Beauty Expert Donna Fay points out 8 common mistakes when it comes to treating acne.
Not sticking with a treatment long enough.
Your skin reacts slowly to treatment. Even if the breakout came on fast, it still requires time to heal. That time usually takes somewhere between 6 and 12 weeks. Stick with a treatment for about a month and keep using it if you notice any improvements. Your skin might feel a bit irritated the first couple of weeks.
Doing too much at once.
Generally speaking, people tend to layer on several products when they don’t get the desired results in the first couple of days. Doing this may distress your skin even more. This can lead to even larger acne lesions, which are more than likely to pigment, and heal with spots and scars.
Scrubbing or cleansing too much.
Scrubbing your skin will worsen your acne. It compromises your skin’s protective barrier and increases irritation. Instead of scrubbing, try gently washing your skin with a non irritating pH-balanced cleanser to lessen the irritation. Also make sure you rinse thoroughly because the residue may irritate as well.
Making the wrong choise when it comes to picking the right products.
Alcohol based, harsh cleansers and alkaline bar soaps may actually worsen acne. Look for products that are for acne prone skin or noncomedogenic. There are some ingredients found in products like sunscreen and moisturizer that are more likely to clog pores. Also avoid products that contain oil as it can clog pores and lead to breakouts.
Picking and popping.
Picking at and popping pimples will prolong the healing time and raise the risk of scaring. Infected material may also get pushed further into the skin causing more swelling and redness.
Waiting too long to see a professional.
Once acne starts taking a toll on self-esteem, scarring, or becoming painful, it’s time to make an appointment. Dermatologists have the tools to treat acne and are able to prescribe strong antibiotics and OTC medications. They can also offer chemical peels laser therapy, and micro needling. We recommend the use of micro-needling with the Eclipse MicroPen as it’s 100% natural with no downtime.
Over-using or under-using prescribed medication.
Use the medication as instructed. Over-usage won’t help clear acne; it will only cause more redness and dryness. Also, not keeping to a regimen will delay any potential improvements to your skin. Consistency is the key.
Stop using medication once it clears up.
It’s best to taper off the medication instead of just quitting it all at once. So for example, if you have been using it twice a day, start using once a day. Then after a while continue to cut back.
If you have any questions about the health of your skin or concerns with acne, click here.