How do I get Rid of my Acne?
Question Answered By Susan - Face & Skin Advisor
Question: My daughter has severe acne and is very self conscious
about it. I feel really bad for her as I remember back when I was in
high school and had to deal with acne. What advice can you give us
about dealing with this problem? -Kate from Texas
Answer: Hi Kate. My name is Susan. I'm the skin advisor at
Ellen's Beauty. I've helped a lot of people with their acne in the
past and can give you treatment advice that helps 99% of the people
I see. Acne is a skin condition common to teens and young adults.
A lot of us have had to deal with it growing up. You yourself
mentioned having it in high school.
Acne is caused when the hair folicles and skin glands become inflamed. The first thing you should do is make sure to keep your skin clean. Be careful not to wash too much though as that can cause even more pimples. The key when beginning acne treatment is to take control of the condition.
The first step is to get rid of all the dead skin cells that have accumulated. Gently exfoliate the affected area at least twice a week. This is very important as it reduces the dead skin cells that accumulate and can clog your pores. The second step is to avoid dead skin cell build up as much as possible. Do that by simply avoiding oil based products. Make sure all cosmetics and lotions are completely oil free. But during this it's important to use specialized oil free lotion to keep the skin from drying out. Keep on the lookout for products that are noncomedogenic. Noncomedogenic products are designed to avoid clogging of your pores.
Finally you'll need an acne medication that includes Benzoyl Peroxide. Benzoyl Peroxide kills bacteria that can make acne worse over time. This will work for 99% of the people out there with acne. For those with severe acne, your dermatologist can prescribe several different forms of medication for you. The first thing she/he will likely have you try is Retin-A and antibiotics. These will work for most people that aren't helped by over the counter acne medications. For the very small percentage of people that aren't helped by this, your dermatologist may prescribe a medication called Accutane. This is by far the strongest acne treatment available today. But please discuss the advantages and disadvantages of using this medication with your dermatologist as it has some potentially severe side effects and should only be taken as a very last resort.
Acne is caused when the hair folicles and skin glands become inflamed. The first thing you should do is make sure to keep your skin clean. Be careful not to wash too much though as that can cause even more pimples. The key when beginning acne treatment is to take control of the condition.
The first step is to get rid of all the dead skin cells that have accumulated. Gently exfoliate the affected area at least twice a week. This is very important as it reduces the dead skin cells that accumulate and can clog your pores. The second step is to avoid dead skin cell build up as much as possible. Do that by simply avoiding oil based products. Make sure all cosmetics and lotions are completely oil free. But during this it's important to use specialized oil free lotion to keep the skin from drying out. Keep on the lookout for products that are noncomedogenic. Noncomedogenic products are designed to avoid clogging of your pores.
Finally you'll need an acne medication that includes Benzoyl Peroxide. Benzoyl Peroxide kills bacteria that can make acne worse over time. This will work for 99% of the people out there with acne. For those with severe acne, your dermatologist can prescribe several different forms of medication for you. The first thing she/he will likely have you try is Retin-A and antibiotics. These will work for most people that aren't helped by over the counter acne medications. For the very small percentage of people that aren't helped by this, your dermatologist may prescribe a medication called Accutane. This is by far the strongest acne treatment available today. But please discuss the advantages and disadvantages of using this medication with your dermatologist as it has some potentially severe side effects and should only be taken as a very last resort.
