Acne. Just that one word makes me think of oily teenage faces and popping my pimples quickly before I went to school each morning. But that just isn’t the case any longer. Many adults deal with terrible acne breakouts on a daily basis. Women especially are plagued by this skin issue. For many teenagers, they can look forward to growing out of the issue, but for adults, you may feel stuck with it. There are things you can do to help your acne.
First, there are some differences from adult acne as compared to teenage acne. One major difference is where the skin blemishes show up. On teenagers, they break out more on the forehead and cheeks. Adults, on the other hand, tend to break out more on the lower face, jawline, and neck.
Here are some tips that I put together to help alleviate the acne breakouts. I’ve separated this article into the do’s and don’ts of dealing with acne.
Do
1. Quit smoking
If you smoke, by quitting you will improve the quality of your skin. There is a high correlation between smoking and adult acne.
2. Try Alpha Hydroxy Acids and Salicylic Acids
Both of these agents are known for their abilities to clear up acne.
3. Keep Hands Off
The more you touch your face, the more you aggravate your acne. When you touch your face, you pull in dirt and oils. This can make your pores clog up.
4. Try Tea Tree Oil
This is a great essential oil that can help your acne. Try dabbing a small amount directly on your acne. This oil can help break down bacteria that causes breakouts. The beautiful thing about tea tree oil is that it doesn’t remove the skin’s natural and beneficial oils.
5. Drink More Water
Water is essential for healthy skin. The healthier in general that you can keep your skin, the less severe your acne break outs will be.
6. Reduce Stress
Beth McLellan, MD, a dermatologist at NYU Langone’s Joan H. Tisch Center for Women’s Health in New York City said, “Stress doesn’t create a skin disease on its own, but it can make any existing issues worse.” Your body produces cortisol during stressful situations. Cortisol increases inflammation levels in the body which stimulate oil glands. You don’t want your oil glands stimulated if you have acne. That means that you need to try your best to find ways to alleviate your stress before it ends up all over your face.
Don’t
1. Don’t Eat Food You’re Allergic To
Many people think of food allergies as very severe, such as people with peanut allergies. But many allergies can cause reactions that are not life threatening. Avoid foods that cause you to break out. If you suspect you may be allergic to something but aren’t sure, then try to cut it out entirely to see if you notice a change.
2. Stop Eating Junk Food
Refined carbohydrates especially can increase the severity of your acne breakouts.
3. Reduce Dairy
In 2006 a Harvard study found that girls who drank more milk had 20% more of a chance of acne. As the saying goes, everything in moderation. Be careful of taking in too much dairy if you have acne.
4. Watch Salt Intake
The iodine found in most salts may worsen acne break outs. It’s good to cut down on sodium anyways so watch your salt intake for your skin’s sake.
5. Resist Popping
Doing so will only make the acne worse. Squeezing will take the skin longer to heal. I know that it can be satisfying, but by avoiding popping your pimples, you will help your skin in the long run.
There you have some ideas for helping to alleviate the break outs associated with acne. Make sure to also talk to your doctor. Some prescription drugs have proved helpful in dealing with this dreaded skin issue. Are you someone who has struggled with adult acne and have some tips? Feel free to share them with us below!
