Common acne mistakes

December 28, 2016

Do you commit these common acne mistakes?

1. You quit too soon

This the definitely at the top of the list of common acne mistakes. Anyone who has been a client knows one of our favorite mantras is: A pimple can take up to 4 months to form so it will take that long to get your skin cleared up.

How many of you have heard that from us at some point?!

The reason it takes that long is because by the time you begin our program, the pimples that have already started forming weeks and months ago are still going to come up and appear on your skin. That’s the bad news – but the good news is we will work hard to make those pesky pimples less inflamed than they would be without our topical treatment.

Our main goal is to prevent new pimples from forming by removing the trapped dead skin cells in the hair follicles that get clogged up with oils and attract bacteria. That is uncommon for most acne treatments. Most treatments aim to reduce the size of the breakout that you already have on your skin. Instead, we want to prevent the majority of FUTURE acne breakouts.

Even though you understand this process, it’s still TOUGH to wait and be patient. We all want instant gratification! A common topic of discussion after a client starts using our topical treatment for a few weeks is that while they see positive changes (pimples dry up and go away faster, less inflammation) they still are getting NEW pimples. That’s expected – as it takes up to 4 months to clear acne breakouts and sometimes longer to make all the marks fade.

Unfortunately, there is no magic bullet when it comes to treating acne. The only “cure” is to prevent. Prevent. Prevent. And prevention… takes time.

Patience my friends. AND (of course) STAY IN TOUCH!!

2. You wash your face too much.

How is asking your face in the “Common Acne Mistakes” list, you may ask.Most people with acne, at some point, will believe that the cleaner their face, the less acne they will have. Unfortunately, if you wash your face more than twice a day, you are doing your face, your skin and your acne a disservice. By washing too often (and not re-hydrating), you strip your skin of essential natural oils which, in turn, causes your skin to ramp up its oil production leaving you with – you got it – oilier skin than when you started.

Stick with a morning wash followed by sunscreen and (if you have especially dry skin) a moisturizer. Then at night, a wash, medication and bed. That’s it. That’s all you need.

3. Washing mistakes.

How can you wash your face wrong? Well… there are things you may be doing which complicate the healing process. Using a dirty cloth or sponge is a big no no – they can hold bacteria which will hinder the actual cleansing. Make sure you use a clean cloth or sponge every time.

You can also exfoliate too much. Exfoliating more than 2-3 times a week can leave your skin with tiny tears in it, allowing bacteria in, causing more irritation and ultimately, inflammation. Which as anyone with acne knows, is not great for acne-prone skin. Stick with 2-3 times a week for your exfoliation treatment and you should be good.

4. Hair products exacerbating the problem

The “Common Acne Mistakes” list keeps growing… This one is especially tough for those of us with wild and crazy hair. We know! Wild and crazy hair needs taming and it takes products to tame that mane. Unfortunately, if you apply your products too close to your scalp or hairline, you could end up seeing acne breakouts in the area. Try to keep them about 1-2 inches away from the scalp/hairline and you should be good to go.

Those with back acne have another hair battle to fight. If you suffer from back acne, make sure that you 1. rinse all product out of your hair when you are finished showering and 2. during the day, if you have product in your hair, tie your hair back so that it isn’t constantly making contact with your skin.

5. Your cell phone is dirty

This is a big one, we find, especially for our teenage clients. Cell phones are really dirty. You can imagine since they go everywhere with us, are constantly being touched, handed from one person to another and very rarely… extremely rarely… do people actually wash the screen of the phone. Then, they put it up to their ear, touching their face, whenever they talk on it. Which means a LOT of dirt, grime and bacteria gets constantly pressed into your face and skin. Not good for people with acne prone skin.

We recommend, since it is very difficult to effectively wash your phone all the time, to think about using ear buds for your next call and save your skin some problems. And by doing so, you can easily avoid this one on the “Common Acne Mistakes” list.

6. You pop and pick pimples

Agh – if there is one most frequent mistake we see on the “Common Acne Mistakes” list, it is this one unfortunately. It is TOUGH to keep your hands off your face during a breakout – we know! It is so tempting to pop that white head, get that gunk out of there. And doing it the right way, during a facial with an extraction tool, isn’t a bad thing. Unfortunately, most people don’t do it that way. They sit at home in front of their mirrors and angle their heads, and press their fingers together, trying to get that goop out.  We’ve all done it. What is bad about this way is that your hands and your environment are likely somewhat dirty… you have bacteria under your fingernails, on your fingers, on the towel you use after washing your face and when you pop open a pimple, or pick at it, you introduce that bacteria into an open wound… which exacerbates the problem leading to infections and more breakouts.

Net net – if you are going to pop a pimple, call your favorite acne-specialized facialist and ask for a facial with extractions.

There are many many more common acne mistakes that we could list but we find these are the most common and the most detrimental to your skin. Lucky for you, they are easy to avoid if you try.

Having problems with your skin? Or do you know someone who is? Contact us stat so we can set you up with a  free consultation – with NO obligation to purchase.  We will get your skin clear – we guarantee it!