged blade is actually better. Why? Because double- andtriple-edged blades grab hair follicles and pull them out frombelow the epidermis. And in the process, your skin “heals itself”by closing over these holes, making it difficult for future hairfollicles to grow outward – creating inflammation in the tightareas.Diet – Studies show diet does not play a role in either the causeor the treatment of acne. However, what is recommended for acnepreventative care is what is best for your body and best for yourskin, especially since your skin is the largest organ of yourbody. So here are healthy vitamins, minerals and othersupplements known and recommended to prevent and help conqueracne breakout's:Hormones – Hormones or lack of, during later years and especiallyfor women, can play a role in acne flare-ups and prevention. Onerecent study showed about 50 percent of women have acne, referredto as hormonal acne, problems during the week before theirmenstruation. Treatment options can include topical retinoids,oral antibiotics and Benzoyl Peroxide for teen years. On intoadult years, some acne aids include oral contraceptives orhormonal birth control pills and hormonal replacement therapy(HRT) for women, combined with systemic or topical treatments,prescription or over-the-counter products and medications, andantibiotics for both sexes.Hygiene – A healthy skin regimen should include no harshscrubbing or over-washing, because this can cause possible skinirritation or possible over production of oil to replace what'swashed off, clogging pores in the process. Products with gentleexfoliation ingredients are OK to use; i.e. not scratchy nut orfruit shell pieces that can tear skin. And skip alcohol productswhen possible; these can take off the top layer of your skin andcause your glands to product more oil, clogging pores in theprocess.If you do spot acne-troubled areas, do NOT mess with them.Remember these are already weeks in the making, and squeezing orpicking blemishes can force the infected area to regress backinside, further troubling the region and possibly leave a scar.If necessary, seek help from a dermatologist for alternativetreatments.