What is acne?
Acne is the bane of any good look and everyone is always looking to get rid of it. Essentially, acne is a skin condition that happens when your hair follicles get clogged with oils and dead skin cells. It includes blackheads, whiteheads, pimples, and other forms of inflammation on your face.
Everyone experiences acne in some form or another usually in their teenage or young adult years. It's the time when bodies change and the less attention you pay to your body, the more acne breakouts you’ll experience.
Some common causes of acne are:
- too much oil is produced by your follicles
- dead skin cells accumulate in your pores
- bacteria build up in your pores
You can treat acne with self-care or medications. It’s always healthier to use natural treatments so as to minimize side effects.
When is acne a problem?
Everyone has acne at some point but when is it a problem?
Some common symptoms of acne are:
- Whiteheads
- Blackheads
- Small red, tender bumps
- Pimples: papules with pus at their tips
- Large, solid, painful lumps under the skin
- Painful, pus-filled lumps under the skin
Acne can pop up in a few places: your face, hands, neck, and back. Usually, if left untreated, it will go away on its own, too. You should seek treatment if self-medication doesn’t work or if you see increased inflammation of the skin.
Here are seven foolproof acne tips & tricks of the simplest and most effective ways to prevent, treat, and remove acne.
How To Prevent, Treat, And Remove Acne
1. Wash Your Face Regularly
Most of your body is made up of water and just your skin is 64% water. Washing your face everyday is more effective than you know.
It helps to remove impurities, dead skin cells, and extra oil from your skin's surface. You should wash your face twice a day at least- after when you wake up, and before you go to bed.
Washing your face also ensures that you take off your makeup. It is especially important because nighttime is the only time your skin gets to detox, relax, and breathe.
2. The Go-To Aloe Vera
The go-to for any acne related home-remedy, aloe Vera is the Skin Project approved necessity for acne. There’s so much to say about the benefits of aloe Vera that you could write articles on articles and it wouldn’t be enough.
Aloe Vera has been proven to reduce everything from inflammation to swelling, from pores to acne and almost all other skin problems. It soothes the skin and enhances it.
You can use aloe Vera serums, creams, or just apply raw aloe Vera to your face. Leave it on overnight and watch the magic transform your skin!
3. Use Salicylic Acid
Salicylic acid is a common treatment for acne and redness. A medication sold as serums and creams, it has quickly gained popularity. But are the benefits really worth the extra step? We say, it is!
Salicylic acid cleans pores and exfoliates dead skin. It even prevents further damage to skin and prevents blackheads and whiteheads’ formation. Salicylic acid serums even reduce inflammation and soothe the skin. It prevents buildups so that the rest of your skincare products like lotion can get absorbed easier.
Since it’s such a gentle cleanser, you can use salicylic acid twice or even three times a day. It's a good way to nourish and care for your skin gently.
4. Lighten The Makeup
We’ve heard it all- from sustainable makeup to clean makeup and everything in between- but we still maintain that no makeup is the best. Your natural glow is the most beautiful and even though makeup is a good temporary solution to small blemishes or annoying spots, makeup can only damage your skin in the long run.
Instead of covering your acne most makeup creates more heat in your body so you are subject to more breakouts.
The best way to avoid this is by going light on the makeup. Instead of putting foundation everyday, you could try just going with eye makeup once or lose the blush and carry your natural blush for a day.
5. Change Your Diet
One of the biggest causes of acne is a bad diet. When you don't eat properly or don't eat on time, the acids in your stomach that are supposed to break down food, start gathering. Too much acid in your stomach builds up heat causing acne breakouts on your face.
The simple solution? Eat right, look right. When you eat at the right time, the acid in your stomach breaks down your food instead of your stomach’s lining.
Getting all the nutrients your body needs is also an important part of eating right. Make sure to get your proteins, carbs, vitamins, and other minerals. This is one of the easiest ways to prevent acne breakouts and reduce inflammation.
6. Spot Treatment
Spot treatment is exactly what it sounds like- it works by treating your acne in spots. You deliver powerful acne fighting ingredients directly to your spots and reduce redness, swelling, and inflammation. This ensures that the rest of your skin- the part that doesn’t need such harsh treatment- stays natural.
Some common spot treatments include benzoyl peroxide, retinoids, and other antibiotics. You can customize your spot treatment to suit your skin type. For example, pair your spot treatment with a complementing moisturizer so that you can nourish your skin, too.
7. Try A Natural Face Mask
A face mask is one of the most effective ways of cleaning your face. In just a few minutes, you can see your face look brighter.
It pulls out your blackheads and soothes your skin to reduce inflammation or redness. Masks come in many types; you can even make face masks at home using ingredients of your choice. Whether it's store-bought or homemade, a natural mask is what you need. Natural ingredients each have various benefits and so while you target your acne, it’ll also hydrate your skin.
Try using masks with turmeric, tea tree oil, honey, and neem for an Ayurvedic twist. They are proven effective and nourish your skin with lots of nutrients. You can find these easily around the house and use them for your DIY acne-combating face masks!
In conclusion, acne is a skin condition experienced by almost everyone. Its symptoms include blackheads, whiteheads, and pimples, and inflammation. There are lots of hacks and DIY tricks that work on acne but it is only when acne doesn’t go away on its own that you should seek treatment. From simple aloe Vera to DIY face masks, we’ve given you 7 foolproof acne treatments that actually work! Let us know how your journey to clear, acne-free skin goes!