How should teen with acne care for their skin at home?

A home acne care regime should be simple to follow on a daily basis. Here are some rules to follow:

• Clean skin gently:
  • Clean skin gently with a mild, nondrying soap or mild cleanser. Common home acne care cleansers and washes that may be used for acne-prone skin include Neutrogena, Clean & Clear, and Proactive acne care solutions.
  • Remove all dirt or make-up.
  • Wash face once or twice daily but void scrubbing or excessive washing.
  • Wash the face after heavy exercise.
  • Rinse skin thoroughly.
  • Do not use very strong soaps or rough scrub pads as they can worsen the acne.
• Shampoo hair daily:
  • Shampoo your hair daily, especially if it is oily.
  • Comb or pull your hair back to keep the hair out of your face.
• Shave carefully:
  • Shave gently to avoid nicking the acne.
  • Make sure that the blade is sharp.
  • Soften beard or stubble thoroughly with water before applying shaving cream.
  • Try to shave only when you need to as shaving too often can result in nicked blemishes.
• Choose cosmetics carefully:
  • All cosmetics should be oil-free and ‘non-comedogenic’, meaning that the products do not trigger the formation of closed pores on the skin.
  • Stop using cosmetics if they worsen the acne.
  • Remove cosmetics and make-up every night.
  • Oil-free cosmetics that may be used for acne-prone skin and as part of an acne home care regime are available online or at pharmacies, chemists and drugstores.
• Avoid touching the face with hands or fingers:
  • Avoid rubbing and touching the acne.
  • Squeezing, pinching, or picking acne and pimples can lead to acne scars or dark blotches.
• Avoid too much sun:
  • Acne medication or acne creams may make the skin more likely to sunburn.
  • Sunburns, in turn, may lead to excessively dry skin which could worsen the acne.
• Avoid tight headbands etc:
  • Avoid wearing tight headbands.
  • Avoid tight caps and hats.

Over-the-counter (OTC) acne creams

OTC acne creams may be used to help heal the acne. See further Teen Acne Cream Treatment section.