Three Common Bad Habits That Might Be Making Your Acne Worse

Dealing with acne can be frustrating. Sometimes, you might think you're doing all you can to get rid of those blemishes, but they just keep popping up. If you're struggling to treat your acne, you might be unknowingly engaging in one of these common bad habits that actually make acne worse.

Applying makeup or acne treatments with your fingers.

Your hands are teeming with bacteria. Even if you wash them regularly, they have some bacteria on their surface, and when you touch your acne-prone face with your hands to apply makeup or even an acne treatment product, you transfer those bacteria to your face where they can contribute to the formation of acne blemishes.

Instead of using your hands to apply makeup, use a one-time-use makeup applicator sponge. Alternatively, you could use a more durable sponge and wash it thoroughly with an antiseptic cleanser after each use. To apply acne treatments, concealer and the like, use a cotton ball or cotton swab.

Scrubbing your face.

Many people believe that the harder they scrub their face, the more dirt and acne-causing bacteria they'll remove. However, by scrubbing your face vigorously, you're actually doing more harm than good. You're causing irritation, which makes your face even more prone to breakouts, and you may be pushing the bacteria in your current pimples even deeper into your skin, causing those blemishes to become worse.

Wash your face with a soft cloth, and only rub gently. Your face should not be red or irritated when you're done.

Using more than one acne treatment product.

If you're an acne sufferer, you might assume that you should buy the acne-treating version of everything, from face wash to makeup. However, this might be doing you more harm than good. If each of these products contains a medication to fight acne, such as salicylic acid or benzoyl peroxide, then by using several products, you are using more than the recommended amount of these ingredients. This can cause your skin to dry out, which can cause it to over-produce oil to compensate for the dryness, which can, in turn, cause breakouts to worsen.

Choose one acne treatment product, whether it be a cream, a wash, or an astringent, and then buy non-medicated versions of everything else. Often, gentle products for sensitive skin work well.

If you eliminate these bad habits but are still struggling with acne, talk to a dermatologist. Sometimes, over-the-counter treatments may simply not be strong enough, and you may need a prescription treatment to get your condition under control. Click here to continue reading.


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