Taking care of your skin for Acne Awareness Month

THIS is the perfect time for a refresher on those pesky blemishes that always seem to pop up or stubbornly remain at the worst times. Acne affects millions of people all over the world. It can even continue to affect people well into their 40s and 50s. Although acne is generally a harmless skin condition, it can severely affect a person’s self-confidence and self-esteem. Raising awareness about acne can help reduce misinformation and also help people understand the consequences of dealing with acne. Though there is no cure for acne, there are a variety of both over-thecounter and prescription products that can help mitigate it. Taking excellent care of your skin is a good first step in helping to reduce acne lesions. Here are some Acne Awareness Month tips for dealing with acne. Some myths persist about acne, such as being caused by poor hygeine which is not true. Acne occurs when a hair follicle gets clogged with excess oil produced by hormones. Bacteria that live on the skin can then enter the clogged pore and cause inflammation. Moreover blackheads, which is a type of acne, are not dark colored because of “dirt.” They develop this color through oxidation of the oil in the pore. If you have acne, whether mild or severe, don’t think it is because you don’t wash your face enough, or anything like that. Using the right products makes all the difference when treating acne. You can do so with a cleanser that reduces excess sebum (oil) on the skin’s surface without over-drying. Ingredients such as salicylic acid and benzoyl peroxide can also be helpful. Image Skincare’s Clear Cell Salicylic Gel Cleanser is an excellent choice because it includes salicylic acid as a key ingredient. Follow up the cleanser with the Clear Cell Salicylic Clarifying Tonic which contains a combination of alpha and beta hydroxy acids to help unclog pores. Alpha hydroxy acids (glycolic acid is one, for example) are also good at unclogging pores by improving cell turnover. This tonic may cause dryness, so start out using it once a week and gradually increase usage as your skin adjusts. You can then follow up with the Clear Cell Medicated Lotion. The lotion will help target existing lesions while helping to prevent new ones. Sunscreen should always be the last step in your skincare routine. It protects from damaging UV rays and keeps skin from not only getting sunburned, but also developing the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles earlier than it should. When it comes to acne, sun exposure can worsen acne scars by making them darker. Applying sunscreen regularly will help prevent this from happening. Some people believe sunscreen can cause pimples, but if you choose a non-comedogenic one, you should be perfectly fine. Image Skincare is available from www.imageskincare.ie and from stockist nationwide. To locate your nearest Image stockist please visit www.imageskincare.ie/ find-a-pro.