Are you struggling with acne covered skin? You obviously are not alone......so fret not! Acne problems are NOT confined to childhood or our teenage years...and people of every age, era and ethnicity struggle with pimples throughout their lives.
The BAD news? (as if that wasn't bad enough.....right?)
There is just lots of bad information about what works to CLEAR your acne, and what does not. Cleansers and the optimal frequency for washing our faces are amongst the very TOP of the totem pole when it comes to acne "disinformation", and if you aren't careful, you can easily make your skin worse for sure.
Here are 2 simple cleansing "facts" that many articles and authors get wrong......and how making JUST this one subtle change can offer big benefits to your BEAUTIFUL skin, once and for all.
Filed Under: The Cleansing Paradox
Here it is.....I'm going to lay it out for you in black and white: Cleaning too MUCH can cause acne. But so TOO can not cleansing enough. So the middle way is best and here it is.
Gently cleanse TWICE a day. No more...no less. Cleaning MORE than twice a day can dry out your skin...and cause your body to produce MORE oil to compensate. (remember.....your body is FAR smarter than the skin solutions we buy at the stores..:-) Glycolic acid, for example....is NOT a good way to treat mild acne, as it can dry out your face so severely....that you can stimulate the secretion of high levels of oil for hydration. (which of course leads to acne AND red, blotchy skin to boot)
Filed Under: Segment your Skin
This is more advanced, aesthetician style strategy, but trust me......paying attention to the different segments of your skin is smart. Your chin, and forehead should be washed differently, if they are acne prone, than the broad areas of the cheekbones, for example. Gentle cleansers like Cetaphil or Basis are often recommended by Dermatologists, and can be used for the whole face, rather than more localized treatments like Glycolic acid, as above. (which should NOT be applied to non acne prone areas) In other words, the key is to understand that you CAN (and should) wash your face in spots....and cleanse accordingly. (which only means having access to several different products at once.....which every acne sufferer should intuitively know already....I hope!)
