Monday, June 9, 2008

3 Ridiculously Cheap and Easy Tips To Reducing Severity

I suffered from mild to moderate acne from age 15 (with periodic severe break outs during high-stress times) and I tried everything: over-the-counter benzoyl peroxide, salicylic acid, and clindamycin topicals of every size and description, Proactiv, Murad, antibiotics from mild, low-dosage to high-powered Accutane (supposed to be %99 effective) to crazy home remedies and bizarre foods combinations.

Everything I tried had the same effect: my skin would become dry, flaky, red and irritated for the first few weeks of usage, then clear up some for a few weeks (deceptive), then swing back and become worse than it was before I started. After much trial and error, here are some easy-to-use, basic steps I discovered that drastically reduced the severity of my acne without prescriptions, subscriptions, or complex regimens.


1. Moisturizing

I cannot stress this one enough. I reduced my acne drastically just by moisturizing daily. (I recommend Cetaphil: lightweight, non-greasy, fragrance-free, non-comedogenic, absorbs
quickly, cheap.) Your skin has a natural protective barrier of oils, and moisturizing helps restore them. Keeping your cells properly hydrated creates a balanced environment. When you over-wash (a common and sometimes almost unavoidable error), your skin may feel tighter or less oily initially, but soon will become OVER OILY and start to break out more severely. This is because you have stripped your pores of their natural moisture. To keep the hair folicle lubricated, they overproduce excess amounts of oil which collect in the base, attract bacteria, swell the pore and rise to the surface. Just by applying a product like Cetaphil every morning, (don't go crazy, though. It retains moisture; if you use too much, your skin will feel slick and "water-logged") and not over-washing (I recommend just water), you will notice your skin tone evening and smoothing out more, less redness, smaller pores, and your face will generally feel more supple and healthy.

Check out your local drug store or check here for an example of where to buy Cetaphil online: http://www.drugstore.com/products/prod.asp...amp;catid=21503


2. Sleep

This one is so obvious, but it's an easy one to dismiss or overlook. As a a college student, I was accustomed to pulling all-nighters and getting only a couple hours sleep. Lack of sleep causes huge amounts of stress which, as well as affecting your whole body negatively, wreak havoc on your skin. I would come out of my vampire-like existence with the most sickly-looking, blotchy, pimple-ravaged face you've ever seen. But once I established a pattern and rhythm of getting at least 6 hours of sleep every night, I noticed my breakouts lost some intensity and frequency. (I also noticed that when I was well-rested I didn't mentally freak out and get depressed over a break out like when I was sleep-deprived. You feel more positive and energized, like some good angel whispers in your ear that "it's not that bad" or "it'll heal soon". One of those strange mind-body connections.) Instead of having a batch of new zits every morning, you might get one or two every other day, but they're smaller and more manageable. (If you keep regular and eat well, your metabolism will also increase, causing you to eat less and lose some weight, another mental aid to feeling good about yourself and not focusing so much on your acne.) While adequate sleep is essential for total-body health and well-being, your skin (and stress levels) is the most noticeable product. You will look fresher, even with your acne (I know, it's seems like a non-sequitur but it's true) and feel less tense and on-edge.


3. Cold Compress or Ice Pack

This one is not so obvious, but works if you do it right. It uses the same principle of ice packs to sports injuries or a black eye: taking swelling down. Invest in a quality medical-grade or therapeutic cold compress or ice pack. At night before bed and moisturizing, sit or lay down somewhere and relax. Apply the cold for a few minutes to each cheek and forehead just long enough to cool the skin surface, careful not to freeze your face. (At first, you will feel a little uncomfortable with the cold, but after a while you'll become accustomed to it. In fact, you'll end up enjoying the experience as it will calm you down.) Remove the cold source. Your face will feel pleasantly tingly and warm. While you still feel this, apply a thin layer of a %5 or less benzoyl peroxide gel or cream. (Using a low concentration and small amount is crucial. Most people, thinking more is better, buy a %10 and slather it all over but end up burning their face raw. Peroxide is powerful. A little is enough.) The cold actually expands your pores for a few minutes, which allows the BP--the best of the topicals at killing bacteria--a window to sneak in to the root before the pores reduce. Then apply the simple moisturizing technique describe above and get a good night's sleep. I guarantee you will wake up in the morning with less redness, less breakouts, more luminous, and generally feeling better about your appearance than you were the day before.

Check out your local drug store or check here for an example of where to buy a cold compress online: http://www.makemeheal.com/mmh/product/ther...ex.vm?procid=40


Note: I am not trying to disregard or disprove the pharmaceutical approach, I am just saying that it isn't the sole means or only avenue for relief. Remember, these little tips are not a cure-all. They simply are tricks I learned over many years how to reduce severity, not eliminate completly. They may or may not work for you. But for the very little time and money they require, why not try?


By Jenson

12 comments:

Anonymous said...

amazing tips! not a lot of people, even celebs here http://www.zug.com/live/80421/Celebrity-Acne-Contest.htm know that sleep plays a huge part in how good your skin looks.

Rid Acne said...

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I'll bookmark this site and come back!

baby eczema said...

Eat more fruit and fresh veggies. Avoid overly processed and spicy food. Use natural ingredients such as tea tree oil and honey as these have anti bacterial properties.

baby eczema said...

Eat more fruit and fresh veggies. Avoid overly processed and spicy food. Use natural ingredients such as tea tree oil and honey as these have anti bacterial properties.

dermatology laser said...

I can trace now why I have bad acne. I really don't get good night sleep. Lack of sleep cause stress and stress triggers the development of acne. Thanks for the info!

Personal Grooming Device said...

Lack of sleep is a primary causes for an acne, as well as the pollution and or else it is sometimes genetics. You can eat more fruits and have a proper diet and exercise to lessen acne..

How to get bigger breast naturally said...

Thanks for sharing this information because it is very helpful. I am glad I came to know this topic.

how to make your breasts bigger said...

Thanks,I like these tips, quite suitable for lazy people like me :)

cold sores said...

Thanks. These are amazingly useful tips, and also quick and easy for people who don't have so much time to treat acne.

Anonymous said...

Sounds great... I have lots of acne. I want something that will prevent pimples all together and would definitely love to try this. How2 getrid of pimplesfast
This product may give some relief to skin. I think it's worth a try...

Anonymous said...

At the age of 15, my daughter developed acne problems until now she is 19 years old. We have consulted beauty centers but they have not been effective. Until today, I am still worried whether the pimples will disappear. Even though she excels
in her studies, she is so stressed when she look into the mirror. how2 pop a pimple

desirable healthcareguru said...

Acne can one of the most stubborn of all skin conditions to deal with. Acne can be the result of bacterial infections and genetic issues which make it very hard to treat. While some acne breakouts can involve clogged pores on the surface of the skin, there will be instances where the clogs are deep within the skin.