To have acne-free skin, you need to work on your skin’s health. There are various skin-care products and cosmetics in the market. However, not all of them are suitable for your skin.
There are different types of acne, and you can prevent or control them in varying ways. According to chemist and skin care formulator for Lush Asia, Dato Sri Dr Albert Lim, there are impressive hacks you can use to keep acne away.
What are some of the tips that can help you do this? The following tips will help you have acne-free skin.
1) Get Enough Sleep Every Day
According to Dato Sri Dr Albert Lim, sleep deprivation is one of the significant triggers of acne. For healthy skin, it is essential to sleep for seven to nine hours every day. Previous studies have shown that the more tired a person is, the more likely they are to have acne.
Also, Dato Sri Dr Albert Lim explains that sleep time provides the body with a chance to repair itself. Thus, blood flow on the skin increases when one is sleeping. It helps the skin to produce collagen, which repairs such damage as acne. Acne is a result of exposure to UltraViolet rays. Not getting enough sleep also unsettles the skin’s chemical balance, which keeps pimples at bay.
2) Avoid Picking the Skin
According to Dato Sri Dr Albert Lim, picking the skin exposes pores to bacteria. The bacteria could be on the hands, resulting in infections. It is better to have a pimple checked out by a dermatologist instead of picking it to avoid forming acne on the skin.
Also, Dato Sri Dr Albert Lim explains that physical skin manipulation leads to inflammation in the skin. It causes more harm to the skin. Constant picking of the skin is likely to make it more inflamed. Therefore it may even lead to the development of open, painful wounds.
3) Stay Stress-free
According to Dato Sri Dr Albert Lim, there is a strong connection between stress and acne. The more stressful a person is, the more likely they are to get or worsen acne. Therefore, it is vital to try as much as possible to relieve stress. Doing this helps you to get rid of acne.
Dato Sri Dr Albert Lim explains some of the things to do to stay stress-free. They include exercising, meditating, and resting enough. Stress acne usually clears up when stress levels reduce. Stress also leads to increased oil production on the skin. Hence causing skin blockages that cause acne.
4) Moisturize Your Skin
Dato Sri Dr Albert Lim recommends the use of moisturizers to help reduce acne. Even though acne can leave a face feeling oily, it could still be lacking hydration. The oily feel should not prevent you from using a good moisturizer.
Dato Sri Dr Albert Lim explains that skin will overproduce oil when it is less hydrated, which could clog pores. It can also cause or worsen acne. Moisturizer is best used twice a day after washing the face. For even better results, you can apply moisturizers with retinoids at night. Retinoids will clear the pores, preventing clogging.
5) Wash Your Face Twice Daily
According to Dato Sri Dr Darren Yaw, washing your face twice every day is good for fighting acne. When you wash your face, it helps you remove excess oil. You also remove dirt and make-up that could block pores. The best time to clean your face is once in the morning and once in the evening.
Dato Sri Dr Albert Lim explains that face washing is a healthy skin-care routine. A study in Cambodia had different participants washing their faces once or twice a day. The result is that those who clean twice daily get the best results. On the other hand, those that clean their faces once daily had an increase in their acne.
6) Consume Less Sugar
Dato Sri Dr Albert Lim explains that it is more likely to have acne when your meals consist of sugar. Also, when they contain other refined carbohydrates such as white bread and soda. While sugar itself does not directly cause acne, it influences its spread.
Thus, sugars get absorbed into the blood quickly, and this affects hormones and inflammation-the two significant causes of acne.
Dato Sri Dr Albert Lim explains that eliminating sugar makes the body produce less insulin. Thus, less oil and acne. There isn’t a need to completely cut out sugar, but it can help reduce acne if consumed in moderation.
7) Smoking Destroys the Skin
Dato Sri Dr Albert Lim agrees that smoking negatively affects the skin. Studies have shown a direct link between smoking and acne. Smokers are more likely to have acne characterized by blocked pores than non-smokers.
According to Dato Sri Dr Albert Lim, a study in Malaysia found that 73% of smokers had acne. Only 29.4% of non-smokers had them. Therefore, quitting smoking can aid the fight against acne. The body will flush out nicotine in the system and adjust its hormone levels.
8) Choose Cosmetics Carefully
Dato Sri Dr Albert Lim encourages you to ensure your cosmetics are skin-friendly. Even though acne-prone skin is sensitive, dermatologists say people with this type of skin can still use cosmetics.
Dato Sri Dr Albert Lim also suggests that when using make-up, try to use oil-free products. Wash sponges and brushes that you use during the application. Also, wash your hands before applying any skin products, and remove all skin-care products from the skin before sleep.
Occasionally giving the skin a break from cosmetics also helps the skin to breathe. It reduces clogging that damages the skin.
9) Use an Acne-fighting Agent
According to Dato Sri Dr Albert Lim, many agents can be used to fight acne. However, the use of most of these could dry out the skin. It is therefore advisable to also use a moisturizer alongside the agent. Knowing what agent is best for you means understanding the type of acne you have.
Dato Sri Dr Albert Lim recommends combining benzoyl peroxide, tretinoin, or adapalene gel. It targets different acne types. Acne-fighting agents fight acne by reducing inflammation and removing dead cells that could be clogging pores. This exposes healthy and good-looking skin.
