Basic Facts About Controlling Acne

Teenagers have enough to worry about without adding acne control to that list. For some, acne control is only a passing phase and once the surge of hormones goes down, the acne also decreases. But for others, acne control becomes a lifelong battle. There are many ways to treat acne regardless of how mild or severe the case may be.

The acne sufferer must both keep the pores of the skin unclogged and work on unclogging already infected pores. One must keep at bay the bacteria that cause the infection and redness of acne and reduce any redness that is already present. The best line of attack is to apply preventive measures to avoid an acne breakout altogether.

Gently washing your face with soap and warm water a couple of times a day will help prevent your skin pores from becoming clogged. Using benzoyl peroxide, which is the active ingredient in Oxy Pads and in many other cleaning wipes, will also help to clean your skin as well as to dry it out. One of the great advantages of benzoyl peroxide is that it can be used together with other products to treat acne.

Using exfoliation has become a common technique in acne control. The removal of dead skin cells through exfoliation can help prevent them from clogging the pores of the skin, which in turn aids in preventing acne. The skin revealed by exfoliating is new, smooth, and much more healthy looking. It is important to know, however, that many of the agents found in exfoliating products can be very irritating to your skin. Before using them on your entire face, a small area of your skin should be tested to check for any negative reactions to these agents.

Some products for acne control have a double purpose. Exfoliating products not only remove the dead skin cells from the surface of your skin, but they also offer the benefits of anti-bacterial and anti-inflammatory products. Both of these ingredients can help to treat the existing acne and reduce the redness and swelling that often accompanies an acne attack.

Checking your acne products will reveal sulfur and azelaic acid as commonly used ingredients. It is always best to test acne products on a small patch of skin prior to using it everywhere, just to check for any adverse reaction. If you find that salicylic acid listed as one of the ingredients in acne product, you should be careful; even though salicylic acid works well in keeping your pores unclogged, it has been found to be very irritating to facial skin.

For very persistent or severe acne a consultation with a dermatologist may be needed. The dermatologist can help set up an effective cleansing routine. He or she may also use lasers or write a prescription to fight tougher cases of acne. Acne medications can be very harsh, and you should be made aware of any possible side effects by your doctor.

If you don't want to go to a dermatologist for prescription treatments, you can try some of the over-the-counter acne products first. You might find that one of the more inexpensive and easily available acne care products like benzoyl peroxide can work well for you, and you'll avoid the dangers and possible side effects of harsh acne medication.