The general problem with acne is that people do not take the necessary steps in the early stages of this skin condition. As acne worsens, the inflammation becomes so severe that it becomes difficult to heal or leaves marks. It is important to adopt habits that help prevent acne and to take the appropriate steps to treat acne as soon as possible. Under the supervision of a dermatologist, we will explain how to prevent and treat acne.
Basic methods to prevent acne
In order to prevent acne, it is essential to review your daily lifestyle. We will show you specific measures that will lead to acne prevention.
Incorporate the following habits to help prevent or treat acne:
Take care of your skin.
Twice a day, use a gentle facial cleanser to lather and wash your face gently. It's important to rinse well with warm water to ensure there are no residues.
Avoid scrubbing with a strong stimulant, such as a facial cleanser, as this will aggravate the acne. After washing your face, use a towel that absorbs water well and wipe off the water without rubbing your skin.
Also, when skin becomes dry and the barrier function deteriorates, it becomes more sensitive to external stimuli and can lead to acne. Maintain good hydration in areas that tend to dry out.
Get enough sleep.
Lack of sleep is thought to exacerbate acne. Growth hormone, which helps the skin recover, is secreted during nighttime sleep. When you wake up in the morning, use the sun to reset your body clock and let it sleep naturally at night.
Avoid drying indoors.
When the environment dries out, the skin also dries out, and the barrier function deteriorates. Especially during the cold season, make good use of a humidifier and pay attention to the humidity level in your environment.
Do not irritate the skin.
If the skin is irritated a lot, for example, by rubbing or bumping your hair when washing, the acne tends to get worse. It is also important not to touch the acne unnecessarily.
Keep anything that touches your skin clean.
Always keep your hands clean, as well as shavings, razors, towels, pillowcases, sheets, and anything else that comes into direct contact with your skin.
Try to maintain a nutritionally balanced diet.
Skipping breakfast or suffering from malnutrition due to overeating is not a good idea. Eating a nutritionally balanced diet three times a day is recommended. Vitamin intake helps prevent acne.
Precautions when acne develops
Avoid touching or squeezing the acne, as this can make it worse. Careful cleansing is essential to remove excess oil. If you already have acne, it's a good idea to choose a mildly acidic facial cleanser or an acne facial cleanser.
Also, it's not recommended to apply a thick layer of concealer to cover up acne. Avoid the acne-prone area and apply a thin layer of foundation to highlight spot makeup, or use the light effect of highlights to distract your eyes.
If you're really bothered by acne, apply a thin layer of soft, low-oil foundation or use a flesh-colored protective cream.
If the acne continues to worsen, not only will it be harder to heal, but it will also be more likely to leave a mark. If you are worried, see a dermatologist as soon as possible.
Treatment of Acne Symptoms
In addition to the general prevention and treatment methods, measures must be taken to treat each symptom. At the same time, we will explain the causes of acne scars and preventive measures.
How to treat acne
It's important to take the right steps at the beginning of acne. If you touch it with your hands because you're worried about it, it can worsen the symptoms and leave acne scars. Avoid irritation from acne as much as possible and try to take good care of your skin.
When dirt or oil clogs and enlarges the pores, white acne can become inflamed and turn into red acne, or a minor acne can turn into a black acne.If left untreated, inflammation will increase and pus will build up and progress to yellow acne, so it is advisable to use medication in addition to skin care as soon as possible.
Acne, which is common during menstruation, is more likely to occur due to the effects of hormones and increased sebum secretion, so wash the face carefully to remove excess sebum. On the other hand, adult acne is also affected by lifestyle habits such as lack of sleep. It also occurs on dry skin, so it's important to review your lifestyle and use appropriate moisturizers.
Acne scars
There are three types of acne scars: redness, pigmentation, and craters.
Redness
A condition in which the inflammation from the acne remains inside or the capillaries can be seen through.
Pigmentation
Brownish marks caused by the large amount of melanin produced to protect the skin.
Crater
A condition in which the acne is severely inflamed and the tissue is destroyed and becomes uneven.
Post-inflammatory pigmentation is almost always naturally obscured by skin turnover over time. However, bumpy, crater-shaped acne scars are difficult to heal and can become keloids in certain cases.
In the early stages of acne, if there are any stimuli such as too much touching with the hands, the acne will worsen and it will be easy to leave marks. In order to prevent acne scarring, it is important to heal well at an early stage. Talk to your dermatologist before it gets worse.
Treatment of acne according to where it appears
Acne also occurs in areas other than the face, where many sebaceous glands are concentrated. In order to prevent and improve acne, it is also important to control the method of adaptation for each area.
Even within the same face, the amount of sebum and the thickness of the skin vary depending on the location. Teenage acne is often found in the T-zone, where sebum is likely to come out, so careful face washing is necessary. Adult acne is characterized by the tendency to develop around the mouth and chin, where turnover tends to be delayed. Get enough sleep to help your skin regenerate and keep it moisturized to prevent it from drying out.
The hairline and forehead are susceptible to hair irritation, and hair wash and makeup are likely to be left unwashed, so this is an area you need to pay attention to. In addition, the scalp and chest are also areas where a large amount of sebum is secreted, so it is essential to wash them properly to remove excess oil. Rinse thoroughly so that there is no residue left over from rinsing, taking care not to scrub too hard.
Acne treatment according to skin type
Acne can be seen not only on oily skin but also on dry and sensitive skin. Control acne by incorporating prevention and improvement methods tailored to your skin type.
Oily skin
It is important to remove excess oil by washing your face twice a day. We recommend facial cleansers and skin care products that contain less oil.
Dry skin
Don't let your guard down just because you have dry skin. When skin dries out, the barrier function breaks down, making it more sensitive to external stimuli, disrupting its renewal and making acne more likely. Keep an appropriate amount of moisturizer on dry areas.
Combination skin
It refers to a skin type that has a mixture of dry and oily areas, but in reality, many people say it is combination skin. Wash primarily in the T-zone, where oil is likely to come out, and be sure to moisturize dry areas.
Sensitive skin
Sensitive skin that is already vulnerable to irritation. For facial cleansers, skin care products, and makeup cosmetics used, select the type for sensitive skin to minimize skin irritation.
If prevention doesn't work, don't worry. With advances in medical care, acne treatment options are increasing. However, a doctor's prescription is necessary to select and follow an effective acne treatment.