9 Acne Do’s and Don’ts for Clear Skin

Unless you are uncommonly blessed, you will suffer from acne at some point in your life. Normally at its worst during the teen years, acne can last into your adult life, depending on the natural make-up of your skin, genetics and how well you take care of it.

If you struggle with acne, it is very important that you take care of your skin properly. If you don’t give your skin what it needs, then your acne will just get worse and worse as time goes on.

Check out the tips below to ensure you are taking proper care of your acne prone skin.

Acne Do’s:

① Wash your hair regularly.
If you have oily skin and acne, it’s also very likely you have oily hair too. Make sure you are taking care of the problem by washing your hair each morning.

If you don’t wash your hair often enough, the oil in your hair mixed with the product you put on your hair could travel down to your face, making your skin even more likely to break out.

Tip: If you use hairspray or other spray-on hair product, consider getting a face shield to keep the product off of your face.

This will reduce the likelihood that the hair product will add to your acne problem.

② Use a gel cleanser.
Don’t use creamy or milky cleansers. These types of cleansers deposit unnecessary lipids — oils — on the skin, which can make you feel even oilier. Instead, use gel cleansers which are typically made for those with combination to oily skin while cream cleansers are made for normal to dry skin.

Tip: You don’t need to spend big bucks on a cleanser, either, as there are plenty of drugstore brands worth trying. Apply a cleanser very gently with just your fingers, and then lather the cleanser by rubbing in small circular motions.

③ Keep Your Hands Away from Your Face (except during washing)!
Do you know where your hands have been? If you’re a chronic face-toucher, keeping your hands away from your skin will absolutely help improve it. Everything you touch has the possibility of having germs and bacteria on it, so DON’T touch your face!

This is a tough habit to break, but if you then touch your face frequently with unclean hands, you’re only contributing to your acne problem!

Tip: This goes for bedtime, too! If you typically curl your arms under your chin to sleep and see that you have an acne problem in that area, try breaking the habit and sleeping in another position.

But because we all know that you can’t necessarily change your sleeping position for the entire night, wash your hands before bed.

④ Wash with Salicylic Acid or Benzoyl Peroxide.
You’re going to need some type of treatment product – be it a toner, a spot treatment or a moisturizer. Salicylic acid and benzoyl peroxide are the most common acne-fighting ingredients, so look for products that have one of these ingredients.

Cleansers that contain salicylic acid penetrate into the pores and help remove fats that clog the pores and lead to blackhead.

Tip: If you have really bad acne that won’t clear up no matter what product you use, or if you have cystic acne, consider seeing a dermatologist for a stronger acne medication. They’re there to help!

⑤ Use Oil-Free Foundations.
To avoid creating more of a shine and potentially clogging pores, make sure your foundation is oil-free. Use a powder blush instead of a cream formula for the same reasons.

Acne Don’ts:

① Don’t Scrub your Skin.
While it may be tempting to use an exfoliating scrub, steer clear of these types of products if you have severe acne until you talk with a dermatologist. Exfoliation is good for the skin, but exfoliating skin with heavy acne can cause inflammation and redness.

② Practice Sun Safety
The sun can really damage your skin (as can tanning beds). Make sure you wear a product with SPF in it every day. It doesn’t matter if it’s sunny or not — wear SPF! Be sure to use at least an SPF of 15, but we like to look for SPF 30. (Reapply every 2 hours at most!)

Tip: Wear a wide-brimmed hat and sunglasses to keep your skin healthy. Remember, the healthier you keep your skin, the better your skin will look. Nothing’s worse than sunburned acne.

③ Don’t Pick at Your Skin.
Popping those pimples is very tempting; however, in the long run you are just damaging your skin. Avoid popping any white or black heads that appear on your skin. Allow them to heal naturally, and your acne will clear up much faster and cause much less scarring.

④ Don’t Overwash.
Oily skin isn’t a hygiene problem, so extra cleansing isn’t the answer. If you wash too much, you can strip your face of the essential oils that serve as a barrier to a lot of irritants. This can cause your face to become red and raw.

It’s better to wash twice a day and use blotting paper when you feel shiny throughout the day.