Tips for Treating Acne the Right Way

While I recommend that all patients, young or old, visit an acne specialist as soon as they develop acne, here are a few tips for treating acne the right away at home:

• Don’t pick or pop your pimples: Picking at your pimples can seem like a good idea when you’re looking in the bathroom mirror.  The truth is that picking your pimples can actually cause more inflammation to occur on the skin, which can make the pimples larger and cause them to stick around longer.  Instead of picking, apply a tiny dab of salicylic acid or benzoyl peroxide spot treatment to the area.

• People with acne prone skin can benefit from using a cleanser with benzoyl peroxide once a day.  Benzoyl peroxide helps to kill the p. acnes bacteria that causes acne.

• Using a glycolic acid or salicylic acid pad to unclog your pores after working out will help to prevent acne caused by exercising.

• Don’t forget sunscreen! Even people with acne prone skin need to protect their skin from both UVA and UVB rays.  The truth is that some acne medications can cause your skin to be a little more sun sensitive, so its important to use sunscreen every morning and to reapply every two hours while you are outside.  Find a sunscreen labeled “non-comedogenic” or “non-acnegenic,” which means that it was studied and proven not to cause acne.

If you do not see improvement in your acne after following these tips, it is important to make an appointment to visit an acne expert.  Prescription medications for acne, as well as at-home treatments like the Clarisonic brush and in-office treatments like chemical peels, can often clear acne quickly.  There is no need to suffer with acne, when we have so many great treatments for treating acne before permanent scars develop on your skin.

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