Tips for Managing Acne Breakouts
Acne is a debilitating skin condition that can affect your self-esteem and everyday life. It mainly affects adolescents but can also be present in persons of all age groups. Many of us, even if we do not have acneic skin, may have the occasional breakouts that happen especially around menstruation or when triggered by certain foods or stressors. This blog post will help you learn how to manage acne at home and treatment options that are available to help you achieve clear skin.
- DO NOT pick or squeeze your skin!
I literally had to put this first because it is HARD not to do it. However, picking or squeezing your skin makes the acne lesions take longer to heal and it leads to post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation (PIH) as well as deep scarring in which the latter can be very difficult to treat. It is best to leave this in the hands of a professional as not all acne can be extracted and there is an art to it if it has to be done! Also teaming up with a professional to get your acne extracted as soon as possible is necessary. If not, leave it...it will heal on its own. This leads me to the next point.
2. Seek professional help.
This is very important! Getting help from a trained skin professional is the best way to start your journey to clearer skin. An esthetician or dermatologist can guide you on the proper products to care for your skin. They can also perform suitable treatments such as chemical peels (for exfoliation and hyperpigmentation) LED light therapy and high frequency (both to kill bacteria and induce wound healing), microneedling (for treatment of pitted scars and hyperpigmentation) and perform safe extractions where possible!
Contrary to popular belief, it is imperative to be GENTLE with acneic skin. A trained professional will know this and offer services and products that will help to reduce inflammation and sebum production, gently exfoliate the skin, kill acne causing bacteria and heal the skin’s barrier. Lymphatic drainage massage can also help clear stagnation and reduce inflammation in the skin.
3. Use gentle products that are tailored to your skin type
Very often persons with acne use products that are extremely harsh for their skin. This not only leaves you with an unsolved problem but your skin’s barrier becomes even more compromised making it harder for your skin to heal. With acne, especially the inflamed types, usually less is more. Cleansers that do not strip your skin, chemical or gentle exfoliators, and serums and light-weight moisturizers that nourish your skin usually do a good job at beginning the healing process. Sunscreens are also important to protect your skin from PIH. Committing to an at-home skin care routine TWICE daily is necessary. Avoid cleansing the face more than twice during the day because it seems oily to you. This can make it worse.
It is important to know that you must give the products time to work. Constantly switching products can lead to purging and breakouts. Acne lesions usually take about 60 days or more to form. This means that it is possible that it can take 3-4 months to see results from the products used. Some ingredients to look for when choosing products are salicylic acid, niacinamide, azelaic acid, mandelic acid, resveratrol, vitamin c, retinol or bakuchiol (a similar, gentler ingredient to retinol) and sulfur to name a few. Many of these ingredients can be found in Roccoco Botanicals products available at Star Naturale Beauty to help you clear your skin. I did not mention benzoyl peroxide as unfortunately this can be very harsh on the skin in some cases.
4. Shampoo Hair Regularly
If you have oily hair or use a lot of oily products and gels in your tresses, you may realize that you have a lot of forehead acne. Keep your hair clean and out of your face. Also, headbands can trap sweat and cause acne in acne-prone skin so keep this in mind.
5. Makeup!
Makeup can include ingredients that are comedogenic and actually exacerbate acne breakouts! A good foundation is Fenty Pro Filt’r Matte. Also, washing and cleaning your makeup implements after use is very important. Sharpen pencils before use, spay powder products with alcohol before and after use. NEVER sleep in your makeup!
6. Know your triggers:
Some persons can get acne when triggered by foods, supplements environmental factors, or even stress. These are not causes of acne but it can definitely make your acne worse by causing more breakouts. It is important to know what exactly triggers your acne. Keeping an acne journal can help.
- Diet
Diet changes alone can decrease your acne by about 50%! High glycemic index foods like dairy and processed grains can trigger acne. So can processed foods and those high in saturated and trans fats. It is advised to drink more water, include leafy greens and vegetables (fiber), healthy fats high in Omegas 3 and 6 such as salmon, foods rich in zinc such as oysters and beans and eat less processed foods and sugar.
- Supplements
Unfortunately, vitamins B6 and B12, iodine, collagen, biotin and whey protein can make acne worse.
- Stress
When you’re stressed, your body develops more cortisol which causes more sebum to be produced leading to more breakouts. Finding ways to reduce stress such as exercise, self-care practices, meditations and getting enough sleep can also have a positive effect on your skin’s health.
- Environmental Factors
High humidity environments can increase sebum production and sweat leading to more breakouts. If this is a trigger for your acne, being in an artificial, drier climate like air-conditioning can help.
7. Pillow Cases and Phones!
Yes, these are culprits that can worsen acneic skin. Clean your phones (spray them with alcohol) and change your pillow cases regularly (at least weekly). Handle your face with clean hands and soft, clean wash cloths or towels.
8. Consult a functional or naturopathic doctor!
This is something that is totally overlooked. A lot of what is happening with acne is internal. Having a trained person to perform tests to discover underlying causes and suggest treatment to deal with those root causes internally, can do wonders for clearing your acne. Sometimes this can get rid of your acne completely and your cosmetic treatments afterwards may just focus on improving texture and tone of skin, eliminating the PIH and reducing the pitted scars that resulted from the acne. Combining integrative medicine with facials and/ or products can give you results that will be more sustainable.
9. Other Alternatives
There are other methods that are used by doctors to treat acne such as Isotretinoin (trade name Accutane), birth control and antibiotics. Accutane is usually a last resort if all else fails. It helps acne by reducing sebum production but it can leave your skin very dry and comes with a variety of risks as well. In most cases however, it has been successful in treating acne. Antibiotics, in my opinion should not be used for long periods of time. We have all heard about the risks and dangers of long-term antibiotic use. In many cases the acne returns after the antibiotics are not being used so I do not see this as a sustainable option. (However, if your acne is so severe that you need other intervention such as this... of course a doctor’s recommendation is always advised). Birth control I know is based on personal preference of individuals but it can be helpful in treating acne that is mainly driven by hormonal influences.
As you can see there are many treatment options in treating acne as it can be a complex condition. This article was to inform you of ways in which you can manage your acne at home and options that are available when seeking professional help. Always remember that you do not have to figure out your skin on your own! If you’re confused about your skin and need help, you can schedule a consultation at Star Naturale Beauty to help you understand your skin and create a treatment program tailored for you. Following the suggestions above can contribute to better skin. There are even tips you can start implementing right now to help improve your skin’s health. I hope that this blog post has been insightful and helpful. Though it can be a lengthy and painful process, your dream of clear skin is possible...don’t you ever give up!
