- How to Prevent Acne Breakouts
- By: Greg Podsakoff
Acne can be an embarrassment
for anyone, at any time. Over 85% of people experience acne sometime
during their lifetime. As with many other health issues, most
people wait until the acne has erupted on their face before it
is treated.
While this approach often works
to treat acne, it does not stop acne from developing, nor does
it prevent acne scars from forming. The best way to stop acne,
and minimize acne scarring is to prevent acne before it ever
gets a chance to start.
At the present time, there is
still no cure for acne. However, there are various treatments
and preventative measures that can be taken to stop acne before
it starts.
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Start by adopting a good basic
cleansing routine. Even though acne is not caused by poor hygene,
it is important to use a wash cloth or another material that
will help exfoliate. This is because excess skin cells can contribute
to acne. Twice a day should be plenty, and be sure to stay away
from oil based moisturizers.
After cleaning the face, use
a 2% salicylic acid solution such as stridex or oxy pads. Salicylic
acid works by removing more excess skin cells that can clog pores
and cause acne to develop. If this is done every day, it will
reduce the amount of acne breakouts. |
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If salicylic acid does not work,
try a 5% benzoyl peroxide solution. Anything more than 5% will
usually just cause excessive dryness. 5% is strong enough to
prevent acne, but not so strong that it irritates the skin. An
herbal alternative to benzoyl peroxide is tea tree oil, which
has been clinically proven to be as effective as benzoyl peroxide.
It is also much less irritating to the skin.
Last but not least, use an oil
free sunscreen to protect the skin before going outdoors. This
is very important, because sunlight can cause damage and irritation
to the skin. Once the skin is damaged, it increases the likelihood
of an acne breakout.
The most important part of this
regimen is to repeat the steps ever day, whether or not acne
is present. By exfoliating, using salicylic acid or benzoyl peroxide
every day, and protecting the skin with sunscreen, this will
stop acne before it starts.
There are also alternative treatments
that can be used to prevent acne. Prescription medications such
as Accutane, or Retin-A will work to prevent acne. Retin-A in
particular can be used with relatively few side effects, and
will also work to reduce fine lines and wrinkles.
The downside is that it will
make the skin more sensitive to sunlight, so wearing sunscreen
is a must. Avoiding sunlight as much as possible is even better.
Alpha Hydroxy peels can also
be used to prevent acne. By applying glycolic acid to the face,
it will gently peel off the upper layers of skin, and allow the
skin to renew itself. This form of acne prevention should be
administered by a dermatologist, since too much glycolic acid
can do more harm than good.
Many acne treatments also work
as acne preventatives. The problem is most people stop treating
acne once it is gone. The best way to prevent acne and acne scarring
is to use a daily regimen of exfoliating, medicating, and protecting
at all times. This will keep the vast majority of acne from ever
showing up. |
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