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Acne Control The Basics
Teenagers have enough to worry about without adding acne control to that list. For some, acne control is only a passing phase and once the surge of hormones dies down, the acne decreases. But for others, acne control becomes a lifelong battle. There are many ways to treat acne regardless of how mild or severe your case.

The essential methods of acne control are to keep pores from getting clogged, unclog infected pores, attack the bacteria causing the infection, or reduce the redness associated with acne. There are many preventative measures you can take to reduce the chance of having an acne breakout in the first place. Gently washing your face with soap and water once or twice a day will help prevent your pores from being clogged. Beyond this, benzoyl peroxide, which is the active ingredient in Oxy pads and many other cleaning wipes, helps to further clean your skin as well as dry it out. One of the biggest advantages of using benzoyl peroxide is that it can be used in combination with other products to treat acne.

acne skin care

Exfoliating is another very popular method of acne control. Exfoliating removes the dead skin cells from the surface of your skin. These dead cells can cause acne breakouts by clogging extremely active oil glands, especially those on your face. Exfoliating can also make you skin much smoother, softer, and healthy. However, some exfoliating agents can be very harsh, so a new exfoliating product should first be tested on a small area for reactions before using on your entire face.

Exfoliating products have added benefits that can help with acne control. Many of them contain antibacterial and anti-inflammatory ingredients that will treat the existing acne, as well as reduce the redness and swelling, and thus, decrease the visibility of blemishes. One ingredient to stay away from is salicylic acid, common in many face care products, as it can be too harsh for your facial skin. Other ingredients used in creams and wipes to treat acne, such as sulfur or Azelaic acid, are much better choices and irritate facial skin less.

Some people with severe acne may need to consult a dermatologist for help with their acne control. A dermatologist may suggest a cleansing regime, use lights or lasers to treat and prevent breakouts, or prescribe medication. If you are prescribed medication, you should be wary of the side effects, as most acne medication is very harsh, even toxic. Some of these numerous side effects are somewhat discomforting, but others are very permanent. A few acne prescriptions have even been linked with depression, sometimes resulting in suicide.

Because of the dangers of using acne medication as well as the costs involved, it is preferable to try over-the-counter treatments first, like benzoyl peroxide or exfoliating products for acne control before consulting a dermatologist.

Mary Murphy



TAGS : acne skin care

Last update by Mary Murphy, Monday, April 14th 2008

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