Here are 10 simple acne tips to minimize breakouts and comedones.
1. Wash your pillow cases frequently. Bacteria, oil, sweat, and makeup are easily transferred from your face to a pillow case while you sleep. You don’t want to sleep on a soiled pillowcase with freshly cleaned skin. Of course, it’s not realistic to sleep on clean linens every night (at least not for most of us), but change your pillowcases at least once a week.
2. Use a separate towel for drying your face after cleansing. Don’t use the same towel that you use for your hands or body.
3. Clean your mobile phone at least once a week with anti-bacterial cleaner.
4. Clean your makeup brushes and applicators regularly, at least once a week. They are a breeding ground for bacteria. Minimizing bacteria is essential for controlling acne.
5. If your face gets hot easily, cool it down by rinsing your face in cool water (don’t cleanse, just rinse). Or pat your face with a cold wet paper towel. This will help minimize inflammation.
6. Try not to touch your face. You’d be surprised at how many times we touch our face during the day. Millions of bacteria reside on skin at any given time. Especially on hands. Each time you touch your face, you transfer bacteria from whatever your hands touched before – a computer, phone, counter, doorknob, faucet – to your face.
7. Minimize your exposure to heat. Avoid the whirlpool, sauna, steam room, and long hot baths or showers.
8. Limit your time out in the sun. Although it may be tempting to lie in the sun (UV has an anti-bacterial effect), the sun will dry out your skin (hurting the barrier function), and the heat can make existing inflammation worse.
9. Limit salty foods, which can irritate pores.
10. Cleanse your face after you shampoo your hair. Some hair products are comedogenic (may clog pores). Blackheads or congestion is common near the hairline.
