Posts Tagged ‘prevent pimples’

Is it Possible to Prevent Pimples?

Tuesday, December 8th, 2009

If your mom and dad had pimples, chances are that you are going to have pimples also. That’s because androgen hormones cause acne and hormones are influenced by heredity. If you can “rebalance” your androgen hormones by following one of the holistic pimple treatment programs, you can successfully attack the root of the problem. While it might be hard to completely prevent pimples, there are some ways you can minimize your pimples.

Pimples are blackheads and whiteheads that have become infected by the P. acnes bacteria that lives, naturally, on the skin surface. This bacteria does not cause acne, but if you kill the bacteria, you may be able to prevent pimples from developing.

By washing your face properly, you can avoid irritating your skin and spreading infection. When it comes to cleaning your skin, keep it simple. Using lukewarm water, wash your skin two times per daily with a mild cleanser such as Cetaphil or a very mild soap like Dove. Rinse with lukewarm water and pat dry with a clean soft towel. That’s all you need to do. You can irritate your skin and make your acne worse by washing more than twice daily or by using harsh cleansers.

Non-prescription creams and gels containing 2.5% benzoyl peroxide are worth a try if you have mild acne. Do not use stronger concentrations of B.P. since they have not been clinically proven to be more effective. Don’t apply it to your whole face, but don’t spot-treat either. You need to apply a thin layer to your acne-prone areas whether you currently have pimples or not. Using B.P. can prevent some blackheads from turning into pimples but will not prevent pimples completely. Unfortunately, topical treatment products like benzoyl peroxide are only useful to treat mild acne. If you have moderate or severe acne, it isn’t very helpful.

How to prevent pimples - What are other steps to take?

Don’t smoke. The blood flow to your skin is reduced when you smoke. This makes the skin less healthy and more susceptable to infection. As if you didn’t have enough great reasons to stop smoking, do it for your skin. Smoking doesn’t lead directly to pimples, but it sure doesn’t help. Quit if you know what’s good for you.

Reduce Stress: Because stress causes a spike in androgen hormone levels, stress causes break outs. So another way of preventing pimples is to learn to cope with your stress. Maybe learn some relaxation techniques if your work is full of stress.   If it’s exam time… well, take comfort in the fact that they will be over soon!

Watch Your diet: There is a connection between what you eat and acne. You should keep track of the food you eat and take note of your break outs. You might find that certain things you eat seem to trigger your acne. Milk is a common culprit. By cutting milk out of your diet, you might see less pimples. Sugar, hydrogenated oils, and even some nuts can trigger pimples in some people. Eliminating your own trigger foods by keeping track of your diet might be a way for you to prevent pimples.

Don’t pick or rub your skin! Listen to your mother for a change. Don’t pick, squeeze or pop anything on your face. I know it’s tempting and we all do it, but chances are your acne will stay around longer and get worse if you ignore this advice. This includes using those “strips” to rip out your blackheads. Any time you aggravate your skin, you increase the chances that it’s going to get infected. If you don’t want pimples, don’t mess around with your blackheads and whiteheads. Let them go away on their own. Hide them with makeup instead.

What is the right way to prevent pimples? The right way to prevent pimples over the long term, and the way that I really believe in, is to try one of the holistic acne programs. That’s because your problem is ultimately the result of a hormone imbalance and not improper washing or bacteria. Hormones. The smartest thing you can do is follow the recommendations of the holistic programs to make yourself as healthy as you can be, control your hormones, and clear acne. I wish you luck with whatever you want to do, but remember – don’t do anything that irritates your skin – you’ll make things worse and you’ll actually cause more pimples, not prevent them.

 Mail this post

Technorati Tags: , , ,

Acne Prevention and Exercise

Thursday, September 10th, 2009

Moderate exercise is actually good for your skin. It helps to maintain your overall health and reduce your level of stress, too.  If you find your acne is aggravated by regular exercise, then you may want to examine your routine. What do you wear? Where do you go? How hard do you work? Exercise-related acne is mostly caused by the things you put on your skin and not so much what you are doing. Remove these outside factors, and you may put an end to your workout breakouts. Go to my blog to get some more tips on day to day acne care.

Here are a few more things that you should watch for…

Acne & Exercise - Make-up. When exercising, avoid wearing make-up or wear just a little. Even oil-free and non-comedogenic (non-pore-clogging) cosmetics can clog pores if worn during heavy exercise. When your workout is complete, wash off ASAP.

Acne & Exercise - Sunscreen. If your regimen takes you outdoors, always wear sunscreen. While acne may improve slightly after brief periods in the sun, studies show that prolonged exposure actually promotes comedones (clogged pores) and, of course, sun damage. Some kinds of acne medication make skin more sensitive to the sun, so sunscreen is even more important. When choosing a sunscreen, look for products that are oil-free and have a protection factor of at least SPF 15 for both UVA and UVB rays. Like make-up, sunscreen can travel across the skin’s surface and lodge in the pores — so wash immediately after working out.

Acne & Exercise - Clothing. If you’re prone to body acne, avoid garments made exclusively with lycra or nylon. Why? Some synthetic fabrics can trap the heat and moisture against your skin, creating a fertile breeding ground for the bacteria that contribute to acne. For moderate exercise, your best bet is lightweight, loose-fitting cotton, or a lycra-cotton blend. Natural fabrics allow your skin to breathe, and loose clothes will not cause as much friction. If you’re exercising vigorously and working up a good sweat, however, you may want to try some of the new fabrics designed to wick moisture away from your skin.

Note: If you need to treat your acne fast, you should try Acnezine.  For a limitted time, they are offering a RISK FREE Trial.  I don’t know how they will continue to offer that deal, so check it out before it ends.

Acne & Exercise - Equipment. Some people are more likely to get acne or have their lesions aggravated in the areas affected by sports equipment. The best defense against friction-related breakouts is a good fit — make sure your helmet doesn’t slide around on your forehead, or your wetsuit isn’t too tight under the arms. You can also curb equipment-triggered breakouts by lining your helmet with a layer of soft, washable cotton fabric; it’s a great use for those old t-shirts, too. And no matter what the sport, it’s always a good idea to keep your equipment clean and dry when not in use.

Acne & Exercise - Moisture. Mom was right: You should get out of those wet clothes! No matter how you get your exercise — treadmill, trail, tennis court, or whatever — don’t sit around in your sweaty clothes or wet bathing suit when you’re done. if at all possible, get a shower and some dry clothes on before you go home. If this isn’t possible, change into dry clothes and wipe down as well as you can. When toweling sweat off your face, always use a clean towel, and blot gently rather than wipe. Vigorous wiping can irritate your skin, driving make-up and sunscreen deeper into the pores.

Acne & Exercise - Showering. Again, it’s best to shower immediately after working out. You may want to use a medicated exfoliant cleanser, but always be gentle with your skin. Scrubbing harder isn’t going to make you any cleaner, or make your acne go away — and it may actually irritate existing lesions or promote the development of new ones. If showering isn’t an option, you can still reduce breakouts by using medicated wipes to clean off; keep some of them handy just in case.

So keep up the good work! A healthy exercise program is an integral part of your overall health; and a healthy body is more likely to have healthy skin. Just keep an eye on the various factors that accompany your regimen, and try to remove the acne triggers — you’ll be on your way to breakout-free workouts.

For more information about acne and exercise tips go to: www.OverstockHealth.com

 Mail this post

Technorati Tags: , , , , , , , ,

Reduce Acne Through Better Exercise Practices

Tuesday, September 8th, 2009

Moderate exercise is actually good for your skin. It helps to maintain your overall health and reduce your level of stress, too.  If you find your acne is aggravated by regular exercise, then you may want to examine your routine. What do you wear? Where do you go? How hard do you work? Exercise-related acne is more related to what you put on your body and not what you are doing with it. Remove these outside factors, and you may put an end to your workout breakouts. Go to my blog to get some more tips on day to day acne care.

Here are a few more things that you should watch for…

Acne & Exercise - Make-up. When woking-out, only wear a minimal amount of make-up. Even oil-free and non-comedogenic (non-pore-clogging) cosmetics can clog pores if worn during heavy exercise. After your are done exercising, wash-off as soon as possible.

Acne & Exercise - Sunscreen. If your regimen takes you outdoors, always wear sunscreen. While acne may improve slightly after brief periods in the sun, studies show that prolonged exposure actually promotes comedones (clogged pores) and, of course, sun damage. Some kinds of acne medication make skin more sensitive to the sun, so sunscreen is even more important. When choosing a sunscreen, look for products that are oil-free and have a protection factor of at least SPF 15 for both UVA and UVB rays. Like make-up, sunscreen can travel across the skin’s surface and lodge in the pores — so wash immediately after working out.

Acne & Exercise - Clothing. If you’re prone to body acne, avoid garments made exclusively with lycra or nylon. Why? Some synthetic fabrics can trap the heat and moisture against your skin, creating a fertile breeding ground for the bacteria that contribute to acne. For moderate exercise, your best bet is lightweight, loose-fitting cotton, or a lycra-cotton blend. Natural fabrics allow your skin to breathe, and loose clothes will not cause as much friction. If you are working out hard enough to get a good sweat going, you may want to consider newer sweat-wicking fabrics to help remove moisture from your skin.

Note: If you need to treat your acne fast, you should try Acnezine.  For a limitted time, they are offering a RISK FREE Trial.  I don’t know how they will continue to offer that deal, so check it out before it ends.

Acne & Exercise - Equipment. Some people are more likely to get acne or have their lesions aggravated in the areas affected by sports equipment. The best defense against friction-related breakouts is a good fit — make sure your helmet doesn’t slide around on your forehead, or your wetsuit isn’t too tight under the arms. You can also curb equipment-triggered breakouts by lining your helmet with a layer of soft, washable cotton fabric; it’s a great use for those old t-shirts, too. And no matter what the sport, it’s always a good idea to keep your equipment clean and dry when not in use.

Acne & Exercise - Moisture. Your Mother was right: You need to remove those wet clothes! No matter how you get your exercise — treadmill, trail, tennis court, or whatever — don’t sit around in your sweaty clothes or wet bathing suit when you’re done. if at all possible, get a shower and some dry clothes on before you go home. If that isn’t an option, put dry clothes on and wipe down the best you can. When wiping sweat from your face, be sure to use a clean towel and blot instead of wipe. Vigorous wiping can irritate your skin, driving make-up and sunscreen deeper into the pores.

Acne & Exercise - Showering. Again, it’s best to shower immediately after working out. You may want to use a medicated exfoliant cleanser, but always be gentle with your skin. Scrubbing harder isn’t going to make you any cleaner, or make your acne go away — and it may actually irritate existing lesions or promote the development of new ones. If showering isn’t an option, you can still reduce breakouts by using medicated wipes to clean off; keep some of them handy just in case.

So keep up the good work! A healthy exercise program is an integral part of your overall health; and a healthy body is more likely to have healthy skin. Just keep an eye on the various factors that accompany your regimen, and try to remove the acne triggers — you’ll be on your way to breakout-free workouts.

For more information about acne and exercise tips go to: www.OverstockHealth.com

 Mail this post

Technorati Tags: , , , , , , , ,