Are you constantly hiding your face with your hair? Are you spending too much money on concealers and makeup to hide acne? If yes, stop worrying about it! Read on to find out some important facts about acne and how to get rid of acne.
Although each individual has a different skin type, most people experience acne at some point in their lives. In order to find ways to get rid of acne, we must first find out what exactly causes acne.
What causes acne?
Human skin has various pores – small openings in the skin. There are two types of pores:
1. sweat pores
2. oil pores.
Sweat pores are very tiny and they allow sweat to reach the surface of the skin so that an optimal body temperature is maintained.
Oil pores, also known as hair follicles, are slightly big and mostly visible to the naked eye. The oil pores allow the oil produced by the sebaceous glands to reach the surface of the skin in order to maintain the skin’s natural glow. Sometimes, the oil and dead skin cells get trapped in the oil pores and this leads to acne. So, acne is actually a malfunctioning of the oil pores.
Here’s How to get rid of acne
Now that you know what acne is, let’s find out how to get rid of acne. As mentioned above, acne is caused due to clogging of pores so the simplest way to clear acne is to keep your pores clean. Here are the 10 most effective and simple ways to keep your skin clean and get rid of acne:
- Wash your face twice daily – Wash your face with a mild cleanser twice daily in order to keep breakouts away. You can even keep a pack of face wipes in your bag while on the move and clean your face whenever you feel your skin is oily and sticky. This might happen more often in the hot summer months. Also, always wash your face after a workout so that the excess oil is removed and the pores are clear.
- Don’t over-exfoliate – It is advisable to exfoliate and scrub the face twice or thrice a week but don’t overdo it. Scrubbing your face with grainy exfoliators can cause redness and rashes. Too much exfoliation can cause inflammation and worsen the acne, thereby increasing the risk of scars on the skin. Always exfoliate the skin very gently and pat dry with a clean towel after washing.
- Moisturize your skin – Most people have this misconception that moisturizing the skin can worsen the acne. Well, if you have dry skin, then you need to hydrate it and maintain the oil balance of your skin. When buying a moisturizer, choose a product that is manufactured using organic ingredients, is lightweight and is pH balanced.
- Eat a skin-friendly diet – Avoid too sugary and oily foods since these trigger insulin production and can aggravate the acne. Some other foods that can trigger spikes in insulin in the body include white bread, pasta and white rice. Include lots of green leafy vegetables, fruits, legumes, nuts, pumpkin seeds, brown rice, whole wheat bread and quinoa in your diet, since these are rich in antioxidants, which help to improve the quality of the skin.
- Drink plenty of water – Now this is not just going to help clear up acne but also improve your overall health. When we drink water, the cells of the skin are hydrated. Water helps to eliminate toxins from the body, prevents further buildup of toxins and helps to keep your skin healthy. One must drink at least 7-8 glasses of water per day.
- Remove makeup before going to bed – Make it a point to remove all your makeup before going to bed. Most makeup products are oil based and cause a lot of damage to your skin during the night. Makeup covers the pores of the skin and doesn’t allow sweat to reach the surface. This blockage of pores leads to breakouts and acne.
- Change your face towel regularly – Imagine using a dirty dinner napkin more than once! Yes, you need to change your face towel regularly since it might contain dirt and bacteria, which can lead to more acne and other skin problems. Do not share your face towel with anyone. It can transfer the bacteria from your skin to theirs and vice versa.
Apart from the above-mentioned ways to get rid of acne, you might want to know another sure shot way to get rid of acne.
Click here to know how to get rid of acne when nothing else is working