subject: Doctor's Advice on How to Get Rid of Acne [print this page] Doctor's Advice on How to Get Rid of Acne
Acne isn't life-threatening, but it can undermine your self-confidence, and in a world where appearance is so important, it can really kill your social life. Unfortunately, there's really no easy, quick fix to get rid of acne - it's a complex condition with many different causes. There are, however, things that you can do to minimize acne outbreaks and deal with them effectively when they do crop up. These four steps can help you in getting rid of acne and keeping acne outbreaks at bay.
Cleansing
Aggressive cleansing isn't necessarily helpful in getting rid of acne. In fact, scrubbing your skin and applying harsh soaps and chemicals to it can actually aggravate your acne problems. Instead, choose acne products that are designed to clean gently. Yale dermatologist David Leffell recommends washing your face in the morning and at night with warm water and mild soap and gently patting your skin dry. In between, rinse your face with warm water once or twice a day to remove any environmental toxins from your skin. Be gentle to avoid damaging your skin.
Diet
No matter what you've heard, pizza doesn't give you pizza-face. Research has shown that while some people may react badly to certain foods in their diet, for most people, eating one certain food won't trigger an acne outbreak. On the other hand, a healthy diet high in vitamins may help reduce the severity of your acne outbreaks. Fruits, vegetables and grains contain nutrients that your body uses to build skin cells and make the chemicals that keep your hormones in check. Hormone imbalances are one possible cause of acne problems. A diet that provides all the nutrients your body needs to balance hormones and build healthy skin cells is an important part of getting rid of acne.
Acne Products
If your acne is stubborn, a dermatologist can recommend special acne products to help in getting rid of acne outbreaks. Many of these contain a variant of vitamin A that can help heal skin and prevent further outbreaks. For especially bad cases of acne, a dermatologist may prescribe pills for you to take and/or skin creams that contain retinol (vitamin A) and other ingredients that can help you get rid of acne.
Whether you use prescription anti-acne products or over-the-counter acne preparations, do make a point of only using concealers and makeup that's specially formulated for acne-prone skin. They avoid ingredients that may cause allergic reactions and breakouts, and may contain nutrients that help your skin heal.
Light Therapy
Some dermatologists use a combination of mild acid and special lights to treat acne. The lights activate the acid to selectively destroy skin cells that produce acne. Dermatologists at several universities are experimenting with both blue light and pulsed laser light to see which is more effective. The procedure has been used successfully for over a decade, but the treatments can be expensive. At-home light therapy units that provide full-spectrum, red or blue lights can also help reduce the severity of acne outbreaks.
