Anyone who suffers from acne knows the importance of finding the necessary help for acne. Acne affects about 85% of teens and adults alike. Pimples can affect your self-confidence, cause embarrassment, and make you feel like you don't even want to get out of bed and face the world. Although acne can range in severity, all of the various types of acne cause some kind of problems for their sufferers. Whether you're dealing with whiteheads, blackheads, pimples, or cysts, help for acne is on its way.
When treating acne there are four main aims. First, to eliminate the inflammation of the skin, second, to reduce the excess production of sebum (oil), third, to keep future outbreaks from occurring, and lastly to lower the amount of bacteria in the skin. Here are a few things you can do to help your cause:
Diet Options to Fight Acne
Maintaining good nutrition and making dietary choices in keeping with foods that will maintain healthy skin is the first line of defense against acne. Foods that are rich in Vitamins A, C and E, are your skin's best friends. Beta Carotene (vitamin A) may help to reduce the excess oil production (sebum) that occurs in the skin. Vitamin B6 helps to balance out your body's hormones, which in turn may help to reduce acne outbreaks. Zinc also helps to maintain balanced hormone levels, along with speeding up the healing process. In addition, water is definitely a must. It not only keeps your body hydrated properly, but it will also help to keep skin plump and flush out toxins, all of which will help you to achieve and maintain healthy skin. Along with eating a balanced diet, be sure to avoid keep your sugar intake to a bare minimum.
Acne Treatment Options
The following ingredients may provide help for acne and are found in many over-the-counter acne treatment products.
Benzoyl peroxide comes in various forms and strengths. As much as you would like to go for the gusto and try and knock acne out overnight, start on the low end, as benzoyl peroxide can be irritating to some, especially if you have sensitive skin. On the positive side, this ingredient has cleared many an acneic face of those who have had mild to moderate acne. You can find this ingredient in ointments, creams, gels, and soaps. However, be sure to select a water-based rather than an oil-based product, as anything greasy is the last thing oily skin needs. It will only serve to exacerbate the problem.
Salicylic acid is one of my favorite ingredients. It is a great exfoliator, along with clearing out blocked pores and decreasing excessive oil. It too works best on mild to moderate acne. Salicylic acid also comes in various strengths and forms. The same caution goes out for this product. Start with the lower percentage and work your way up. It might be necessary to start initially by using the product every other day for a week or two in order to let your skin get used to it.
Tretinoin, which is a form of Vitamin A, is a wonderful treatment option that works well for moderate to severe acne. This ingredient will cause your skin to be more sensitive to the sun; therefore, it is mandatory that sunscreen always be used when going outside. This holds true for cloudy and rainy days. In addition, as this is a very strong ingredient, the skin may initially experience some irritation. Therefore, in order to determine whether you are a candidate for this product, start by using it every other day to see if your skin responds in a positive fashion or if it reacts in negatively.
Behavior Modification
Try not to pop a zit. Keep your fingers from squeezing your pimples, as this can spread the infection to other locations and cause more acne to form. In addition, squeezing pimples, if done incorrectly, can leave you with a constant reminder, a permanent scar. Therefore, it is best to avoid touching your face in any fashion, this way you will not only be eliminating the possibility of transmitting germs and dirt to your face, but will also remove the temptation of popping those zits.
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