Back to School Skincare Tips!

It's that time of year again. School is starting and for many it means dealing with one of the most difficult skin conditions: acne. On occassion acne will lighten up during the summer when people are under less stress, but a month after school begins pimples and blackheads start to pop up again. Although acne is a problem that most often affects young people, many people in their 40s and 50s still experience it. Lifestyle, diet, hormones, genetics, improper skin care/makeup, and stress can all contribute to the problem, making outbreaks worse.

These are some things you can do to help control your acne. Doing these do not take the place of using the right products in the right way for your acne, but they will support the process of getting flawless skin.

Here are 5 tips on how to prevent breakouts:

Don't cram for exams.

Get enough rest and reduce your stress. Stress stimulates the adrenal gland and in the acne-prone individual, the adrenal gland promotes oil production which leads to clogged pores.

Diet

Stay away from foods, vitamin supplements and sports drinks/bars that contain iodides. Iodized salt, seafood, fish, seaweed, fast foods and dairy products (cows lick iodized salt licks) and especially kelp tablets (some people take these for thyroid support) are a part of this list. Contrary to popular notion, chocolate and greasy foods (unless they contain salt, which most do) do not aggravate acne.

Don't pick your face!

Don’t pick. You can scar yourself permanently! Or, you can give yourself a staph infection from picking. Believe me, you do NOT want that! Instead of picking, rub ice on pustules and pimples for about 2 to 3 minutes, twice a day rubbing in a circular motion, no stopping. Try to catch them when they are first forming and they most likely will go away.

Change your pillowcase often.

During the night your skin will detoxify itself so all the toxins, oils and hair products can end up on your pillowcase. By changing your sheets and pillowcase once or twice a week will help keep your skin clear. Stay clear of heavily fragranced detergents and dryer sheets.

Stick with a good skincare routine.

Keeping your face clean and moisturized with the proper pH balance is key to controlling acne. Cleanse twice a day and make sure to pack acne fighting products. Use a clean washcloth each time you wash your face so that germs and bacteria don’t settle in the cloth and spread across your face, which can worsen your acne.