If you’re dealing with an acne breakout, avoid touching your face or popping any pimples to prevent the acne from spreading. So your skin can clear up, wash your face no more than twice per day and moisturize each time you do. Certain foods are better for your complexion than others, so try to eat plenty of fruits, vegetables, fish, and nuts. You can treat stubborn acne that won’t go away with benzoyl peroxide cream, salicylic acid, and tea tree oil. For tips on acne free skin with vitamins, astringents, and natural antihistamines, read on!
1. Don’t pop your pimples. This is the number one rule for acne free skin! Pimples contain nasty bacteria. If you pop your pimples, that bacteria has a chance of getting inside other pores and giving them a place to stay without charging rent, so to speak. Make sure your pimples pay rent.
2. Consider going without makeup for a while. Foundation and lipstick can be harmful to the skin. Although it may be a bit embarrassing going fresh faced if you have bad skin, going “bare” will definitely help towards acne free skin.
3. Try not to touch your face. Your hands (no matter how many times you wash them) have oils and dirt on them, and are vectors for bacteria. If you’re constantly wiping that dirt, oil, and bacteria back onto your face, chances are it’s not going to respond too well and you will also end up spreading even more the bacteria to other areas of your face.
4. Drink enough water. Many doctors recommend that you drink between 9 and 12 cups of water per day (2.2 to 3 liters), depending on whether you are a girl or guy.
(Women should drink 9 cups, men should drink 12.) Your skin is an organ in your body, too, and like your kidney, it needs adequate amounts of water to function properly.
5. Cut sweet, sugary drinks like sodas, juices, and smoothies out of your diet.
Although the evidence has been disputed for decades, new reports seem to indicate that diets do contribute towards acne free skin, listing sugar as a trigger.
Sugars cause a spike in insulin, which in turn stimulates certain pimple producing hormones.
6. Drink less milk. Milk, too, has recently been implicated as an acne-producing agent. Milk stimulates male sex hormones — testosterone and androgens — that, along with insulin, cause nasty pimples.
7. Unsweetened green tea may be helpful, too. Green tea contains tons of antioxidants that help fight free radicals; free radicals affect the cells that may be responsible for signs of aging in the skin. For a healthy alternative to water, brew some tasty and healthy green tea!
8. Eat a balanced diet. Diet can help your complexion look its best if you let it. There’s nothing amazing about the following sentence, and you can probably guess what it’s going to be: eat more fruits and vegetables, more healthy fats, and experiment with probiotics
People who eat more fruits and veggies, and less milk and sugar, tend to have acne free skin.
Make sure you get 5 to 9 servings of healthy vegetables (especially leafy greens) per day.
Eat omega-3 fatty acids. There’s fat, and then there’s healthy fat. Healthy fats, like omega-3s, help fight inflammation and promote healthy cells.
Omega-3s are damaged by oxygen, meaning if you eat foods that are rich in omega-3s, try to eat them raw. In a pinch, baked or broiled is better than boiling or fried. Foods rich in omega-3s include:
- Fish, particularly salmon, sardines, and herring.
- Seeds and nuts, particularly flaxseed.
- Leafy greens, particularly spinach and arugula.
9. Consider probiotics. Probiotics are healthy bacteria found in certain foods, such as kombucha, that promote good digestive health and cut down inflammation. Probiotics such as lactobacillus may improve acne. Look for probiotics at your local grocer’s or natural health store.
10. Eat the right vitamins, in moderation. This one is another no-brainer. The right kind of vitamins will help your body create vibrant, wonderful skin and fight acne to boot. Vitamin-A has been particularly effective in promoting healthy skin. Do not take vitamin-A if you are pregnant.
11. Use moisturizers that are non-comedogenic. This simply means that they won’t clog your pores. You don’t want your moisturizer to clog pores right after you’ve cleaned them.
If you do happen to have naturally oily skin, try looking for a gel-based moisturizer. These kinds of moisturizers, as opposed to cream-based moisturizers, won’t make your skin feel as clammy and oily.
12. Exercise. For pretty much any ailment aside from muscle or bone damage, exercise is a panacea. Exercise is a great option for getting your circulation going, and anything that promotes good circulation also helps keep your skin healthy and vibrant-looking.
13. Always wear sunscreen if exercising outdoors. The benefits of getting your circulation jump started can be outweighed by the disadvantages of sun damage if you’re not careful. Wear sunscreen that is light and doesn’t irritate or sting your skin.
Shower or clean yourself after you exercise. When you sweat, your pores can get clogged with salty, dirty residue that’s leftover from your workout. Be sure to wash your body, and especially your face, after you exercise.