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Step 1
Clean skin gently. Many acne sufferers have oily skin so companies manufacture harsh facial cleansers to strip the oil off the skin. But this leaves skin overly dry and irritated which can lead to more acne blemishes. The solution to treating acne is to wash the face with gentle cleansers.
Cetaphil Gentle Skin Cleanser is a good product to try. Use this formula first before trying the Cetaphil Daily Facial Cleanser for Normal to Oily Skin formula. I personally found the latter a tad drying even though I have very oily skin. But the product that really improved my skin texture and reduced my adult acne pimples was Aveeno Positively Radiant Daily Cleansing Pads. The large pads (which I cut in half) have one smooth side for cleaning and one textured side for gentle exfoliation. My skin has never felt so smooth and soft and I have used hundreds of acne products over the years, including Pro Active. Aveeno Clear Complexion Cleansing Pads is for blemished skin. I first used this product but it left my face a bit dry. (Clear Complexion has salicylic acid as an active ingredient.)
Other possible acne solutions are Neutrogena products. Many are gentle and fragrance free. My suggestion is to avoid products specifically designed for acne, oily or blemished skin and instead use the products for sensitive skin. These products are usually more soothing and gentle. Perhaps try Neutrogena Extra Gentle Cleanser, Fresh Foaming Cleanser or Deep Clean Cream Cleanser. Whatever products you decide to use for your teenage or adult acne skin, make sure it is gentle and doesn’t leave your skin dry. Try looking for acne remedies with more natural ingredients than chemicals. -
Step 2
Use a natural toner. To be honest I really don’t know what a toner is supposed to do. But I have used many of these products over the years as part of skin care systems I purchased and used and never bought again. I never noticed any difference in the feel or appearance of my skin after applying these toners. But after reading a book on natural skin care, I started using natural products on my face after washing it. I used lemon juice and apple cider vinegar. In both cases I noticed my pimples drying up faster when I applied these natural substances.
Lemon juice has citric acid and vinegar (including white vinegar) has ascetic acid. These mild acids gently exfoliate the skin removing dead skin cells and excess oil and disinfecting the skin. Throughout the day I reapplied lemon juice or vinegar directly to the individual blemishes and I noticed that they got smaller and smaller in a very short period of time.
My advice is to avoid commercial toners and simply apply a little lemon juice or vinegar to your face after cleansing. It may help you to get rid of acne breakout faster. These products may also help in preventing teenage and adult acne blemishes. Lemon juice and vinegars are also cheaper and safer than commercial toners filled with chemicals. -
Step 3
Give yourself a glycolic acid facial. Glycolic acids are natural fruit acids that are a big buzzword these days. These glycolic acid products are now used for many skin problems including teenage and adult acne. I use glycolic acid directly on my skin. I started with a lower concentration and as my skin become use to the acids I purchased higher concentrations.
The first time I used glycolic acid at 30 percent, I notice that my old acne scars had faded a bit. Needless to say I gave myself more frequent glycolic acid treatments in the hope of removing all my old acne scars. In time all acne discolorations will fade, but with glycolic acid the scars faded faster. When using glycolic acid at first leave the acid on your face for 2 minutes. Use a thin coating. (If you use too much you will notice a dry, scaly patch. But this heals in about a week.)
Recently I tried something new. I had two acne pimples appear and I applied a tiny drop of glycolic acid to each pimple. When the pimples healed, I noticed there was no acne scar. I am happy to report that by using the Aveeno pads and the lemon juice daily, I haven’t had any active acne pimples to further test my theory that glycolic acid helps prevent new acne scars from forming. Experiment with natural products to treat your teenage or adult acne because you may be surprised at what works for you. Glycolic acid can be purchased at beauty supply stores or online at such places as www.makeupartistschoice.com.
