Top 10 Tips for Acne Relief

Acne is the most common skin condition, affecting 80% of people at some point in their life. 

Acne is notoriously difficult to treat and causes intense embarrassment for the sufferer as it is so visible. In addition, serious acne can leave its mark for life in terms of acne scarring.

However, understanding the problem and putting in place a few simple measures CAN bring relief.

Expert Aesthetic Medicine Physician, Dr Barbara Kubicka, shares 10 top tips for acne sufferers:

1. Don’t ignore it – Acne can leave long-lasting skin damage, so finding an effective treatment is really important and should be done as early as possible
2. If home treatments are not helping, seek medical attention, ideally with an experienced skincare physician, who may be able to prescribe an anti-biotic treatment to calm a severe flare-up
3. Clean, but don’t strip the skin – Washing twice a day helps to keep the skin clean, but beware over-harsh products that cause dryness without necessarily solving the acne. Choose a special acne formulation and change the flannel daily
4. Experiment with acne creams and specialist dermatological products. There are many available with very different formulations, so if a particular product doesn’t work, try another type of product
5. Drink water – good hydration helps skin to be healthier and increases its resilience. Dehydrated and dull skin is more acne prone. In addition, water can supply much needed oxygen to skin cells
6. Try to relax – stress causes a hormonal reaction which triggers the sebaceous glands. Regular exercise and a good nightly sleep can help to manage and control stress levels
7. A chemical peel can be very helpful in taking away the top layer of skin. This is a form of deep exfoliation, which will stimulate its own healing mechanisms as well as making it clearer
8. Avoiding fast foods, fizzy drinks and sweets, which can stimulate production of sebum and therefore acne
9. Go outdoors! The sun naturally kills acne-causing bacteria, so regular sun exposure is helpful. However, always use sun protection with minimum SPF30
10. A range of professional acne treatments is available at Clinicbe.