Anyone who has suffered from acne knows that healing your skin can look like an endless battle. While acne is not a substantial health risk, it can take a toll on your emotional and mental well-being. Dealing with zits is one thing; preventing them from coming back is a gargantuan task altogether! However, relax, take a deep breath, and repeat. We spoke to Dr Swathi Mutha, Dermatologist at I AM LOVE skincare brand to get a few tips that’ll act as a panacea in treating those stubborn blemishes and spots. Here’s what she had to say:
1. Start by asking the right questions!
First, start by ensuring if it’s a random small breakout or if your skin is a battleground of these zits?
Acne is an inflammatory skin problem caused by multiple things. If it’s a small random breakout, there could be various reasons triggering it: pre-period stress, imbalanced diet and junk, alcohol, lack of sound sleep, and tensity at work and home, to name a few! Heave a sigh of relief for keeping these tiny random spots at bay is as easier as it gets.
2. Just spot it
Spot Applications like Clindamycin and Benzoyl Peroxide are your unsung heroes. These belong to a class of medications called Topical Antibiotics and work by killing the bacteria that cause acne.
3. Take the natural route?
If all these chemical names make your head spin, you can always resort to home remedies. Combined with calamine lotion and ice, lemon and honey is a remedy you’ll want to bookmark. The combination is popular for its bacteria-zapping characteristic and will fortify your skin, retaining its sparkle and glow!
4. Supplement it up!
For healthy and acne-free skin, meeting the root cause of the problem and taking care of your skin from within is essential. Supplements that comprise Vitamin B5(D Calcium Pantothenatehelp) control the sebum production, thus lessening the breakouts. Vitamin C, Zinc, Biotin, and Magnesium B complex are a few ingredients that alleviate acne and control it from the source.
5. Toothpaste for those pesky zits? No!
Also, ever heard how applying toothpaste helps alleviate the zits and spots? Stop! Let your toothpaste stay where it belongs: in the bathroom.
6. Who does not love a quick fix?
For a quick fix, Hydrocolloid anti-acne gel patches are your mighty soldiers. The majority of these patches function by absorbing excess fluid and eliminating debris and oil that may be causing surface-level acne.
7. Stubborn Acne?
If your face is full of stubborn acne that refuses to go, it could be due to hormonal imbalance, medical conditions like PolyCystic Ovarian Disorder (PCOD), insulin resistance, etc.
Not following a religious skincare regime, over-scrubbing/exfoliating your face, and excessive use of make-up can lead to white heads and blackheads that could eventually turn to inflamed acne.
1. How to treat it?
A dab of mild Retinol or Adapalene may decrease the severity of acne and heal your skin fast. Glycol and Salicylic Acid also unclog the pores and boost cell turnover. Using Retinol-based creams at night, under medical supervision, can work wonders for your acne.
2. Manage that oily skin
If you have oily skin that’s vulnerable to acne, adding the right type of cleanser to your skincare routine is a wondrous way to battle the acne. Wash your face once or twice a day. This will ensure that dirt does not build up on your face and that pores are unclogged.
3. Use that sunscreen!
Summers can be beautiful. However, basking under the sun without sunscreen is not! Use matte gel-based sunscreens and put an end to your acne caveats.
4. Don’t pop it!
Fidgeting, touching your face, and popping those little zits can turn into a vicious cycle difficult to escape. However, our hands are loaded with germs that can lead to severe breakouts. Resisting the urge to touch for some temptations is better when untouched!
5. Removing facial hair? Listen to us
To wax or not to wax, to thread or not to thread, to steam or not to steam, are these your questions? Finding answers to these is one of the numerous dilemmas that people with acne face. Acne is a complex condition, even a breakout that appears after waxing or threading can be one of the multiple potential triggers. Taking a break from unhairing sesh can help repair the zits.
Also, steaming your face is a no-no!
6. Be patient!
Acne can hit anyone and everyone, and treating them can be strenuous. However, staying patient is the key to ending your skin struggle! Healing takes time, but attaining clear, flawless skin isn’t far if you stick to these tips!
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