The whole world seems to be dealing with annoying red little bumps. They show up on a date night, a rock concert and even during your breakup. Am I right? They just don’t leave us alone at all. They’ll be your lifelong friends if you don’t take care of yourself! Scary, isn’t it?

Okay, so here is a little story to present you some hope! I’m going to turn 20 soon! And boy! I was not blessed with the perfect skin! I have large pores, an oily greasy skin that shines from a million miles away and acne. It’s hard to deal with them but I have seen my skin improved. All my skin needed was a little love and care! Grab a healthy snack and read on girl let’s spill some skin care secrets!

What’s that Red bump?

They show up on your face when there is excessive production of sebum from sebaceous glands and they get trapped inside your pores along with dirt and bacteria and infect them. And voila! You have a giant red bump on your forehead beaming like a traffic light!

Acne Vulgaris is the most common type of acne teens get, they can cover up your face, neck, upper back, chest and shoulders!

Types of Acne

So these red giant dots have types, you need to know about them in order to treat them!

WHITEHEADS:

Generally, whiteheads are present in the foreheads, if your pores get clogged with all the dirt inside and closes and bulges out of your skin, it’s a whitehead. You can’t really pop them, as they’re hard and can leave serious visible scars!

BLACKHEADS:

Blackheads are nasty and they’re visible right up from your skin! (Remember those blackheads cleaning videos?) If pores stay open and dirt and sweat gets inside them, they get clogged and get darkened. They’re heavily loaded with bacteria and squeezing them out without proper procedures and tools can get your pores infected.

PIMPLE:

The walls of your pores open up and suck up the dirt, bacteria, oil and sweat inside, causing a red  bump. It’s a pimple; they usually develop a pouch of pus on top which is the body’s reaction to an infection and popping them is a huge NO-NO!

CYSTS:

Cysts are severe form of acne, they’re painful and require a medical attention. They’re huge, red and painful and filled with pus. You should not treat cysts yourself, leave it to a trained skin specialist!

NODULES:

Nodules develop under the skin and are generally hard to touch, it’s pretty hard to deal with them as they have no certain openings and are not filled with pus.

Causes of Acne

Now that you know the types of acne, there are causes too! We all have different bodies and they all react to the changes differently! There are many reasons why some people are blessed with a soft clear skin while some are not! Of course a good skin care plays an important role, but there are other factors too:

1. Hormonal changes

Sometimes our bodies go through a lot of changes, especially during puberty, periods and pregnancy. Teenagers deal with severe acne (acne vulgaris ) during puberty as their bodies go through the roller coaster rides of hormones. So if you’re a teen, don’t worry I gotcha! All you need is a healthy diet and skin care. They’ll be gone eventually. There are hormonal changes during pregnancy and periods too and you’re most likely to deal with them during this period. Consulting your doctor during pregnancy is recommended.

2. Hereditary Factors

No matter how good your habits and routines are, sometimes your skin just doesn’t acts right whereas some people have glass like skin even if they don’t follow any major skin care routine. It’s because of hereditary factors. If your mom dealt with acne or has an acne prone skin, you’re most likely to deal with them too! I have super oily skin and I got it from my father. Not fair AT ALL! So you can’t really blame it on anything! Hereditary factors play an important role on how your skin is going to turn out.

3. Stress

Sometimes stress triggers your brain and skin and puts them under pressure. As a result your hormones start acting up and you wake up with red giants. It’s normal and there’s nothing to worry about. All you need is a good nap and skin care. Relax a little; your skin will go back to normal in a week!

4. Dirt

Now this is the factor you can totally avoid. Do not let dirt accumulate on your skin. Wash your face twice everyday and exfoliate twice a week! Dirt and germs can seriously damage your skin beyond your imagination. Do not touch your face. Make sure your hands are clean if you do. Do not pop pimples, as our hands are dirty and we touch million things throughout the day, popping them can make things worse.

5. Pressure on skin

Do not rub your skin hardly against a towel or any surface that can put pressure on your skin. Everything you should touch your skin with should be soft and delicate. Rubbing your skin hard can hurt your pores and get them infected. Always scrub your face gently. Your skin needs love.

6. Sleeping with makeup on

You should never sleep with your makeup on, as they clog pores and do not let your skin breathe. Wipe it off gently with a good makeup remover that is not harsh on your skin before you sleep. Don’t forget to cleanse and moisturize.

7. using products that are not suitable for your skin type

Before using any product on your skin, make sure you know your skin type! If you have a dry skin, make sure you opt for oil or cream based makeup, removers and other skin care products. Similarly, if you have an oily skin, do not use oil based makeup products at all, you should go for water based products as they will not clog your pores with extra oil and grease. Set your makeup with a powder instead of a setting spray to avoid that shiny effect. People with sensitive skin should go for aloe infused products, aloe vera soothes your skin and doesn’t irritates at all.

Treatments

1. Clean Makeup

I know we all love our brows and makeup on fleek! In order to have that flawless canvas, make sure your makeup and tools are always clean. Wash them with a good antiseptic soap or a shampoo after every usage. Do not apply your makeup with a used beauty blender! They carry a lot of germs that can create a planet of acne on your skin!

2.  Skin care Routine

Do not skip your skin care routine when you are treating your acne. Moisturize and clean your face daily.  Exfoliate once or twice a week. Make no excuses. Happy skin = Happy Life ladies!

3. Do not touch or pop your acne

Make sure you resist the temptation of popping your pimples, as they can leave bad scars on your face and can give you serious infections.

4. Tea tree oil

via google

Tea tree oil or tea tree oil infused products can really help you cure your acne as it has many antibacterial properties that can totally heal the damaged and infected pores. However you should use just a drop of it, tea tree oil can get a little strong for those who have a sensitive skin. You can dilute it and use it as a face mist too!

5. Sunscreen

Sunscreen should be your mantra whenever you go out, opt for a sunscreen with high SPF. It will save your skin from all the damage and pigmentation. If you have an oily skin, opt for a water based sunscreen.

6. Water

Water flushes out all the toxins away from your body and hydrates your skin. If your skin is dehydrated, it is most likely to get irritated. A hydrated moisturized skin can really minimize the chances of getting acne. Drink at least 8 to 10 glasses of water every day!

7. Moisturizer

A good moisturizer can totally change your skin, make sure you opt for a moisturizer according to your skin type. Always moisturize your face and body after exfoliation.

8. Exfoliate

Exfoliating once a week will get rid of all the trapped dirt inside your pores and give your skin a clean glow. Don’t be harsh and do not forget to moisturize. I use a face mist after exfoliating, it feels heavenly!

9.Masks and Face packs

Use masks and face packs on your face once every week. The nutrients get absorbed deep inside your skin and heal it. You can opt for natural DIY face packs too!

10. Aloe vera

 via natural living ideas

Aloe vera is soft on your skin and has many antibacterial properties. It treats acne and the soft fleshy gel reduces the redness too! It has anti-fungal properties too! It prevents acne, itching, sunburns, pigmentation and pain. You can use it as face mist or primer too!

11. Diet

Include a lot of leafy veggies and fruits in your diet, they detoxify your skin from the inside and prevent breakouts. A lot of people, including me get acne from consuming dairy products. Cut down sugary food from your diet. Figure out what works for your body and skin

12. Professional treatment

If you have cysts, you should seek professional help and treatment, as cysts are severe and require a medical attention.

These are the tips that helped me cure my acne, I have suffered a really bad skin and finally my skin has started to improve. Show your skin some love and it will return the favor! Your skin is the outfit you are going to wear for the rest of your life, make sure you pay attention to its needs. We all have different bodies, you have to figure out what suits your skin and what doesn’t.

You can share your stories with me here.

Take care of your skin.

Love.