If you have a pimple that you’re about to pop, stop! You’ll want to read this first. Do-it-yourself pimple popping can backfire Squeezing pimples and other acne blemishes may seem so simple that anyone can do it, but there is an art to doing it right. You need a proper technique to avoid: These unwanted …
Pimple popping: Why only a dermatologist should do it Read More »
10. Pop or squeeze breakouts. When you pop or squeeze acne, you’re likely to push some of what’s inside (e.g., pus, dead skin cells, or bacteria) deeper into your skin. When this happens, you increase inflammation. This can lead to more-noticeable acne and sometimes scarring and pain. What to do instead: Resist the temptation to …
9. Rub sweat from your skin during a workout. Using a towel to roughly rub away sweat can irritate your skin, which can cause breakouts. What to do instead: When working out, use a clean towel to gently pat sweat from your skin.
8. Scrub your skin clean. To get rid of acne, you may be tempted to scrub your skin clean. Don’t. Scrubbing can irritate your skin, causing acne to flare. What to do instead: Be gentle when washing your face and other skin with acne. You want to use a mild, non-comedogenic cleanser. Apply the cleanser …
7. Dry out your skin. Skin with acne is oily, so it can be tempting to apply astringent and acne treatments until your face feels dry. Don’t. Dry skin is irritated skin. Anytime you irritate your skin, you risk getting more acne. What to do instead: Use acne treatments as directed. If your skin feels …
6. Wash your face throughout the day. Washing your face several times a day can further irritate your skin, leading to more breakouts. What to do instead: Wash your face twice a day — when you wake up and before you go to bed. You’ll also want to wash your face when you finish an …
5. Sleep in your makeup. Even non-comedogenic makeup can cause acne if you sleep in it. What to do instead: Remove your makeup before you go to bed. No exceptions. If you’re too tired to wash your face, use a makeup remover towelette. Just make sure it’s a non-comedogenic towelette.
4. Share makeup, makeup brushes, or makeup applicators. Even if you use only non-comedogenic products, sharing makeup can lead to blemishes. Acne isn’t contagious, but when you share makeup, makeup brushes, or applicators, the acne-causing bacteria, oil, and dead skin cells on other people’s skin can wind up in your makeup. When you use that …
3. Use makeup, skin care products, and hair care products that can cause acne. Some makeup, along with many skin and hair care products, contains oil or other ingredients that can cause acne breakouts. If you continue to use them, you may continue to see blemishes. What to do instead: Use only makeup, sunscreen, skin, …
2. Apply acne medication only to your blemishes. It makes sense to treat what you see, but this approach fails to prevent new breakouts. What to do instead: To prevent new blemishes, spread a thin layer of the acne medication evenly over your acne-prone skin. For example, if you tend to break out on your …
