I am not a therapist, and I do not claim to be an expert in the exact way to deal with skin problems. However, it is an area I have done a great deal of research into over the years, helping friends and family with their skin questions and I get asked more and more now through this site, so I thought I’d put together a brief round up of the hints and tips that I believe work. Most of these are just sensibile solutions that I have learnt through trial and error, but do remember that everyones skin is different and what suits one individual may not suit another. If you are really suffering, ask your doctor to refer you to a qualified dermatologist and they’ll be able to advise you on your specific complaints.
Suffering from breakouts and more severe acne can be extremely distressing for people. I suffered a lot in my teenage years, but do still get the odd breakout even now in my mid-twenties. Spots are a bit of an embarrassing subject for many, but don’t worry, we’ll talk honestly here!
- Get Into A Routine - It can be so tempting to try every new product on the market, and it can get very disheartening if something doesn’t appear to have an effect after a few weeks. However, you need to give them real time to have an impact. Make today the day you decide on a thorough skincare routine and stick to it for a minimum of eight to twelve weeks. Unless you get an adverse reaction, such as sore, red or itchy skin, then continue using your products until you can be sure they’re not working, otherwise you’ll never actually find out what could work for you. Unfortunately there really isn’t an overnight miracle cure.
- Face Wipes Are The Exception Not The Norm – Facial wipes do not a good cleansing routine make. I’m not going to go on and on, it’s quite simple. When you go to a festival or similar, it’s acceptable for one night to give yourself a quick once over with babywipes when you don’t have access to fresh running water and proper body wash. Any more than one night and most of us will agree you are moving into rather grim territory. Why then do you think it is acceptable to never wash your face?! Especially when it is often subjected to much more makeup and pollution than your body. Enough said.
- Change Your Cleanser - Most cleansers designed for blemishes, especially those targeted at teenage skins are ridiculously harsh. It’s actually something that really irritates me! Brands such as Clearasil, Neutragenia, Clean & Clear etc contain a whole cocktail of chemicals including alcohol and lots of sulphates, which actually strip your skin. This may dry out the skin and reduce oiliness initially, and I’m sure it works for some people, but actually most will find that the skin will soon begin over compensating and producing even more oil! I strongly recommend that you avoid foaming cleansers for exactly this reason. Instead find yourself a good cream, gel or balm cleanser that will clean your skin without being harsh. If it has an ingredients list that’s longer that War & Peace and is full of words you’ve never heard of, then I’d advise putting it back on the shelf.
Get into a proper cleansing routine
- Cleanser, Flannel, Hot Water….Done! – The best way to cleanse your skin is to use your cream/gel/balm cleanser by rubbing it in circular motions onto all areas of your face. Concentrate on areas that are prone to congestion, such as the chin, creases of the nose and hairline (or your whole forehead if you’ve got a fringe) then using a clean, hot flannel cloth, simply wipe it away. It really isn’t rocket science, that is all it takes to get thoroughly clean skin. Make sure you’ve washed your hands before you start or you’re just transfering bacteria onto your face, likewise always use a fresh flannel and change your towels daily for the same reason.
- Double Clean, Not Over Clean – Double cleansing is something that you’ll experience if you ever go for a decent facial, and is definitely something I would advocate at home. You only need to wash your face twice a day, any more and you’re doing more harm than good, no matter how spotty your skin is. However, at the end of the day doing a double cleanse will ensure you remove all the pollution, make up and basically dirt that has adhered to your skin is thoroughly removed. Simply cleanse and remove with a hot cloth, and then do it again! You don’t need to do this in the morning, and it’s fine to skip this step if you’re pushed for time in the evenings, but if you can do it – do it!
- Bin Your Pore Strips & Harsh Exfoliators – Pore strips are vile frankly. Yes, sometimes it can be quite satisfying to see some gunk left on them. However, you are basically cementing a plaster to the delicate skin on your face and then ripping it off, along with the top layer or two of your skin! You can achieve the same effect on your blackheads by following a sensible extraction method (read on). Lots of exfoliators would be better suited to your feet than your face, you might feel like you’ve given your face a good scrub, very tempting when you’ve got a breakout I know, but regular gentle exfoliation is better than a weekly treatment with a sandblaster! Look out for “micro” exfoliators and ensure the particles are completely smooth and finely milled to avoid putting little tears in your skin.
- Toning Is Essential – I read a great description somewhere recently that described toner as the equivalent to a rinse cyle in your clothes wash. You add in your powder and mix it up, but if you just dried off without the rinse cycle, you’d be left with traces of grime and powder. This is exactly what toner is for, and it also helps close the pores that you’ve opened up with your hot cloth routine.
- Even Oily Skin Needs Moisturiser – It’s true! Often people with oily skin feel that they don’t need to use a moisturiser, but oil and moisture are a different thing and not using one can again lead to skin overcompensating. Find a light, moisturiser that soaks into your skin quickly and use it morning and night, without fail.
Invest in a weekly mask or treatment and use it religiously
- Use A Weekly Treatment – Invest in a weekly mask or treatment designed for blemished skin and use it religiously once or twice a week. Spend as much as you can afford on this part of your routine. One with active, concentrate ingredients will do your skin much more good than a 99p sachet from a drug store.
Only follow the proper extraction method, don’t get tempted to pick and squeeze!
- When To Pop & When To Stop – Back away from that blemish! Picking spots the wrong way will lead to tears, trust me. No one wants to walk around with a pus-filled whitehead on their face, and to be honest there is no reason to, extraction done in the right way is fine. However, the first rule is; if it doesn’t have a head on it, do NOT squeeze it, ever, ever, ever! It can be incredibly tempting, but all you’ll do is make a blemish that might have gone away in a couple of days, give you well over a week of hell and potential cause scarring and other problems. If a spot does have a head on it, or you want to tackle blackheads, ensure you’ve thoroughly cleaned your face first and use a hot cloth on the area for at least five minutes to open your pores. Then using your fingers covered with a tissue, gently squeeze the area using the pads of your fingers, never your nails. If it doesn’t pop with your first couple of attempts then leave it alone and try again tomorrow, it’s not ready.
If you’re at your wits end, try these tips and give them time to work. I think you’ll be surprised at the effect you see on your skin. Do you have any more hints and tips? Or do you have a pet hate like pore strips and face wipes that you want to rant about? Please feel free to comment below!
Original article: Dealing with Blemishes…..Hints and Tips
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