Acne Problems: How to Prevent Breakouts

Getting pimples is a problem that nobody wants to experience. This is understandable, considering how inconvenient it is to deal with.

First of all, pimples are not pleasant to look at. They draw attention, especially if they are on your face, particularly your cheeks and nose. Dealing with this can greatly affect an individual’s confidence.

Pimples can also be painful. This means that you might experience some discomfort when dealing with acne. Then, it can cause scarring if not cared for the right way.

Before learning how to prevent breakouts that cause acne and pimples, you should first learn about this skin problem. Doing so will allow you to make more informed decisions on how you can take care of your skin.

Types of Acne and Their Symptoms

Acne is a skin problem that can appear anywhere on your body. It is typically found on a person’s face, neck, back, chest, and shoulders.

There are different types of pimples that you should look out for. The most common ones appear as small bumps on your skin that are either black or white. These are called blackheads and whiteheads.

Whiteheads are closed plugged pores that develop under the surface of your skin. On the other hand, blackheads are open clogged pores. They appear dark or black because the plug has been exposed to the oxygen in the air.

These two common types of pimples can become inflamed if not addressed the proper way. When inflammation occurs, your whitehead or blackhead can develop into any of the following:

• Papules: This type of acne appears as a red bump on the skin and has a diameter of less than one centimeter. It forms when a hair follicle becomes inflamed or infected.
• Pustules: Pustules appear as red, small pimples on the skin. They can be easily distinguished through the pus that develops on their tips.
• Nodules: These pimples are located underneath the surface of the skin. They appear as solid, painful lumps on the outside.
• Cysts: Usually painful, cysts are large lumps underneath the skin that contain pus.

Causes

Now that you know how to identify the kind of acne that you might have, it is time to learn about what causes them. Learning about this can provide you with more insights on how to prevent pimples.

You might already know that your skin has pores that serve as openings to your follicles, each of which contains hair and a sebaceous gland. Your sebaceous glands produce oil, also known as sebum, which travels up the hair and towards your skin. The sebum is what keeps your skin hydrated and soft. When a problem arises in one of these steps, you have the chance of developing acne.

Acne forms when your pores become clogged with oil, dead skin cells, and/or bacteria. Some of the factors that cause acne are:

• Too much oil production
• Excess dead skin cells
• Bacteria buildup

When the plug created by dead skin cells, sebum, and hair becomes infected by the bacteria Propionibacterium acnes (P. acnes), swelling occurs. Then, a pimple forms when the plug begins to break down.

Other reasons that may cause your breakouts are:

• Stress
• High glycemic diet
• Dehydration
• Smoking
• Lack of sleep
• Hormonal changes
• Medications that contain androgen and lithium
• Cosmetics

How to Prevent Acne Breakouts

Breakouts refer to the sudden development of acne in areas where your skin has the most oil glands. Most of the time, this phenomenon occurs on a person’s face, making it quite a big problem. To prevent breakouts from happening, you should follow the steps listed here.

Use a Gentle Cleanser With Anti-Acne Properties

Keeping your skin clean is important if you want to keep your acne at bay. Doing this will allow you to remove impurities, such as makeup, get rid of dead skin cells and excess oil, and wash away any acne-causing bacteria that is on your skin.

You should wash your face twice daily using a kojic soap with anti-bacterial properties that can help you remove pimples. The Gluta-C soap that you may use for pimples is the Kojic Plus+ Whitening Soap. Apart from its intense whitening benefits, this product also has anti-bacterial properties that fight acne and breakouts. Plus, it does not dry out or irritate the skin so it is safe to use every day.

However, you should remember to avoid over-cleansing as doing so may cause you to strip your skin of moisture. You should also use warm water when cleaning your face. Do not use hot water as it may scald your skin and do more damage.

If you would like to exfoliate your skin a little, you may do so using a soft cloth or your hands. Avoid using a washcloth, exfoliating glove, or loofah to scrub your skin because these items are too hard for your face’s sensitive skin.

After washing your face, make sure to rinse it well. then, dry your skin with a clean towel. Do not use a towel that has been exposed and used several times. It might contain bacteria that can cause your skin to break out.

Moisturize

If you are using acne-treating products to take care of your pimples, you might notice that your skin is drier than usual. To address this problem, you should moisturize your skin regularly.

Make sure to buy non-comedogenic products if you are concerned about developing pimples. This type of product does not contain oil and will not clog your pores.

Maintain a healthy lifestyle.

When it comes to skin care, it is best to take a holistic approach. Keep a healthy diet and avoid food that are high in sugar and starch, which can aggravate acne-prone skin.

You should start eating low glycemic food, such as:

• Whole grains
• Legumes
• Vegetables
• Fruits

You should also add these items to your diet. They contain components that will keep your skin healthy, including antioxidants, vitamins, minerals, and fiber:

• Lean meat
• Seafood
• Nuts and seeds
• Oils
• Herbs and spices

Stay Hydrated

One way of keeping your skin healthy is by staying hydrated. That is why it is essential that you drink at least eight glasses of water daily. Doing so will keep your skin moisturized, glowing, and soft.

Manage Stress

Stress can be linked to inflammation in the body and the excess production of oil. So, if you are constantly stressed, you might experience breakouts more often. You might also notice that your acne is worse because of the added inflammation.

To manage your stress, here are some activities that you can do:

• Exercise
• Deep breathing exercises
• Meditation
• Journaling
• Trekking or hiking

Get Your Beauty Sleep

When you’re asleep, your skin goes on repair mode. Your cells start to regenerate as your body starts to relax, leaving you refreshed the next day.

So when your sleep cycle is interrupted, you’re not giving your skin enough time to recover. Your body does not get the opportunity to heal itself properly. Over time, it becomes more vulnerable to various problems, including acne. Additionally, not getting enough sleep causes stress, which leads to breakouts and the formation of pimples.

To avoid any acne breakouts, you should try to get a decent amount of sleep each night. Ideally, you should get seven to nine hours of sleep.  and wash your face properly before going to sleep. Also, sleep on clean pillowcases and sheets, as dirt and bacteria on your sheets can cause breakouts.

Avoid Touching Your Face

Your hands are not as clean as you think. You can get bacteria from the various things that you touch, such as your phone, keyboard, and mouse.

Once you touch your face, you are transferring the germs to your skin, which can cause you to develop acne. If you touch parts of your skin that are already inflamed, you can irritate them further and make your pimples worse.

You can prevent transferring bacteria to your skin by avoiding touching your face. If you really need to touch your face, make sure to wash or sanitize your hands before doing so.

Additionally, you should not pick on or pop your pimples no matter the circumstances. Doing so can cause scarring or an infection, which will make things worse for your skin.

Having Acne is Not the End of It All

If you still notice a few pimples developing on your skin, you do not have to worry. There are various treatments that you can try to address your acne problems. You can try several home remedies or switch to a skin care routine made especially for acne-prone skin.

You can also seek help from a skin care professional. They have the expertise to know how to manage your breakouts. They may prescribe you professional skin care products and treatments that can help address the formation of your pimples. You can also ask them for advice on how to minimize your acne scars.

Whatever happens, just remember that having acne is not the end of it all. There are various ways available to treat and prevent breakouts. In no time, you will regain your self-esteem and have the courage to flaunt your glowing, clear skin.