Acne Skin Care
There are many important steps to take when caring for skin with acne. For proper skin care, most doctors recommend that people gently wash their skin with a mild cleanser twice a day and also after heavy exercise. Additional components of a good skin-care plan include avoiding frequent handling of the skin, shaving carefully, and avoiding excessive sun exposure.
An Introduction to Acne Skin Care
Good acne skin care can help prevent or minimize acne flare-ups and acne scars. Taking good care of your skin includes:
- Cleaning the skin gently
- Avoiding frequent handling of the skin
- Shaving carefully
- Avoiding a sunburn or suntan
- Choosing cosmetics carefully.
For proper acne skin care, most doctors recommend that people gently wash their skin with a mild cleanser, once in the morning and once in the evening, and also after heavy exercise.
Some people with acne may try to stop outbreaks and oil production by scrubbing their skin and using strong detergent soaps and rough scrub pads. However, scrubbing will not improve acne; in fact, it can make the problem worse.
Patients should ask their doctor or another health professional for advice on the best type of cleanser to use when caring for skin with acne. As part of your skin-care program, you should wash your face from under the jaw up to the hairline. It is important to thoroughly rinse your skin after washing it.
Astringents are not recommended unless the skin is very oily, and then they should only be used on oily spots. Doctors also recommend that patients regularly shampoo their hair. Those with oily hair may want to shampoo it every day.
Avoiding Frequent Handling of the Skin
People who squeeze, pinch, or pick their blemishes risk developing scars or dark blotches. People should avoid rubbing and touching their skin lesions.
Men who shave and who have acne can test both electric and safety razors to see which is more comfortable. Men who use a safety razor should use a sharp blade and soften their beard thoroughly with soap and water before applying shaving cream. Nicking blemishes can be avoided by shaving lightly and only when necessary.
Many acne medications can make a person 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.
People receiving acne treatment often need to change some of the cosmetics they use. All cosmetics, such as foundation, blush, eye shadow, and moisturizers, should be oil-free. Patients may find it difficult to apply foundation evenly during the first few weeks of treatment because the skin may be red or scaly, particularly with the use of certain topical acne medications, such as tretinoin or benzoyl peroxide.
Oily hair products may eventually spread over the forehead, causing closed comedones (basic acne lesions).
Products that are labeled as noncomedogenic (do not promote the formation of closed pores) should be used. However, even these products may cause acne in some people.
Souce: http://acne.emedtv.com/acne/acne-skin-care.html
