Last updated on February 12th, 2019 at 05:25 pm
How should teens 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:
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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 face after heavy exercise.
- Rinse skin thoroughly.
- Do not use very strong soaps or rough scrub pads as they can worsen the acne.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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Avoid touching the face with hands or fingers:
- Avoid rubbing and touching the acne.
- Squeezing, pinching or picking acne and pimples can lead to the acne scars or dark blotches.
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Avoid too much sun:
- Acne medication or acne creams may make the skin more likely to sunburn.
- Sunburns in turn may lead to excessive dry skin which could worsen the acne.
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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.