Skin Care Tips for Acne Prone Skins

Personal Saga- My mom has the skin type that has never been affected by acne, so when I hit my early teens and got acne she didn't know what to do to help me. I tried retina which burned my skin and left it irritated. I tried pills from the dermatologist which resulted in my body over producing oil. I washed 5-6 times a day thinking that my skin wasn't clean enough, which just worsened the problem. Below are a few things I have learned first hand to help people like me with skin that isn't naturally perfect.

Best Results -
Wash face twice a day, you might want to wash more but this can dry your skin out and strip it of any natural oils it has. The result of washing too often is irritated skin which will be more problematic.

This is a picture of the daily face wash I use, Aveeno Clear Complexion Foaming Cleaser.

Picture by Me, Ashlee B.

-Wash in the morning with a light wash.
-Drink plenty of water during the day.
-Stay away from fried foods & sugary treats. I have read that it doesn't matter what you eat but I personally think it does, so I do what works for me.
-Use Benzoyl Peroxide 5% for problematic skin, 2% for a mild break out. 

Picture by Me, Ashlee B.

-In the evening wash face with a medium face wash (Purpose, Aveeno). Again follow the wash with Benzoyl Peroxide.
-Make sure you are washing your pillow cases often (every week).
-Don't fall asleep with sweat, dirt or make up on your face.

Life Style -
It's all about your lifestyle and your habits. Deicide that you ARE going to have great skin and then find a lifestyle which will help you obtain that goal.
For me it was hard for a few years, once I figured out what worked for me I learned to adjust my life to allow for me to have great skin. As a child I didn't think I would ever get out of my SKIN HELL or have beautiful skin but I did and now I have great skin.
For me it is about being healthy inside and out. Eating good foods, drinking plenty of water, getting enough sleep and having a healthy skin care regimen that kills the bacteria but doesn't irritate my skin.


Best of luck! As someone who knows what it's like to deal with this problem, there is light at the end of the tunnel. Just keep going.