Acne? Treatments

As a girl, I struggle to battle and conceal my acne as much as I can. Here are some handy solutions to control your acne. If anything, its always good for anybody to spend extra time tending to their skin. After all, the first thing somebody sees is your skin.

Natural:
I thought of this video.

 DISCLAIMER: THIS IS NOT MINE, IT IS SECRETLIFEOFABIONERD'S

Try it! It's a good natural solution. A mixture of sea salt and water can work! Just remember like she says! Don't do it for more than a month. Stop. And use it again only when you need it.

Cleansers:

Choosing an acne cleanser can be hard depending on what skin type you have and what causes your acne. Most people who have acne are teenagers or young adults who deal with a lot of stress and hormones. This is the biggest cause of acne. Cleansers for this could be like neutrogena stress control. Oil control is also good for oily skin. You really should only use the brightening face cleansers or washes after your acne clears away during your later teen years. This will help fade scars and brighten your skin. Choosing a cleanser that does two jobs is also good. The less chemicals you put on your skin, with more acne fighting power, is a good thing. One that I know of is Clearasil's Acne and Marks Cleanser. AND DON'T FORGET TO PULL BACK YOUR HAIR/BANGS SO YOU CAN REACH ALL OF YOUR SKIN!

There are specialized cleansers for nighttime use also. I recommend the Clearasil Overnight Wash. I have only heard good reviews from it.

Scrubs:

A good scrub is also good for people with severe acne or just want cleaner skin. Scrubs penetrate deep into your pores to get rid of excess dirt and oil that builds up and causes acne. I personally don't use scrubs everyday. I think 2-4 times a week is good for me. It really depends on your skin and acne levels.

Masks:

Another good addition to your skin regime is the use of a mask. Masks, like scrubs, clean deep down. Good masks will give you a tingly sensation from your pores opening up and getting cleansed. Masks really let your skin breathe. I once tried my mom's Lancome white clay mask. It was really good; however, I am not saying get a Lancome one. There are cheaper options. Really look at what type of mask it is and what it is made of. Try them out and when you find one that suits your skin (doesn't dry it out or actually helps), stick to it. Use a mask a few times in a week at most. Don't do it everyday because that would severely dry out your skin.

Toner: 

The job of a toner is to do another cleaning job on your skin and also to shrink your pores. Really, this is just preference. I normally get a water based one rather than oil or alcohol. I just feel like it's gentler to my skin.

Moisturizer:

Always a super important part of any regime. Moisturizer keeps your skin young looking and fresh. Don't pick one that will clog your pores because it is too thick. For those who don't know the difference between lotion and facial moisturizers, DON'T USE BODY LOTION ON YOUR FACE!!! Body lotion is too thick and can clog your pores. Clogging = ACNE. Use a face moisturizer or cream. For super sensitive skin, use a baby cream (that's what I use--just don't confuse the bottle of cream and lotion).

Spot Treatment:

This is for bedtime use only. Don't use these in the morning, or you will walk around with either an extremely shiny zit or a dried up one. These are super powerful tubes of acne zapping greatness. Seriously, this stuff is strong. When you put it on the acne, you feel the burn (don't worry, that is a good thing unless you get a rash--then its too powerful for you). If you put it close to your eyes, it makes them water. I recommend my super-powerful one: Clean and Clears Advantage Acne Spot Treatment. It contains like 10% Benzoyl Peroxide. Anything with Salicilic Acid or Benzoyl Peroxide will help with acne.

Acne Treatment Sets:

A good way to get all of this in a bundle is an acne control set. You can find these and research them for yourself. But basically, they contain a cleanser, a moisturizer, and a spot treatment mostly. Since its a set, they normally work off of each other, which is good. I recommend these only to people with severe acne (acne all over their face). Those of us that get a few pimples and freak should stick to spot treatments. Good sets include but are not limited to: Clean and Clear Spot Treatment, Neutrogena Skin ID, and Proactive.

Morning Routine:

• Cleanser
• Scrub (optional)
• Toner
• Moisturizer/Sunscreen (I'll write more about the importance of sunscreen later)
• Moisturizer/Sunscreen
• Makeup (if you want to, but I don't recommend it if you have acne--I'll write a post later about how to properly cover a pimple)

Mid-Day Routine:

• Oil-blotting sheets (if you have oily skin)
• Cleanser (only if you have time...I really don't know anybody that would do this)

Night Routing:

• Cleanser (& Make-up remover)
• Scrub (optional)
• Mask (optional)
• Toner
• Moisturizer
• Spot Treatment

STICK BY THIS ROUTINE! DON'T BREAK IT AND NEVER FORGET TO WASH YOUR FACE EVEN IF THAT IS ALL YOU ARE GOING TO DO! THERE IS SO MUCH BUILDUP ON YOUR SKIN SO NEVER FORGET TO CLEAN IT!!!!

NOW. IMPORTANT NOTE: If you have severe acne, its always a good idea to consult your dermatologist. They can prescribe more powerful acne medications to control raging acne. Anyway, all of this I learned through experience and reviews.