Adult Acne, Part Two: Supercharge Your Success

by Carmen Kubista

In Part One we discussed cleaning up your regimen. Now let’s supercharge your success.

Again — before changing anything in your routine, consider your lifestyle and what is truly realistic for you. If you’re very busy and need to keep things simple in order to ensure adherence to a plan, then by all means, keep it simple. Whatever you do, be consistent and focus on progress, not perfection. While there are a lot of days we feel our skin is not forgiving, it actually is, and it will respond to positive care.

More Tips for Skin Care Success

• Clean products are a must. Chemicals build up as toxins in our skin and have no place to go, exasperating the issues.

• Take your time caring for your skin. Rush when you must, but find time, at least once or twice a week, to give your skin some TLC. Slow down your regular routine, give your skin a deep clean, a good (but very gentle) exfoliation, and layer on ultra-hydrating serums and moisturizers. A long steam in the shower while you cleanse is relaxing and hydrating. Choose an exfoliator that is gentle but effective, such as fruit acid gel. Be generous with your serum and moisturizer during these times — they will absorb more completely when your skin has been deep cleaned and exfoliated.

• Change your pillowcase as often as possible, every 1-2 nights if possible. A pillow can feel like Heaven after a long day, but if your pillowcase hasn't been changed in awhile, it will wreak havoc on your skin. Hair products, hair oil, skin oils, dust, dirt, sweat, make-up, bacteria and more sit on the surface of your pillowcase. And when you lay down for a good night's rest, you rub your face in it all night long.

• Cleanse before bed. If you are not doing this, make this your priority #1. It will be a game-changer for you. Your skin must be clean during the nighttime hours because that’s when skin repairs and regenerates.

• Use a clean sunscreen when outdoors. The sun can exacerbate acne scarring. Look for sunscreens that contain only titanium dioxide, zinc oxide, or both.

• Don’t touch your affected areas. You will spread bacteria. This can be a hard one. Tell yourself constantly that your face is off-limits and eventually, you’ll break the habit.

• Hats, phones, headphones, etc., need to be cleaned regularly if they are touching your face.

• If you get dirty, sweaty, or feel greasy during the day, try to find time to clean up quick. If you don’t wear make-up, carry a cleanser or wipes and do a quick cleanse and re-apply moisturizer. If you do wear make-up, take it off as soon as you are able, and follow your new regimen.

• Use clean shampoo, conditioner, and other hair products as much as possible. Many of the hot hair care brands contain chemicals and synthetic fragrance that can make acne worse. If you are breaking out along your hairline, neck, shoulders, or back, your hair care could be the cause.

• As much as possible, stick to clean, whole foods. I know this is not easy, but you can impact your skin health significantly from the inside out. Consuming fewer processed foods and drink will help your skin.

• Drink as much water as you can in a day. Drinking enough water is absolutely critical to improving skin health. If you aren’t a water fan, consider infusing with fruit, or drinking flavored teas (green tea is awesome for your skin!). Be careful — zero calories does not always equal skin-healthy fluids (diet soda drinkers beware).

• Get active. There’s a pattern here — what’s good for the body, is great for the skin. Get exercise as often as you can.

• Be gentle. Take tender care of your skin. Yes, our skin is pretty tough (in more ways than one), but taking a gentler approach can reap rewards. Don’t scrub, pick, rub, or squeeze. This is your skin, for all of your life. Treat it for the long-haul.

Be realistic with your expectations. Don’t attempt to incorporate everything in one day, or you’ll set yourself up for failure. Seek progress rather than perfection. If you see improvement, stay the course. Try tweaking things like diet, exercise, water consumption, changing hair care products, etc., until you find a combination that works for you.

— Carmen

Carmen Kubista

Author

founder of story skin care, wife & mom

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