It’s no secret: Acne is something that we’d rather not discuss, but like any other health condition, it needs dire attention.
Acne is quite an unforgiving skin condition that traumatizes its hosts physically, mentally, and emotionally. Let’s face it; blackheads, white heads, and oily erupted skin aren’t favored by anyone. But the promising news is that there are ways about it!
Acne usually finds comfort within oily skin, high sweat levels, humidity, hormonal stress, dirt, and debris that ultimately clog pores. Unfortunately the condition can also be hereditary. The condition is common especially amongst ones teenage years due to high hormonal levels. It is important to fight the ailment with patience, because it’s not a condition that can go away over night. In this article, we will cover the basics of skincare to ensure proper acne treatment.
In every skincare routine, one needs to undergo four basic steps: to cleanse, to moisturize, to treat and to protect. A proper skincare regimen requires each step to assure that the skin is balanced. Essentially, balance is key.
Step One: Cleanse – When cleansing the skin, with conditions such as acne — where pores are clogged and in urgent demand to be decongested — it is crucial to look for active ingredients in the products used. The most sought–after ingredient is salicylic acid, which ultimately works as a drying agent that cleanses the pores. While salicylic is the preferred acid, benzoyl peroxide, sulfur, and resorcinol are other agents that will work in similar fashion, but usually at higher degrees. As mentioned before, balance is key. With that in mind too much of anything will worsen the condition.
Step Two: Moisturize – The skin is a regulated organ that has a mind of its own, and one must admit, it is quite smart. Think of it this way; when you over–indulge in drying agents such as sulfur and benzoyl peroxide, the skin’s sebaceous gland (the gland that produces oil) reaches an alert stage and sends urgent signals that react somewhat like this: “We MUST produce more oil!” Understanding this mechanical process, moisturize your skin no matter how oily the skin appears. Otherwise, the condition will worsen. Now, this is not to encourage you to smother your skin with moisturizer.
Acne is not exclusive to oily skin. It is quite unbiased and often those with combination skin experience it as well. Popular ‘acne–conscience’ brands such as Murad, Peter Thomas Roth and the publicized “miracle–worker” ProActive, place active ingredients in their moisturizers. These ingredients work to maintain oil production to deliver the right amount of moisture.
The treat step in skincare, specifically with acne, comes in the form of a serum, a mask, and/or a spot treatment. As implied in its name, a treatment works to treat a specific area of concern. While there are plenty of over-the-counter treatments, it is best to work with a skincare specialist to aid in this selection process. There are plenty of acne specific treatments available but truthfully, each person’s condition is simply not the same. Rather than experiment with different products (it involves your face at the end of the day) head over to a trained or licensed professional to walk you through a specialized treatment and, more importantly, to explain why that specific treatment would fit your needs.
The last step in skincare is to protect; a step that is often underestimated and overlooked. To protect you skin is basically sealing the deal — consider it insurance for all the hard work and earnest effort you’ve devoted to maintaining a balanced skincare regimen.
Using products that contain SPF is a crucial step to ensure the skin is at its optimum, which will deter it from environmental stress and aging. With harsh agents that are used to regulate oil and kill off P–acne bacteria (the bacteria in the skin that causes acne and also disseminates other skin condition from acne), your skin will be more susceptible to becoming sensitive to UVA rays.
Furthermore, causing unwanted irritation, redness and inflammation may occur. With all this, you’ll need a skin “umbrella” which would essentially be SPF. Contrary to popular belief, people of color need SPF just as much as anyone else would. People may shy away from it because it leaves unwanted bluish grey hues to the titanium in its composition, but there are other options without this ingredient. Take Peter Thomas Roth’s instant mineral powder for example: it’s powder that contains SPF 30, which would work to absorb excess oil throughout the day: a win–win situation.
Without a doubt, acne is a condition that we would all rather live without. Be rest assured that with scientific and educational resources readily accessible, there are ways to successful combat this skin condition. If you do have this condition, do some research and make a few phone calls to a registered specialist, and you’ll be able to say bye bye to acne soon enough!
