Acne Skin Care

Q. How Should People With Acne Care for Their Skin?

A1. Clean Skin Gently
If you have acne, you should gently wash your face with a mild cleanser, in the morning and in the evening, as well as after any heavy exercise. Wash your all the way from under the jaw to the hairline and be sure to thoroughly rinse your skin.

Ask your doctor for advice on the best type of cleanser to use.

Using strong soaps or rough scrub pads is not really helpful and can actually make the problem more severe. Astringents are not recommended unless the skin is very oily, and then they should be used only on the oily areas. It is also important to shampoo your hair regularly. Actually, if you have oily hair, you may want to wash it every day.

A2. Avoid Frequent Handling of the Skin
Avoid rubbing and touching skin lesions. Squeezing, pinching or picking blemishes can lead to the development to scaring or dark blotches.

A3. Shave Carefully
Men who shave and who have acne should try both electric and safety razors to see which method is more comfortable. When using a safety razor, the blade should be sharp. Also,you should soften your beard thoroughly with soap and water before applying the shaving cream for better results. Shave gently and only when necessary to reduce the risk of nicking any blemishes.

A4. Avoid a Sunburn or Suntan
Many of the medicines used for the treatment of acne can make you more prone to getting a sunburn. A sunburn that reddens the skin or suntan that darkens the skin may make blemishes less visible and make the skin feel drier. However, these benefits are only temporary. Additionally, there are known risks of excessive sun exposure, such as more rapid skin aging and a risk of developing skin cancer.

A5. Choose Cosmetics Carefully
While undergoing acne treatment, women may need to change some of the cosmetics they use. All cosmetics, such as foundation, blush, eye shadow, moisturizers, and hair-care products should always be oil free. Choose products labeled noncomedogenic which means they don't promote the formation of closed pores. In some people, however, even these products can make the acne worse.

For the first few weeks of the acne treatment, applying foundation evenly may be difficult because the skin may be red or scaly, particularly with the use of topical tretinoin or benzoyl peroxide.