How to Treat Acne

Acne is a common skin condition that millions of people suffer from worldwide. It’s likely that you or someone you know has dealt with the skin condition. Consider this article your guide to acne treatments as we go over the different things that may help you to manage it. Along the way, we will also draw attention to some common acne myths. Keep reading so that you can discover some of the best ways to tackle acne.

What is Acne?

So, what is acne? Put simply, acne is a very common skin condition that causes spots to appear. It’s common during puberty, but acne can also persist into adulthood. The spots can sometimes be painful, and it can also cause your skin to take on an oily appearance. Skin can also be painful to the touch if you have a severe case of acne.

Spots are most common on your face, but they can also appear on your back and chest. In fact, there are six main types of spots that can appear. For example, papules are small and red, while cysts are large lumps that are often filled with pus. These are considered the most severe type of spots that acne can cause, and they are often associated with scarring.

Acne Myths

There are many myths surrounding acne and we are going to dispel some of the most common here:

• Poor Diet: Acne being caused by a poor diet is a myth, as there’s no scientific evidence to suggest that certain foods can cause or exacerbate the condition. Of course, it’s a good idea to eat a healthy and balanced diet for the sake of your general health and well-being.
• Squeezing Spots: Squeezing your acne spots is not a treatment of acne, as some people believe. In fact, it will actually worsen your condition and is likely to cause scarring on your face.
• It’s Contagious: Thinking that acne is contagious or infectious is completely false. You can’t catch acne from another person or pass it on.
• Sex: Having sex has no impact (positive or negative) on your acne. It is wrong to believe that having sex can affect the appearance of your spots.
• Tanning: Tanning, whether that be using sunbeds or going out into the sun, won’t help to improve your acne. There’s no scientific evidence to support that being in the sun will improve your condition. You could also increase your risk of skin cancer if you expose your skin to damaging UV rays. Make sure that you use sunscreen before you head out into the sunlight and that you don’t stay out in it for too long. Sunlight (and vitamin D) can have a positive impact on your mental and physical health. In case you live somewhere that doesn’t allow you to have access to the sun, make sure to take a vitamin D supplement to help support your general well-being.
• Poor Hygiene Habits: Finally, it’s utterly false to believe that acne is caused by having dirty skin or by not cleansing. Acne is caused by issues underneath your skin, and therefore washing the top layer will not be able to stop acne from occurring.

Current Acne Treatments

Now let’s take a look at some of the current treatments of acne.

Self-Help

There are some things that you can do to help manage your acne at home:

• Don’t squeeze your spots – no matter how tempting this might be. It can cause you issues down the line with scarring, and this can be harder to cope with.
• Wash and clean your skin with a gentle cleanser. Use room temperature water as water that’s too hot or cold can aggravate your skin. Use cleansers that are marketed for spotty or sensitive skin. Only wash your skin a maximum of twice per day. Over washing can cause your skin to feel dry and sore.
• Some people use toothpaste to dry out a particular spot overnight. Although there is no guarantee that this method will work, you could give it a go.
• Since various acne medications can cause side effects, many individuals opt for natural alternatives like CBD (Cannabidiol). Available in many product formats like CBD Capsules, tinctures, topicals, edibles and vapes, this natural compound is touted for many potential health benefits. Nowadays, there is a growing body of research regarding the use of CBD for acne, which shows that CBD has the ability to regulate the production of sebum, an oily substance that the body produces and that usually causes acne. Because cannabidiol also possesses anti-inflammatory effects, the redness and pain associated with acne can also be reduced in users.
• Fully remove your make up before going to sleep. Also, if you can, avoid wearing heavy make up as this can block your pores.
• Keep hair clean and try not to let it touch your face.

Treatments From A Medical Professional

If your acne doesn’t improve from these self-help tips, then it’s a good idea to make an appointment with a doctor or dermatologist. There are a variety of treatments that they can prescribe, for example:

• Topical treatments: These types of treatments include creams, lotions and salves that you apply directly onto the affected areas. One common example is Benzoyl peroxide. This is an antiseptic cream that can help to reduce bacteria on the skin. It can help to reduce inflammation and is typically used once or twice per day. Too much of this treatment can irritate your skin, so make sure to use it sparingly and follow specific instructions from your doctor. Some of the common side effects that can occur with this treatment are dry, itchy or stinging skin. These should pass following the completion of the treatment. If you are ever concerned about these side effects, then speak to your doctor. They may need to change the treatment. People are typically on this topical treatment for six weeks.
• Antibiotic tablets: Oral antibiotic tablets can sometimes be prescribed to treat more serious cases of acne. It can take six weeks for you to notice any improvements. The doctor will assess your acne and consider how long they think you should be taking this medication.
• Hormonal treatments: Sometimes, doctors will place women with acne on the combined contraceptive pill. This is because sometimes acne can have hormonal causes. The pill can take up to one year to notice a difference in your acne.

Final Thoughts

And that completes our article on acne treatments. Although there are a number of things that you can do to help your acne at home, this isn’t always sufficient for moderate or severe acne. Making an appointment with a medical professional is a good idea if you are concerned about your acne and if it’s causing you to have low self-esteem.

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Things I love having done!

Do you ever sit back, daydream, think wishfully that you could just pop into your local spa/hairdressing salon or even spend the day with your closest and mostest for some pampering?  I know I do.  I have gone from hating strangers touching me, fear of the hairdressers to absolutely loving being pampered, though please stay away from my feet, that is one phobia I cannot deal with.

This is a post about some of the things I absolutely love being done to me and why, honestly it isn't as rude as it sounds.  As a beauty blogger, you won't be surprised to find out what they are and why.

I have quite a busy and stressful job, at times all I want to do is sit back or indeed lay back and escape from that world and just do something for me, sadly I don't get too many opportunities to do those very often, but if I did, well this is what I would want.

Someone washing my hair for me

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One thing that I absolutely love having done whenever I go to the salon for a haircut/trim is having someone else wash my hair.  Not a chore in itself and it is something I actually don't mind doing, but it is just so relaxing when someone else does it for you and combined with a head massage, hair brushing and temple rubbing, I am almost snoring in minutes.

Having a facial

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I haven't had many in my life, well two actually but I do love having a facial.  Both times I have been lucky enough to have one, it has been totally amazing, relaxing and de-stressing not to mention that feeling of total cleanness afterwards is something I can never repeat at home.

Having a manicure

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This is something I have recently started to really really enjoy.  I had a bad experience of a manicure when I was at University and the manicurist at the time, instead of filing my nails, used scissors to cut them, slipped with the scissors and anyway... needless to say I have had a fear since. 

 Now having been to a few blogger events and met some absolutely lovely manicurists, this is something i had begun to enjoy and something I look forward to having done.

Hand and arm massage

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This is another treatment that I find really relaxing, though it has been a while since I have had it done.  It is incredibly relaxing to have something massage both your hands and your arms using many lotions and potions.  The last one I had was at a beauty event with Debenhams last year and the lovely ladies of Elemis were on hand to do this exact treatment and it was pure heaven.

Back and Shoulder massage

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This is possibly one of the best treatments ever, though again, a bad experience when I was at Uni for a spa day with my housemates terrified me.  The masseuse was so rough with massaging my shoulders that I screamed in pain for her to stop because it was utter agony and for weeks it hurt like anything to move.

Then a few years ago, I took the plunge having had chronic back-ache for weeks to go and have a massage and honestly it was the most amazing thing ever, so relaxing and de-stressing and something that almost had me in a deep sleep.  I find that with having a stressful job my shoulders are usually always quite tense and having them massaged literally cures everything for me.

So there you have, the top 5 things I love having done.  

Do you have a favourite treatment you like to have? is there anything you absolutely swear by?

Eye Bright Make-up Remover from Heaven by Deborah Mitchell

Eye make-up remover is not one of those things I have spent too much time thinking about truth be told, I tend to use whatever I have got to hand.  Then Eye Bright came into my possession and now I know why people rave about eye make-up removers and certain mascaras not being that difficult to remove!

Heaven by Deborah Mitchell Eye Bright Makeup Remover**, the people who brought to you the Bee Venom mask which I reviewed HERE, very kindly sent me this product to try. It arrives in this lovely sleek cylindrical bottle with the brand name and product name both clearly visible.  What I also found useful is the little plastic clip which goes around the pump dispenser to stop any wastefulness of the product you should drop it, press it accidentally and so on.

Once on the cotton wool pad, this product is actually really creamy and similar to a cleanser that I use in texture, colour wise there is a tint of blue/purple to it which I really like.  When using the product, you need such a small amount, one pump from the dispenser on the cotton wool pad removes eye-shadow, eye-liner and They're Real in one foul swoop, no need for rubbing, rubbing a bit more and then finally with a bit of elbow grease removing your make-up, one wipe across and around your eyes and your cotton wool pad will look like this:

You might notice that it takes off a little bit more than your make-up, all the dirt, grime and pollution that clings to your skin, especially in a city like London is also removed.  

You can also use this product as an all-over facial cleanser, something which I am yet to try but I can tell you that as well as removing eye make-up, it does also work exceptionally well at removing all make-up from your face and this is how I am currently using it, more as a pre-cleansing make-up remover

I am told that this make-up remover contains Eyebright, a herb which helps your eyes to look whiter and if you Google it, you can find all kinds of interesting facts about what it does. Eye Bright also helps to regenerate dry skin and can be used both in the morning and in an evening and is suitable for mature and dry skin too.

Have you tried any products from the Heaven Skincare range?