What is acne? At its simplest, it’s an inflammatory disorder of your skin. For whatever reason, your pores and hair follicles become blocked, inflamed, and even infected. A single pimple can be considered “acne” in the textbook sense, but we usually reserve the label for a chronic disorder.
We see a lot of clients come in with complaints of acne. Luckily, there are many treatments available. Even more fortunate, there’s plenty that you can do at home to manage your acne.
Explore the Different Causes of Acne
While acne is described as a singular condition, there are many potential causes of the disorder. Some acne is caused by the bacteria P. acnes, which benzoyl peroxide can help treat. Salicylic acid, on the other hand, reduces inflammation of your pores and unclogs them. Retinoids also unclog pores but do so by reducing oil production.
See? There are a few methods to tackle your specific type of acne. Whether you have a bacterial infection, inflammation, or excessive oiliness.
Give Treatment Some Time
The rule of thumb is to give each treatment at least 4 weeks to produce results. If you’re serious about fighting your acne, then tackle one treatment at a time and give it the necessary time to work its magic. If, after 4 weeks you’re not seeing results, then it’s safe to move to a new treatment.
Follow the Instructions
Whatever product you decide on, be sure to follow the instructions on the bottle. You might think acene treatment is simply enough—rub on and wash off. However, each product will have its own specific application instructions, and following them correctly is the only way to get true results. Be sure to read the label and do what it says!
Wash Your Face Twice a Day
Wash your face with cold water (dab your face with a dry towel to dry it off) once in the morning and once in the evening. If you find yourself sweating throughout the day, then immediately wash with cold water as well.
Resist the Urge to Scrub
Oily and/or inflamed skin might make you want to scrub hard. However, as much as you might have the urge, you should gently wash with cold water only and dab-dry with a towel. Scrubbing your skin will only serve to irritate and inflame it further, leading to even more acne.
Use Acne-Safe Products
Ensure that the soap, makeup, and lotions you choose for your skin are acne-safe. These products are typically gentler, less oily, and will have less of a chance of irritating your skin or clogging your pores further. Makeup should especially be looked at as it’s one of the biggest skin irritants out there. Furthermore, be sure to wash your makeup off every night.
Do you have acne that doesn’t seem to go away? We are Dallas dermatologists that can create a comprehensive acne treatment tailored specifically for you. Reach out to us today.
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