Acne is a major hindrance to everyone. Unfortunately, it is not just a problem you experience as a teen. It can develop on your skin long into adulthood and affect your self-confidence. Reviewing 15 small tweaks you can make to your daily hygienic habits to drastically reduce acne outbreaks can help you.
1. Start A Better Skin Regiment
Starting a better skin regiment can significantly reduce breakouts. Most skin care lines provide a facial cleanser to remove dirt and oil from the pores. It also removes bacteria that are left on the face. Next, you will use a toner to exfoliate the skin and make it look more polished. Finally, a moisturizer hydrates the skin and keeps it balanced. New skincare lines can provide all these products and help with your zits more effectively.
2. Wash Your Hair Regularly
Washing your hair regularly lowers the amount of oil in it. The hair has natural oils that keep it healthy. However, if you don’t wash your hair every day, this can contribute to more oil on your face if your hair comes in contact with it. If you have oily hair, it is recommended that you use products that lower oil levels and control oil production more effectively.
3. Balance Your Hormone Levels
Balancing your hormone levels can reduce acne breakouts, too. Some acne breakouts aren’t attributed to poor hygiene. They are caused by an imbalance in hormone levels. For teen girls, for example, some doctors might prescribe birth control pills to balance hormone levels and prevent outbreaks. Women that are at least 40 can start to experience changes in hormone levels that cause breakouts. Hormone therapy reduces breakouts and improves the skin.
4. Avoid High-Fat Foods
Avoiding high-fat foods lowers the risk of excessive oil production. Yes, the greasy foods that you eat will show up on your face if you eat these foods too much. This is not an old wives’ tale. High-fat foods are also very unhealthy for the body and can increase your risk of cardiovascular disease.
5. Don’t Pick at Your Zits
Listen to your mother and don’t pick at your zits. Yes, it is difficult to refrain when Dr. Pimp Popper makes it look like so much fun. However, you must realize that she is a licensed dermatologist and you aren’t. So, stop popping your zits and let them heal on their own.
6. Get Retinoid Treatments from A Dermatologist
Dermatologists often provide retinoid treatments to treat outbreaks. When following a skin regiment, it is recommended that you allow your skin to absorb all your moisturizer before applying the treatments. You can also apply these treatments before you go to sleep.
7. Limit Sugary Snacks
Sugary snacks are not only unhealthy for your body, but they are not good for your skin. As hormone levels sore, you will find yourself craving sugary snacks more often. It is fine to eat these snacks in moderation, but eating high-sugar foods can cause breakouts and cause serious damage to the body. Remember if it is bad for your body, it is also bad for your skin.
8. Do Not Drink Soda
Soda is horrible for the body and does nothing but dehydrate you. Yes, the soft drinks are refreshing and a common go-to when dining at restaurants, but if your body is dehydrated, you will experience more breakouts. A general rule of thumb is for every soda or soft drink you consume, you should drink at least three to four glasses of water. This will restore hydration and lower the effects of the carbonated water and high-fructose corn syrup in the beverages. If you wanted an alternative to soda, you might want to think about switching to sparkling water, which gives you the same sensation as when you’re drinking soda, just without the sugar. You can even get your own soda maker for home and, once you figure out things like where do you get co2 tanks filled, you’ll be able to ensure you have a constant supply of sparkling water that actually counts towards your daily recommended water intake. What’s more, you can add fruits, cucumber, mint, etc., into your sparkling water if you still need some flavor to be able to enjoy it and get extra nutrition from these!
9. Don’t Use Oil-Based Cosmetics
Do not use oil-based cosmetics unless your skin is severely dry and a dermatologist recommended it. Oil-based makeup is known to clog the pores and increasing acne breakouts. The oil becomes trapped in the pores and increases the accumulation of dirt and bacteria on the face.
10. Use Water-Based Sunscreen When You Go Outside
Using water-based sunscreen is necessary to keep the pores unclogged and give you adequate protection against ultraviolet sun rays. Dermatologists will tell you that these sun rays can damage the skin and increase your risk of skin cancer. Water-based sunscreen is easier to absorb into the skin and offers better protection throughout the day.
11. Change Your Pillowcases More Frequently
Changing your pillowcase more frequently prevents acne breakouts. As you sleep on your pillowcases, dirt, bacteria, and other debris are rubbed all over your face. Oil from your hair will absorb into the fibers and present you with a breeding ground for bacteria. Dermatologists recommend changing your pillowcases every other day, and studies have shown that satin pillowcases are the best choice for acne-prone skin.
12. Drink an Adequate Amount of Water
Staying hydrated will help your skin and keep breakouts at bay. Your skin just like your body requires adequate levels of water every day. Doctors recommend drinking at least 8-8 ounce glasses of water every day. This keeps you hydrated and improves the way your skin looks overall.
13. Don’t Go to Sleep With Your Makeup On
Removing all makeup before you go to sleep prevents the cosmetics from getting all over your pillowcase. It also allows air into your skin and pores. Some cosmetics, even if they claim to be hypoallergic, are not meant to be worn when you are sleeping.
14. Control Your Stress Levels
Controlling stress levels improves your skin, too. Acne breakouts, again, are often caused by changes in hormone levels. When you are stressed this increases cortisol in your body. The stress hormones cause breakouts.
15. Keep Your Hands Off Your Face
As your mother probably tells you regularly, keep your hands off your face! Your hands are covered with bacteria and, even if you wash them regularly, you should not touch your face frequently. This can contribute to breakouts, too.
Acne is often caused by clogged pores and the accumulation of oil, dirt, and bacteria on the skin. There are several additional causes that can increase the frequency of breakouts and make you feel bad about your skin. Reviewing tweaks you can add to your daily routine can lower the frequency of breakouts and make you feel better about yourself.
This is a very good list…………. I am lucky have not had in problems on my face in YEARS. I do get somebody pimples once in awhile. But my great niece has a lot of problems so going to share this with her.
Wow! I never knew that pillowcases could contribute to acne, but now that you’ve said it, that totally makes sense. I’ll have to get on a better routine with changing out my pillowcases.