Photo of acne from Wikipedia

How to Prevent Acne

As reported in What is acne? Common causes of acne, dirt, oil and bacteria are the main causes of acne and can come from unexpected places. Nashville's heat, humidity and pollution can contribute to acne flare ups.

Top Ten Tips to Reduce Pimples & Avoid Acne

Here are the top ten tips to help reduce pimples, eliminate outbreaks, and help prevent acne.

1. Keep Your Face Clean to Prevent Acne.

Since some cleansers can irritate your skin (as can over-washing), use a gentle cleanser like Cetaphil® Antibacterial Gentle Cleansing Bar or Eucerin Cleansing Gel. Wash after exercising and after working with grease and oil from food or equipment. Sweat contains bacteria, and when sweat mixes with oil and grease, it can clog pores and cause acne. Make sure you use an oil-free makeup to avoid breakouts.

2. Touch Your Face as Little as Possible to Prevent Acne.

Rubbing your eyes or face, picking at pimples, resting your face in your hands, or wiping sweat from your face with your hand can cause acne. Think of all the surfaces your hands touch in a day. Now picture all the bacteria you are transferring to your face every time you touch it with your hands!

3. Cleanse Your Face Before Going to Bed to Prevent Acne.

Going to bed with dirty skin or makeup will encourage an acne outbreak.

4. Keep Your Linens Clean to Prevent Acne.

Wash your pillowcase frequently. Keep your towels and washcloths clean. Bacteria from dirty linens can cause an acne outbreak.

5. Keep Your Hair Clean to Prevent Acne.

Dirty hair can also cause acne when it brushes against or hangs in your face. Use gentle hair products and try not to get them on your face. Harsh chemicals can cause acne. Use oil-free hair products.

6. Keep Your Telephone Clean to Prevent Acne.

The bacteria on your phone can cause acne where you hold it against your face. Clean your phone every other day with alcohol or a disinfectant. Alcohol is better for your skin, because a harsh disinfectant may also irritate your skin.

7. Eat Healthy to Prevent Acne.

Drink plenty of water to flush your system from the inside out. Studies also indicate that people who eat foods high in fiber and low in sugar like fruits and vegetables have a reduced occurrence of acne.

8. Exercise Regularly to Prevent Acne.

Getting regular exercise can increase blood circulation and oxygen supply to the skin, while it helps reduce stress. Wash after exercising to prevent breakouts.

9. Get Plenty of Sleep and Relaxation to Prevent Acne.

Stress tends to cause acne outbreaks, and proper sleep not only aids your body in repairing itself but helps lower stress.

10. Use an Acne Product to Prevent and Treat Acne.

Many manufacturers make products for the treatment of acne. Some of the most popular are Clearasil, Neutrogena, Clinique and Noxema as well as stronger treatments like Retin-A or Accutane. A very popular acne treatment seen on infomercials is Proactiv® Acne Solution.