The 4 Most Common Mistakes That Are Making Your Acne Worse
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As common as acne can be, it can still have a debilitating effect on self-confidence and mental health. Those with acne will try anything under the sun to fix it, but here the most common mistakes they make along the way:
1. Popping Zits
As tempting as it may be, refrain from popping whiteheads, blackheads, and pesky under-the-skin bumps. Picking can lead to more inflammation, redness and even scarring. Here’s a little tip: Use pimple patches (some are invisible enough to be used in the daytime and under makeup). Pimple patches mainly contain hydrocolloid that sucks out the gunk from zits. Most importantly, they help keep your hands off your skin.
Think of hydration as a drink of water for your skin, just as your body needs water to survive.
2. Stripping the Skin
Acne sufferers will relate to this one the most. Over-washing the skin and skipping hydrators/moisturizers seems like a natural solution to get rid of oil. However, overuse of foaming cleansers with harsh surfactants such as SLS or SLES can strip the skin of sebum (oil that is naturally produced by our bodies) and its moisture barrier.
Using a suitable oil or balm cleanser followed by a gentle creamy/milky cleanser helps maintain the delicate skin barrier while also thoroughly cleansing the skin of dirt, makeup, and oil. Secondly, think of hydration as a drink of water for your skin, just as your body needs water to survive. A nice mist, toner, essence, or serum with water as one of the main ingredients can help. You could also layer these under a light moisturizer with humectants (water-loving ingredients) such as hyaluronic acid, glycerin, and propylene glycol that help attract and retain water in the skin. Similarly, using an appropriate facial oil (such as jojoba oil, since it most closely resembles sebum) on top as an occlusive can help seal in skin moisture.
If you fear oils, by all means, skip them. Certainly, do not skip hydration, though.
3. Overdoing Spot Treatments
Spot treatments commonly include active ingredients such as benzoyl peroxide, salicylic acid, sulfur and retinoids. These can be helpful in calming active breakouts and reducing inflammation. However, overusing spot treatments can cause dryness, especially to the skin around the spot, and damage the skin barrier. Generally speaking, spot treatments should be used in a thin layer over the affected area. If a treatment is prescribed by a dermatologist, it would be best to follow their instructions for application.
Proper use of SPF can prevent sun damage and reduce the chances of permanent acne scars.
4. Skipping Sunscreen
Acne often leaves behind post-inflammatory erythema (post-acne pink or red spots), post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation (post-acne brown/dark spots) or both. Spots are made worse by exposure to the sun, since the sun emits UV radiation that darkens acne scars and makes them more noticeable.
Those with acne-prone skin tend to shy away from sunscreen for fear of further breakouts. However, proper use of SPF can prevent sun damage and reduce the chances of permanent acne scars. Use broad spectrum sunscreens (that protect against both UVA and UVB radiation) with a minimum SPF of 30 with either organic (carbon compounds), inorganic (zinc, titanium compounds) or combination filters, depending on skin type and condition. Sunscreen should also be reapplied every two hours while outside. Be sure to cleanse off sunscreen thoroughly at the end of the day.
