7 tips to control acne (pimples)
Continuing in our discussions about how appearances affect our self-esteem, this article focuses on controlling acne which is a huge problem with teens especially when teens hit puberty and everything is going in overdrive, acne can be a big problem.
When I was in my teens, I suffered from severe acne problems. I had pimples on my forehead, my cheeks and one extremely large one on the tip of my nose.
Here are 7 tips that I've learned from my experience:
- Diet. I love to eat hamburgers, fries, chips – you name it. Unfortunately, these foods will make your acne even worse. I know it's hard to tell a teen not to eat this stuff but if you want to control your acne, reduce your intake of fried foods.
- Eat more fruits.
- Drink more water (hydrate your body) – coffee and soft drinks don't count.
- Wash your face regularly (twice a day) with facial cleanser. Even for the guys, in this meterosexual age, it's ok (even hip) to use facial products nowadays.
Don't use the bars of Ivory soap you use to shower with. That's too much for your face as the skin on your face is more delicate.
You'll want to look for a daily facial cleanser that cleans and opens your pores but doesn't take away all the moisture from your skin.
- If you have a serious acne problem, see your doctor. Most likely, in serious cases (like myself), they'll refer you to see a dermatologist (a skin specialist).
- Resist the urge to pop. You may have a huge zit that's sitting on your nose and it looks like it's going to blow. Don't pop it yourself, when you pop zits it can leave scarring on your skin (believe, I still have the scars to prove it)
- Wash your hands before touching your face. What makes acne worse is touching pimples with dirty hands. Wash your hands with soap before you touch your skin where acne is present. It's when you touch acne with hands full of bacteria that causes inflammation.
In most cases, I've learned that as you get older, acne problems tend to fade away (or at least not as serious as in your teens). I now have baby soft skin and you wouldn't guess at all that I had acne problems when I as younger.