HOW TO WIN YOUR WAR AGAINST ACNE

You see it. There, on your cheek. Red, shiny and painful. But wait! Keep your hands off that pimple. Here are 6 ways to get smooth, gorgeous, acne-free skin.

The best way to get acne-free skin is to understand your pimples. There are six different types of acne, and different people break out for different reasons. Once you know which acne you suffer with most, and what causes it you’ll be well on your way to winning the acne war.

Follow these six simple steps to get smooth, gorgeous, pimple-free skin.

1. Know your acne

Find out what type of acne you have and what triggers it. Then, avoid the culprits.

Sun Tzu was right. Knowing your enemy can help you win the war. And there’s no enemy like the acne waging war on your face. There are six main types of acne and they each need to be dealt with differently, so choose your solutions wisely.

Most forms of acne such as whiteheads, blackheads and papules are easy to beat. Cleansing your face twice a day with anti-acne products and keeping your hands away can work wonders.

Other forms of acne, like pustules, cystic legions or nodules are harder to shift, and you may need back-up from a dermatologist.

2. Cleanse your face

The most important thing to remember is to cleanse your face every morning and night. Dirt, dust, excess oil and make-up residue will have no chance of clogging your pores.

Thankfully, adult acne is not as severe as the teenage acne you once had. So treatment should focus on soothing your skin to prevent inflammation.

3. Find your acne trigger

It’s not just hormone changes and stress that cause acne. There are many other acne triggers, each of which can affect people differently.

Some people get breakouts from eating certain foods; if you think that foods are causing more pimples, keep a food diary to see if your diet matches your acne fluctuations. Some also find that items coming into contact with their face can set off their acne.

In general, it’s best to regularly clean or disinfect the things that come into contact with your face. This includes bed linen, pillowcases, and even your mobile phone. You have a better chance of getting pimple-free skin if you avoid continuously exposing your acne to the bacteria that triggered it.

4. Fight acne from the inside

Eat acne-fighting foods.

In your quest for acne-free skin, include acne-fighting food in your diet for extra ammunition.

Fibre-rich food can help to flush out toxins in your digestive system, regulate blood flow and boost the cell renewal process. Food rich in protein and Vitamin A have anti-inflammatory properties and promote the growth of new skin tissues.

Try cheese, yoghurt, eggs and oily fish to increase your vitamin A intake. For more fibre in your diet, eat more lentils, chickpeas, brown rice and potatoes with the skins on.

Remember, there’s no cookie-cutter method to getting acne-free skin. We all react differently to different things.

5. Stop popping pimples

You’re throwing away your chances of pimple-free skin if you continually pop or even touch your spots. Whatever the cause of your temptation, popping pimples is still one of the worst things you can do to your skin. The wounds caused can open up your skin to infection, inflammation and permanent acne scars. Plus, you’re throwing away any chance your skin has of healing on its own.

Keep your hands off your pimples to let them heal naturally.

If you subconsciously touch your face, it can be really hard to try to stop. How can you stop doing something you don’t realise you’re doing in the first place? Try and limit the damage – keep your hands clean with anti-bacterial gel, and wear gloves whenever possible. Keep your fingernails short to limit the amount of dirt underneath them getting onto your skin.

6. Sleep

Sleep so your body can repair and renew cells.

Sleep is always the first thing to be sacrificed when you’re stressed or out having fun. But when you’re sleep deprived, the body can take a longer time to heal surface wounds and fight acne-causing bacteria in your pores. This might even result in severe acne

You can’t catch up on lost sleep, but there are steps you can take to try and ensure you get a healthy, restful night’s sleep.

Wearing an eye mask when you’re sleeping is a good place to start. Lights can still keep you up even when your eyes are closed. If you need quiet for sleep, then invest in some earplugs that won’t disturb you. Make sure you regularly wash your eye mask – you don’t want any of those bacteria causing more pimples.

Lavender scent can also help relax you. You could use it as a pillow spray, or dab a little oil onto your skin before sleep.

Use cleansers with acne-fighting ingredients

Achieving acne-free skin is really about taking a holistic approach best suited to you. Try combining the steps above with a simple regime that includes effective facial foams like Pond's Pimple Clear Face Wash. Soon enough, your acne will be a thing of the past.

Read more for deeper insights to the different types of acne and the four core anti-acne ingredients.