Ok now the best part, how can I get rid of acne?
To get rid of acne we need to eliminate the 4 factors which cause the acne.
So, let’s see what options do we have, shall we.
1) Kill Acne Bacteria
There are several acne treatment products which help kill the p. acne bacteria such as:
- Benzoyl Peroxide – Benzoyl Peroxide is a known bactericidal and it works very quickly fighting acne which causes bacteria. The downside is it can cause drying, peeling and redness if overused.
- Green Tea – Green tea contains catechism, which are anti-bacterial agents that suppress acne-causing bacteria and help regulate hormonal imbalances.
- Triclosan – A phenol which is usually found in toothpastes and can stop the growth of acne. The downside is it doesn’t help prevent acne because of the difficulty to deliver it to dermis.
- Natural Honey – natural honey is known to have some anti-bacterial properties.
2) Control Oil
Here are the steps to help control the production of oil/sebum by the skin’s glands:
- Wash your face twice daily to remove any excessive oil and impurities on the skin. But don’t overdo it as it can cause dryness which will trigger the sebaceous glands to produce more sebum.
- Use facial wash products which contain sulfur as sulfur has the ability to absorb excess oils and unclog pores.
- Use natural products such as honey as facial mask.
- Apply oil-free moisturizer to keep the skin hydrated and prevent the production of excessive sebum.
- Drink plenty of water to keep your body and skin hydrated
- Control diet by reducing the intake amount of sugar, salt and fried foods.
- Increase the intake amount of fruits and green vegetables in your diet.
- Avoid/limit the amount of alcohol as alcohol can cause poor liver health. A poor liver health cannot properly process sugar, fat and nutrients.
3) Unclog Pores
Blackheads and whiteheads are the byproducts of clogged pores.
By just washing your face won’t clear the pores. Special treatments need to be done to unclog the pores so that your skin looks clean, smooth and beautiful. These are the treatments that you can try :
- Salicylic Acid – Acne treatment products which contain salicylic acid are very effective in unclogging the pores. Salicylic acid also reduces the size of the pores thus helps prevent them from being blocked again.
- Exfoliating – Exfoliate your skin at least once a week helps clear the pores and remove dead skins. It can be done using natural DIY ingredient such as lemon, baking soda and parsley soak. Or you can buy over the counter facial scrubs.
- Pore Strips – For short-term immediate effect using pore strips also helps remove blackheads which clogging the pores.
- Facial Mask – Facial mask is another method to unclog the pores. It works magnetically to draw out excess oils, pollutants and other waste materials that get trapped inside the pores.
- Extraction – This method may be a bit gross. But it is another effective method to clear the clogged pores. Just make sure you get the professional dermatologists to do it for you.
4) Remove Dead Skin Cells
- Dead skin cells can cause your skin looks dry, dull and flaky. The build-up of dead skin cells will lead to clogged pores, uneven complexion, blemishes and blackheads. You can remove the dead skin cells by exfoliating. There are two ways of exfoliation which are:
- Chemical Exfoliation – Using acne treatment products which contain chemicals such as Alpha Hydroxy Acids or Beta Hydroxyl Acids.
- Mechanical Exfoliation – Using abrasive surface, such as wash cloth and scrub, to physically remove dead skin cells.