Thursday 16 October 2014

My Acne Experience & 10 Top Tips

Spots and acne are the bane of many teenagers' - and adults' - lives. They knock your confidence and leave you feeling gross, and a lot of the time you can't pin point why you've got them. I've suffered with acne for around 6 years, and my mum suffers from it too. I get spots on my forehead, temples and on my chin; my skin is oily but at the same time it's very dry due to eczema which is an absolute pain in the arse! It goes through good and bad spells; lately it's been quite bad, so I thought I'd share the tips and tricks I've learnt over the years.

1 // First and foremost, although it's easier said than done, is don't let it get you down. I know it can seem like the worst thing imaginable, but you'll look back and wonder why you were bothered. Nowadays I don't mind going out without make up on, even if my skin is having a particularly bad day. I've taught myself not to care, and I'm not out to impress anyone either.

2 // One of the most important things is to let your skin breathe. Covering your spots with carefully applied make up can seem like the easiest way to pretend they don't exist - but it's a vicious circle. Make up clogs your pores no matter how thoroughly you remove it, causing more spots that you want to cover with more make up. When I wear make up in the day, I remove it as soon as I get home to give my skin the chance to breathe and settle down.

3 // A mistake a lot of people make is using too many products - find something that works and stick to it. It can be tempting to try the new miracle product that everyone's raving about, but if you've got a collection of skincare products that work for you and keep your skin under control to an extent, don't stray from them because any type of change will anger your skin.

4 // If your skin is really giving you grief, go to the doctors. I know a lot of people can be scared to visit their doctor about their skin, fearing they're being over dramatic or something along those lines - but your doctor will be able to tell you if it is acne, and point you in the right direction whether that be a new cream to try, or a course of medication. On the other hand, don't be afraid to tell them that what they've prescribed isn't working - there are so many acne treatments available that it becomes a long case of trial and error.

5 // Even though we're constantly told not to, you should spend time in the sun - with protection of some sort, but exposing your skin to a bit of sunlight each day helps it to heal. However, if you get burnt this can make your acne worse, so this one is a bit tricky.

6 // It's something we're taught from such a young age, but hygiene is key. Making sure your hands are thoroughly clean before you touch your face is one of the best ways to ensure that you aren't transferring bacteria and unseen dirt from your hands to your skin. As well as this, making sure your phone is germ-free by wiping it every day stops the transfer of muck too! Last but not least, cleaning your make up brushes (surely the worst chore in existence) is so important.

7 // Something less obvious is to get enough sleep which is beneficial to your health in so many ways; basically, loss of sleep leads to higher stress levels, which in turn increases the production of a certain hormone in your body which can make acne a lot worse. Exercise cuts stress levels too, even if you only do a little bit - I play badminton (just for fun) a few times a week.

8 // An interesting tip I learnt recently is to use soy milk - not in your coffee, although switching to a dairy-free diet can be really good for your skin - but dipping some cotton wool in soy milk and holding it against red and irritated skin can do wonders.

9 // Take advantage of all the food and drink containing anti-oxidants. Everyone is drinking green tea these days so they can take a fancy photo for Instagram, but it is actually really good for you. Nuts, fish and citrus fruits are also high in anti-oxidants.

10 // This one's really random - but if you suffer from the dread 'backne', or rather acne across your shoulders and back, loosen your bra straps. It's said that tight straps could be a cause of acne!


Those are my tips and tricks on how to deal with spots and acne; it can be one of the most soul destroying things ever, but if you stop it from doing what you love and being who you are then you're just letting it win. Ps, sorry that there's no photos in this post; I was going to include a bare-faced selfie but I don't have any that show what my skin truly looks like. Bad blogger.


4 comments:

  1. Great tips! Another one that I have is to keep hand sanitiser get on your dressing table and make sure you use it before applying any moisturiser or anything with your fingers.

    http://www.lottie-xo.com
    xo

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  2. That's such a good tip, thank you! x

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  3. Great advice. Chlorine from a swimming does wonders so swim regularly and the sun will dry them out Lucy

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    1. I'm allergic to chlorine but I never knew it was good for acne! Thanks lovely x

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