Acne Prevention And Basic Hygiene

There is no better cure for any ailment than prevention. Unfortunately, there just isn’t any neat prevention formula or immunization program that can completely prevent acne.

Maybe someday there will be but until that wonderful day arrives there are still some things that all teenagers and young adults can do to, at the very least, help to keep acne at bay.

Yet nobody really knows what causes acne. Most research indicates that it is caused by hormonal imbalance. Yet there are other contributing factors which can be modified by those most at risk for acne.

One contributing factor to acne is clogging of the pores in the skin. There are several measures that people can take to help prevent this clogging.

One thing that young women can do is to make sure that they clean make-up from their faces thoroughly before going to bed at night.

Additionally, young women need to clean make-up brushes completely using warm soapy water. Brushes should be cleaned on a regular basis. Old make-up that can be contaminated needs to be tossed out.

Teenagers and young adults need to be aware that squeezing, picking at, or popping pustules will not cure them.

These measures only serve to worsen the acne and can lead to infection and scarring.

Fabrics tend to hold bacteria and germs that can make acne worsen Pillow cases need to be changed frequently and a clean towel needs to be used to pat skin dry after it has been washed. Changing pillowcases daily is a laborious task to maintain, but daily is not too often.

Also, a face towel should never be used more than once.

Keep hair pulled away from the face while sleeping. Bacteria and germs can thrive in human hair.

Another important measure that can be taken to help alleviate some of acne’s contributing factors are to always be sure to take a shower as soon after hard physical exercise as possible.

When sweat combines with skin oils the mixture can serve to clog pores, exacerbating the problem.

Some people believe dirt causes acne. Dirt does not cause acne. That is one of the very basic concepts that most acne sufferers need to accept. Keeping the face clean will help to make acne outbreaks happen less frequently and be less severe when they do happen but the truth that when your face gets dirty you get acne is not true.

Facial cleansing is especially important for those who are generally prone to acne, however. Facial cleansing done for the prevention of acne outbreaks and while an outbreak is in progress needs to be in a specific fashion.

Here are the steps to keeping your face clean:

1. Wash your hands first. Is that surprising? It shouldn’t be. Your hands are about to come in contact with your face. The first thing you need to do is scrub your hands and be sure that your nails are clean as well.

2. Next, if female, you need to secure your hair either in a hairnet, a shower cap or a headband. Pull your hair away from your face and firmly secure it.

3. Wet your face with warm (not hot) water and apply the soap or facial cleansing product as directed on the packaging. Never use more or less of the product than is recommended.

4. Using just your fingertips (NOT a washcloth), gently massage the cleanser into your face. Use a circular motion and be sure to go all the way to the hairline. Pay particular attention to the areas of your face where you see pimples most often. Hard scrubbing is counter-productive though so be very gentle.

5. Rinse your face thoroughly by splashing it with warm water. Don’t take a shortcut here. Rinse your face until all traces of the cleanser are gone.

6. Gently pat your face dry with a clean towel. Don’t rub your face and try not to reuse towels you previously have.

7. Allow your face to air dry for at least 15 minutes, or until dry to the touch, before you apply acne medications or moisturizers.