What Not To Do About Your Acne

Acne can be a very pesky but common skin condition. Some ignore it, others do something about it. The best advice you can get when you have acne is to schedule an appointment with your dermatologist so it can be properly examined and a customized treatment plan can be drawn up. Others, however, try to take matters into their own hands. Here are six things you SHOULDN’T DO when you have acne:


1. Popping it
It’s tempting to pop a big pimple to try and get rid of it. This method however is very counterproductive, as popping it can further infect the area and can leave scarring. Popping and picking at it can spread the bacteria and can irritate your already inflamed skin. Pimples eventually go away, but scars can last forever.
2. Using Too Many Products on It
It can be frustrating to see your acne persisting after you have applied your acne treatment products. Many people tend to keep piling on layers upon layers of products, hoping to expedite the treatment process. Doing this can cause more distress to your skin due to the components of your products getting muddled and can result in different reactions. If you have been prescribed a proper acne treatment by your dermatologist, you should adhere to it.
3. Not Altering Your Hygiene
According to a study, people touch their face at an average of 3.6 times per hour. If you have acne, this means that you can be spreading dirt and bacteria on your pimples and can cause them to become even more infected. Make sure to consistently wash your hands and try to avoid touching your face. You should also wear fresh, clean clothes, and sleep on fresh bed sheets and pillowcases.
4. Excessive Facial Washing
Yes you read that right. Believe it or not, excessively washing your face can be harmful when you have acne. This is because whenever you wash your face, you remove the essential oils your skin produces to protect and moisturize itself. When your skin dries out, it ends up producing more and more oils, causing in pore blockage and resulting in more pimples.
5. Thinking Heat Works
The general rule is that applying a hot compress on your face, or taking a steamy shower opens up your pores. This can unclog the debris causing your pimples right? Well, not really. Your pores have already clogged up and the infection and inflammation has settled in. The only thing a hot compress will do to your pimples is further make them more red and painful. Applying something cool on them can actually reduce the swelling because the blood vessels become constricted and the swelling goes down.
6. Not Going to a Dermatologist
One or two pimples every few weeks is fine and easily manageable, but having multiple clusters of large and painful pimples, or bumps under your skin may be better if it was managed by your dermatologist. Severe acne and cystic acne is not something that can be easily treated by home remedies or even over-the-counter creams and serums. It is recommended that you get your acne evaluated by a skincare professional so a proper treatment program can be started.