Nobody wants acne. But we have all experienced it at least once in our lifetime. Unfortunately for some, acne just never leave since they start showing up in our teen years. While it may be impossible for us to be rid of acne forever (but some are lucky so, it’s worth the effort!), but hopefully with better understanding of it, we can manage our skin better.
What is acne?
— Simply put, it is clogged skin pores, where the pores are blocked by bacteria, oil (sebum released by our oil glands), and even dead skins!
Dead skins??
— Yes, we have dead skins, on our skin! Surprise, surprise! Our skin has its own life cycle. The skin cells naturally regenerate itself around every 27 to 30 days. Over that period, our skin dries up, loosens up and becomes a layer of dead skin which then should fall off. This process is important to give way to the newly regenerated layer of skin.
BUT! Some of the dead skins may hang around a little longer than they should, piling up on our skin, not being able to naturally fall off like others (I didn’t want to mention it, but imagine a snake changing their skin! Not being able to fall off, they end up blocking the skin pores as the new skin layer surface.
What else are acne-causing?
— There are of course a number of factors that can cause acne. Common ones are the above mentioned clogged up pores. Use of harsh chemicals in hair and skin products, and cosmetic can also cause clogged pores. Bad diet can also contribute to acne!
So what to do?
1. Keep your skin clean. Wash your face with a cleanser.
– This helps to clear up dirt and excess sebum (especially after a long day outside!) to prevent them from clogging up your skin.
– Do you know that it is also important to wash your face after a night sleep, especially if you sleep on your sides. This is because dead skins and dirt on your pillow can transfer on your skin. So wash and change your pillowcase regularly too.
– And if you use makeup, make sure you wash it all off before you sleep!
– Shower after a long day, or after any sweaty activity!
– Also, stop touching your face. If you must, wash your hands first.
– Basically, prevent all things that can irritate your skin, especially if there is already acne.
2. Exfoliate, but only lightly!
Help your skin get rid of the unwanted dead skin. Gently exfoliate your skin using a mild scrub, or just a cleanser with exfoliating effect.
3. Moisturize!
– Dry skin shortens their life cycle, which can lead up to an excessive pile up of dead skin!
– Overly dry skin also exerts our body to produce extra sebum (they think we need more moisture since our skin is too dry), which leads to excess sebum on our skin, hence clogging up our pores.
4. Don’t use hot water to bathe and cleanse.
Use warm water as hot water strips off the skin of its natural oils. Spending too much time in water can give the same effect. Also, it is best to finish it off with a cold water to close up your skin pores.
Are acne and pimples the same thing?
They are actually not the same thing! Acne is actually a skin condition, and pimples are just one of the indication, one of the many symptoms. Other symptoms include blackheads, whiteheads, and all sorts of red bumps, pimples and blemishes. So take care of your skin so you can prevent acne. If there is already acne, use appropriate skincare products to treat and manage your skin.
Feel free to come by to any of SkinValet or Narqes Medispa nearest to you and speak to our team to learn more about your skin!
