How Should People
With Acne Care for Their Skin?
Clean Skin Gently
If
you have acne, you should gently wash
your face with a mild cleanser, once in
the morning and once in the evening, as
well as after heavy exercise. Wash your
face from under the jaw to the hairline
and be sure to thoroughly rinse your
skin.
Ask
your doctor or another health
professional for advice on the best type
of cleanser to use.
Using
strong soaps or rough scrub pads is not
helpful and can actually make the
problem worse. Astringents are not
recommended unless the skin is very
oily, and then they should be used only
on oily spots.
It is
also important to shampoo your hair
regularly. If you have oily hair, you
may want to wash it every day.
Avoid Frequent
Handling of the Skin
Avoid
rubbing and touching skin lesions.
Squeezing, pinching or picking blemishes
can lead to the development of scars or
dark blotches.
Shave Carefully
Men
who shave and who have acne should test
both electric and safety razors to see
which is more comfortable. When using a
safety razor, make sure the blade is
sharp and soften your beard thoroughly
with soap and water before applying
shaving cream. Shave gently and only
when necessary to reduce the risk of
nicking blemishes.
Avoid a Sunburn
or Suntan
Many
of the medicines used to treat acne can
make you more prone to sunburn. A
sunburn that reddens the skin or suntan
that darkens the skin may make blemishes
less visible and make the skin feel
drier. However, these benefits are only
temporary, and there are known risks of
excessive sun exposure, such as more
rapid skin aging and a risk of
developing skin cancer.
Choose Cosmetics
Carefully
While
undergoing acne treatment, you may need
to change some of the cosmetics you use.
All cosmetics, such as foundation,
blush, eye shadow, moisturizers, and
hair-care products should be oil free.
Choose products labeled noncomedogenic
(meaning they don't promote the
formation of closed pores). In some
people, however, even these products may
make acne worse.
For
the first few weeks of treatment,
applying foundation evenly may be
difficult because the skin may be red or
scaly, particularly with the use of
topical tretinoin or benzoyl peroxide.
