Preventing Acne: 5 Ways to Keep Acne Away
Did you ever think that washing your face towel every couple of days can actually lower your risk of having an acne breakout? Or that by using hot water instead of cold you can eliminate more pimple-causing bacteria from your pores?
Whether you have acne or not, it is important that you take preventative measures to make sure that acne doesn’t sneak up on you. Follow these 5 steps to make sure your skin stays as clear and acne-free as possible.
1. Keep Your Face Clean:
Although it might sound simple, making sure to wash your face thoroughly and often is one of the best measures that you can take to keep acne at bay. Not only does the skin on your face collect oil and bacteria from the outside world, but there are many dead skin cells that also accumulate on the surface of the skin. Make sure to use a gentle exfoliating cleanser, as opposed to a harsh deodorant body wash, in order to clean without inflaming the skin.
2. Watch Your Hair Products:
Particularly if you develop acne on your forehead or the sides of your face, the stuff you put on your head might be causing the acne on your face. Instead of using fragrances, oils and harsh chemicals on your hair, stick to a gentle shampoo and conditioner that will get rid of oil buildup without leaving buildup of its own.
3. Hands Away From the Face:
Many people prop their heads up on their hands without thinking about it, but this adds a lot of new bacteria to your skin and feeds the acne infection. In fact, medical experts at WebMD have shown that most of the bacteria introduced to your face is done by hand-to-face contact. If you’re also prone to popping or picking at your acne it’s time to put that habit to rest. Not only are you spreading bacteria, but you’ll also cause inflammation and maybe even spread the infection.
4. Exercise and Eat Well:
Even though it’s true that greasy foods and chocolate don’t directly affect your acne, it isn’t true that you can eat whatever you want and be a slob in order to prevent acne. Since your skin is the body’s largest organ, it is important to do everything you can to promote health in your entire body. Try to incorporate fruits, vegetables and whole grains into your diet wherever you can. Always remember when you’re exercising to steer clear of clothing or equipment that could be aggravating your acne like hats and helmets.
5. Don’t Worry About It:
It might seem impossible to do, but one of the best things you can do to prevent acne flare ups is to not think about them. Research has shown that stress is one of the main causes of acne, and stressing about your acne will only make it worse. Take time to evaluate your life and try to see what emotional or psychological things have triggered breakouts in the past. If possible, try to eradicate that stress, or at the very least, find out some sort of relaxation method you can use to deal with it.
Even though many people are affected by acne, it doesn’t have to be that way. By making little decisions each day, you can give yourself the best fighting chance of eliminating acne before it even starts.
