As someone that has had to deal with acne all over my face, chest, back and shoulder. Getting rid of acne spot and achieving a smooth and clear skin is never easy especially if this is your first experience with acne.
I feel like one thing they don’t mention when it comes to acne, is how it affects your self-confidence because my self-confidence really went down the drain, this was about 5 months without any improvement in my acne condition, it just went from bad to worse overtime.
I really wouldn’t like to see anyone struggle with acne the way I did, so this post to help anyone who’s trying to clear their acne all with facts and knowledge I’ve accumulated overtime. So here are 4 things I wish I knew while dealing with acne.
WHAT IS ACNE?
Acne, simply put, is a skin condition that is characterized by the occurrence of inflamed or non-inflamed pimples, blackheads, whiteheads, and cysts on the face, chest, back or other areas of the body. This condition is usually observed when the pores of the skin clog due to buildup of dead skin cells, growth of bacteria in the pores or excess production of oil in the pore.
They are a lot of factors that may increase chances of developing acne which includes: Hormones, Family history, Medications, Age, Stress, Diet and much more.
TYPES OF ACNE
· Blackheads or open comedones
· Whiteheads or closed comedones
· Papules
· Pustules
· Nodules
· Cysts
TIP 1: HAVE A GOOD SKINCARE
I know you may be like “But I already have a good skincare routine and I still have acne”. Well this is possible and can be due to a number of reasons, for example; you are layering your skincare products wrongly or you are using products that do not match with your skin type (oily skin, dry skin or combination skin).
Having a skincare routine plays a key role in clearing your acne or adding to it, this is why you need to have a skincare routine. Before I had acne, I did not use to have a routine at all and when I did, I layered them all wrong. This played a role in promoting my acne, making it worse.
Now that I’ve learnt from my mistake, here is a guide on how to layer your skincare products for beginners.
To have a good skincare, knowing your skin type is crucial, this can be done by carrying out a simple test called La Roche-Posay’s Skin Type Test
Step 1: Wash your face with a gentle cleanser and pat dry
Step 2: Wait for 30 minutes to an hour without applying any product
Step 3: Take a clean tissue and gently press it against your forehead, nose and chin
If the tissue is covered in oil, you have an oily skin.
If the tissue is slightly oily in the T-zone (forehead, nose, chin) but clean on the cheeks, you have combination skin.
If the tissue is clean with no oil, you have dry or normal skin.
Once you’ve known your skin type, the next thing to do is to find products that work for your particular skin type and layer the products correctly.
TIP 2: TRETINOIN IS YOUR BEST FRIEND
Incase no one’s told you “Tretinoin is your best friend as a person dealing with acne”. Including tretinoin into your skincare routine will literally transform your skin. Not using tretinoin has to be one of my biggest mistake when dealing with my acne.
I was using only antibiotics prescribed by the doctor during the early stage of my acne breakout, this just aggravated the situation of my acne as it became worse, later on I was prescribed tretinoin 0.1%(At this point, the acne had clouded majority of my face) .
There are 3 major concentrations of tretinoin: 0.025% (lowest concentration), 0.5% and 0.1(highest concentration). You can always start off with the lowest concentration and gradually increase dosage with time
Before rushing to get tretinoin, there are 5 very important things that you must know to avoid getting skin irritation or peeling.
TIP 3: SALICYLIC ACID VS. BENZOYL PEROXIDE
Salicylic acid and benzoyl peroxide are very good treatments when it comes to acne because they both help to exfoliate the skin, kill bacteria, unclog pores, reduce inflammation and prevent future breakouts. They can be used separately as toners or even face wash.
However, they can be twice as effective if used together and help to see faster, more efficient results. I personally, use only the salicylic acid as a face wash.
If you are looking for a product recommendation for the salicylic acid face wash, I use the CeraVe acne control cleanser. I have been using it for a while now and I have been enjoying it ever since.
TIP 4: KNOW YOUR TRIGGERS
Have you ever heard that statement “Your face is a map to your body”? Well, it’s true. The location of your acne tells a whole lot of your body systems. This by far will help stop your acne from re-occuring because now you know the cause and you can treat it.
FOREHEAD:
· Digestive issues
· Stress
· Hair care products
· Tight hairstyles
NOSE AND CHEEKS
· Cardiovascular issues
· Respiratory problems
· Allergies
· Poor diet
CHIN AND JAWLINE
· Hormonal imbalance
· Stress
· Poor dental hygiene
EYES AND EYEBROWS
· Dehydration
· Kidney or Liver issues
· Lack of sleep
· Eye strain
MOUTH AND LIPS
· Digestive issues
· Nutritional deficiencies
· Hormonal imbalances
· Poor oral hygiene
This map will guide and help you identify any underlying issue that is responsible for triggering your acne. Also don’t forget to consult a dermatologist for personalized advice.