Would you classify yourself as “obsessive” when concerning the appearance and health of your skin? Do you faithfully treat your acne and spots yet fail to see results? This can be a potential outcome of your usual skincare routine. The American Academy of Dermatology (AAD) suggests skincare treatments to avoid and provides alternative solutions to try at your convenience.
Problem: Attempting new acne solutions every week
By doing this, you are irritating your skin, which in turn, will cause breakouts.
Solution
Be patient and allow a period of time for your acne treatment to work. You want to use a product from six to eight weeks. This is the duration it takes to generally observe improvements. If no improvement is noted, another product can replace the original. Overall, a clearer complexion appears around the three to four month time period.
Problem: Applying prescribed medication only on blemishes
This approach to treating your acne fails to target and prevent new breakouts.
Solution
To prevent future breakouts from appearing, apply a thin layer of the prescribed medication evenly on your acne-prone skin. If you tend to break out on your forehead and nose, applying the topical medication on your entire face would help.
Problem: Purchasing the wrong hair, makeup, and skin products
These products contain high levels of oil and other ingredients that can potentially cause acne breakouts. From continuous use, you will notice if the products are the culprits in the situation.
Solution
Try to buy hair, makeup, and skin products that are labeled “non-comedogenic,” meaning it won’t clog your pores. Overall, these products are rare for causing breakouts on people’s skin.
Problem: Sharing makeup applicators or brushes
Sharing makeup can lead to blemishes, even if the product is non-comedogenic. When sharing the applicators or brushes, acne-causing bacteria, oil, and dead skin cells from each person’s skin can travel into your makeup. These bacteria can clog your pores and lead to breakouts.
Solution
Avoid sharing makeup brushes and applicators. Only use brushes and makeup palettes that belong to you.
Problem: Sleeping in your makeup
Whether it’s a long, exhausting day after work or you’re just arriving home from a 2 am party, a common mistake many women make is leaving traces of their makeup on until the next morning. This can causes potential breakouts.
Solution
Remove your makeup before heading to bed. If washing your face seems too tiresome, use a non-comedogenic makeup remover towelette.
Problem: Rub sweat from your skin during a workout
That upper lip sweat can be tempting to rid of with a swipe of our hand.
Solution
Use a clean towel and gently pat your skin; do not wipe or rub at the surface of your skin.
Dermatologist Alisha Plotner, from Ohio State Wexner Medical Center, advises her patients to not squeeze or pop any pimples that arise on their skin. This is because it can cause scarring, bleeding, and possible infections.
Hot showers are not recommended because they can damage your skin, especially during the winter months. Lukewarm water is more suited for the surface of your skin.
These daily habits are very common. However, the alternative options exist for a reason, and your actions can be the cause of your blemishes.
Sources:
https://www.aad.org/public/diseases/acne-and-rosacea/skin-care-habits-that-worsen-acne
https://wexnermedical.osu.edu/blog/7-skin-habits-that-have-to-stop
