Acne do's and don'ts

Are you faithfully treating your acne but still seeing new breakouts? Your skincare routine could be to blame.

Here are some skincare habits that we recommend to help you get the best results from your acne treatment:

1) Be gentle with your skin. Use gentle products, such as those that are alcohol-free. Do not use products that irritate your skin, which may include astringents, toners and physical exfoliants. Dry, red skin makes acne appear worse.
2)Wash twice a day and after sweating. Perspiration, especially when wearing a hat or helmet, can make acne worse, so wash your skin as soon as possible after exercise.
3)Use your fingertips to apply a gentle, non-abrasive cleanser. Using anything else can irritate the skin. Rinse with lukewarm water
4)Scrubbing your skin can make acne worse. Avoid the temptation to scrub your skin.
5)Shampoo regularly. If you have oily hair, shampoo daily.
6)Let your skin heal naturally. If you pick, pop, or squeeze your spots, your skin will take longer to clear and you increase the risk of scarring the skin.
7)Keep your hands off your face. Touching your skin throughout the day can cause flare-ups.
8)Stay out of the sun and most definitely avoid tanning beds. Tanning damages your skin. In addition, some acne medications make the skin very sensitive to ultraviolet (UV) light, which you get from both the sun and indoor tanning devices. Using tanning beds increases your risk for melanoma, the deadliest form of skin cancer, by 75%.

Consult your GP or Dermatologist if:
-Your acne makes you self conscious or is affecting your quality of life.
-The products you've tried have not worked
-Your acne is leaving scars on your skin.