Healthy skin is one of the cornerstones of beauty. By keeping your pores unclogged you can prevent acne, and make sure your skin looks it’s best. Excessive build up due to sebum secretions and dead skin cells can lead to clogged pores, which in turn leads to acne. Acne can occur at any age, but in most cases, is easily rectified.
Sebum is a naturally occurring oil that prevents the skin from drying out, but when it is not actively removed from the surface of the skin, it can clog pores. If left too long this excess build up can cause acne. Many things, including hormones, diet, stress, puberty and genetics, can trigger the release of excess sebum.
This clogging of the pores can lead to bacteria build up underneath. The warm, moist area under the blockage can become a breeding ground for bacteria. This bacteria is harmful to the skin, so the body deploys white blood cells to attack it. This immune attack causes blemishes to form. Pus is the byproduct of the fight between bacteria and white blood cells.
There are two ways of dealing with acne, from the outside, and from the inside. Regular cleaning can help to prevent acne, bacteria build up and skin infections. Exfoliation is also an effective preventative, but only use products with smaller beads, as excessive exfoliation can damage the skin in the long term.
Skin that is especially prone to infections requires special treatment. There are medicines available for chronic acne. Some of these require prescriptions, so if you do suffer from chronic acne, it is recommended that you visit your doctor. Salicylic acid can be particularly effective as it is quite gentle. Moisturizing is important after cleansing the skin, as dry skin can leave it prone to damage. If the skin feels dry twenty minutes after washing, then a moisturizer is required.
Diet can also play a part. When a person ingests lots of additives and irritants, there are more toxins to eliminate. This can lead to pore blockage and bacteria build up. A healthy diet is recommended to prevent acne.
If there is a recurrence of acne on the face, it is best to avoid using makeup or oily face cream on the areas where acne has been a problem, as these products will just serve to clog up the skin again. Ensuring you have clear pores is the most efficient and effective prevention against acne.