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It is amazing how many misconceptions exist about the relationship of skin care to acne. When it comes to acne treatment, many of the 'common cures' can do far more harm than good in the battle against those unsightly blemishes. One example would be the notion that one with acne isn't washing their face well enough or often enough. I've seen countless parents send their children to wash their faces over and over again. The unfortunate thing is the action of scrubbing away layers of skin and tissue can cause a favorable environment in the skin for acne to flourish and spread rather than the disfavorable environment that was intended.
Using abrasive soaps and skin cleansers is another action that is detrimental to the cause of 'curing acne'. These types of cleansers will have the same effect that constant and rough scrubbing will have and do more harm than good.
While there is no definitive cure for acne, there are several things you can do that help prevent outbreaks or at the very least, prevent small outbreaks from becoming major outbreaks.
1) Take showers rather than baths. Showers provide a continuous flow of clean
water, which will open up the pores for better cleansing. Bathing in a tub
puts you at risk for the oily deposits to find themselves on other parts of
your skin which will allow the possibility of future outbreaks in other areas
that were previously unaffected.
2) Use a washcloth when washing your face. Also be sure to avoid vigorous
rubbing as this may exacerbate any existing or potential problems. It is also
advisable to wash your face before showering and with a different washcloth
than you use on the rest of your body in order to prevent contaminating other
parts of your body.
3) Make sure that you aren't letting shampoo get in or around areas of your
face that are experiencing an outbreaks or seem to be prime for a potential
outbreak.
4) Dissolve a small amount of hydrogen peroxide in your bathtub before bathing
to kill bacteria that may be present in the pores as they open.
5) Use the hottest water you can stand when washing your face. Hot water opens
up the pores entirely and kills the bacteria that hide within the pores. This
may also help dissolve oil that might be lingering in the pores. While mild
soaps will help a little, it is advisable to use soaps that were specifically
designed to treat acne when cleaning your face.
6) It is advisable to take two showers daily when suffering from an acne outbreak,
particularly if you have acne on your back, neck, and shoulders. If you can't
shower twice daily, be sure to at least wash the affected areas twice a day.
7) Keep your pores open. This is best achieved by washing your face in very
hot water. You do not want to do this more than twice a day though as that
could lead to other problems.
8) Take proper precautions to protect your skin from the sun at all times
in order to avoid potential infections.
9) Good hygiene, while it isn't a cause for acne, can help outbreaks from
worsening and becoming affected.
•• DermaDoctor