Acne is one of the most common skincare conditions among teens and adults, affecting more than fifty million people annually in the United States alone. In fact, over 85% of all people between the ages of 12 -24 will experience some form of acne.

While there are many over-the-counter and prescription medications to help combat acne, many people still struggle to get rid of it completely.

However, many people inadvertently exacerbate their symptoms, leading to frustration and desperation.

While no method offers a 100% foolproof guarantee to help clear acne breakouts, there are things you can do to help reduce them.

If you're currently trying to clear your acne quickly, this list of five acne mistakes to avoid can help you achieve and mainatain clearer skin.

1. Over Or Under-washing Your Face

Washing your face is an essential part of your skincare routine, but if done incorrectly, it can worsen acne flare-ups. When you cleanse your face, you're removing dirt and bacteria that penetrate into your pores, clogging them and causing breakouts.

Removing this build-up is key to helping clear acne and freshen your skin. On the other hand, if you wash your face too often, it can strip away natural oils, drying the skin and causing it to produce more oil in response.

This increased oil production can cause additional acne, creating a vicious and frustrating cycle. Dermatologists recommend washing your face twice daily with a mild cleanser to help clear breakouts and prevent them from reoccurring.

2. Being Too Rough

Breakouts are an infection in the skin, causing the area to have heightened sensitivity. Trying to exfoliate already inflamed skin can cause your acne to spread, making the infection worse.

Although gentle exfoliation may be ok depending on your skin's sensitivity levels, it's vital you never use harsh exfoliation methods such as apricot or walnut shells which contain sharp edges.

Using a gentle exfoliate once or twice per week can help remove embedded dirt and oil that has made its way deep into your pores and encourage cell regeneration.

However, if you overdo it, you can easily tear and irritate your skin, further opening it up to more bacteria than before. A better alternative to traditional exfoliants is chemical versions like AHA or BHA.

These products have the same effect without causing further damage to your skin.

3. Only Treating Breakouts After They Occur

It's like playing whack-a-mole with your face.

If you're constantly treating acne after it appears, you will always stay one step behind. Making small changes to your daily routine can go a long way to helping prevent and clear acne, helping you achieve the clear skin you desire.

• Change your pillowcase often and using a silk alternative which is naturally anti-microbial and helps fight against wrinkles (an added bonus!)
• Avoid touching your face -- this can introduce an insane amount of bacteria into already infected pores, so avoiding this one action has immense benefits.
• Avoid harsh ingredients – these can exacerbate acne breakouts and cause added irritation to your skin.

Try to stick to plant-based ingredients (that you are not allergic to) for the best results. By combining proactive choices with an effective skincare routine, you can help fight acne before it appears.

4. Inconsistency

Acne is generally a long-term problem, and it takes consistency to defeat it. Although many products claim to fight acne fast or get rid of breakouts in only a few days, the truth is progress takes time.

Sticking to a daily skincare routine that contains powerful acne-fighting ingredients helps heal current infections and defend against future ones. Staying hydrated and eating healthy is also key to ensuring your body can fight acne and the bacteria that causes it.

By maintaining a consistent routine, you can get one step closer to the healthy glowing skin you deserve.

5. Using Dirty Tools

Using dirty tools like makeup brushes on your face is a surefire way to make acne worse. All the bacteria that is growing on them is transferred directly to your face with every use, keeping your pores from ever becoming fully clean.

This problem isn't only for application tools; glasses, hats, or anything else that touches your face can have the same effect.

Cleansing everything that touches your face is the best way to kill bacteria and avoid making your acne flair-ups worse.

6. Skipping Moisturizer

It's a common misconception that oily and acne-prone skin don't need moisturizer, but they do.

Oily, acne-prone skin calls for lightweight, water-based moisturizers with gel consistencies, such as the Peptide Hydration Water Cream... And make sure to actually layer it onto your skin.

Moisturizers are an essential part of every skin-care routine. Just as our bodies require us to hydrate with water, so does our skin.

In the short term, moisturizing perks our skin up, giving it a healthy fullness. In the long term, consistent moisturizing helps decrease the appearance and rate at which fine lines and wrinkles emerge.

If your complexion is parched, flaky, or irritated, choose vitamin B hydrating gel and hyaluronic Intensive. They help to prevent water loss and repair the skin's moisture barrier. Easy does it. A little goes a long way.  

CONCLUSION

Although common, dealing with acne breakouts is often frustrating.

When trying to clear your skin, try eliminating at least one misstep that can worsen your breakouts.

By avoiding these six acne mistakes, you can get one step closer to the bright clear skin you've always dreamed of having.

Resources:

American Academy of dermatology association https://www.aad.org/media/stats-numbers#