Being a teenager with acne or oily skin absolutely stinks! But don’t fret. If you follow these sure fire skin care tips, you’ll have an easier time dealing with these irritating issues.
See your Dermatologist
There are many doctors out there who treat different things. Like for example, if you have a tooth ache, you’ll usually go to the dentist. If you’re as blind as a bat and you need glasses, you obviously go to the eye doctor. This is no different when it comes to acne and oily skin. If you’re suffering from any type of acne, you should definitely go see your dermatologist, aka the skin doctor. Your dermatologist will prescribe you with medication that will help treat your acne. Additionally, some will even inject you with a shot that will cause your zits to go away. However, I should tell you that these shots or any sort of acne medication doesn’t cure acne. It only deals with the acne that’s currently on your face. However, it does lower the number of pimples that are likely to appear on your face.
Don’t Pop or Pick Your Zits
If you’ve had acne, you know how tempting it is to pop or pick at your zits. You believe that by popping them, it’ll get rid of them quicker. Although this may be true, in the long run, you’ll only be doing yourself a disservice. Popping or picking at your zits will only cause more to appear. Like for example, if you have a lot of acne lets say on your chin. If you were to pop a few zits on your chin, more and more will appear in that area in the future.
Additionally, picking at your zits will cause acne scars. And trust me, those are more of a hassle to get rid of than acne. So just simply let your pimples shrink on their own. If they do pop for any reason, make sure you wash the area the pimple was at immediately so more are less likely to appear.
Don’t Touch Your Face
Two of the most vital body parts that we as people have are our hands. We use our hands for just about everything. We use them to drive, write, pick things up, dial the phone, open doors, etc. However, during the day, your hands pick up a lot of bacteria from things that you’ve touched. If you are constantly touching your face, the bacteria from your hands will end up on your face. This will not only cause more acne to appear, but it will also cause your skin to become more oily. So to put it simply, try as hard as you can to not touch your face.
Have a Good Skin Care Routine
Just like any other part of your body, you need to take care of your skin. Developing a good skin care routine will make your skin look healthier, clearer, and less oily. So I’m going to give you a run down of my own skin care routine. Everyone’s skin is different so don’t expect it to 100% work for you as well. However, you should at least experiment, try out various products, and see how things go.
Use a Cleanser
During the day bacteria will build up on your face. In order to combat this, use a cleanser once in the morning and at night. The cleanser that I use is the Cetaphil Daily Cleanser. It has works wonders for me and I highly recommend that you use it. An article from The Dermatology Review states, “Cetaphil Gentle Skin Cleanser was created as an option for individuals with sensitive skin. According to the manufacturer, this skin cleanser has a very simple formula that’s gentle enough to be used on young children.”
You can find it at your local drug store for anywhere between five to ten dollars. I found it on Target.com for $6.39 at the time of publishing this article, so go buy yourself a bottle. And remember, as with any beauty product, use it conservatively. Don’t pump out the entire bottle, use a reasonable, tiny amount with each wash or application.
Exfoliate your Face
Just as with all things, skin cells eventually die. And when they die, they’ll build up on your face. If you don’t get rid of those dead skin cells on your face, your skin will become more oily and acne filled. So at least 2 to 3 times a week you should use an exfoliator to get rid of those dead skin cells on your face. The exfoliator I use is from Biore. It’s a charcoal formula, that not only exfoliates, but it also minimizes the size of your pores. I usually get my Biore from Walmart for about seven dollars. Pick up a bottle for yourself because frankly, this is one of the best exfoliators I’ve used.
Buy a Toner
After you cleanse or exfoliate, you’ll want to use a toner. Now toners aren’t a necessity, but for me at least, they’re a must. A toner will help kill bacteria on your face, close your pores, remove dead skin, and even out your skin tone. To use a toner, first, you squirt a tiny amount onto a cotton ball. Next, you want to take that cotton ball and slowly wipe it around your face. Lastly, wait for your face to dry. If your face feels irritated, or if you feel a burning sensation, only use it once a day instead of twice a day until your face stops becoming so irritated. I suggest you use Dickson’s Pore Perfecting Toner. As with the other products listed before, you can find it at your local drug store.
Use your Acne Medication Daily
If you went to the dermatologist as I instructed, the doctor most likely prescribed you with some sort of zit cream to help fight your acne. Once you’ve toned your skin, apply your usual acne cream. However as I said before and I can’t stress this enough, use a reasonable and conservative amount! Don’t squeeze out the entire bottle. On average, it usually takes me at least 5 months to a year to go through any of these facial products. So don’t be bothering your parents to get you new a product after you went through a single bottle in a week! Remember: REASONABLE AMOUNT!
Moisturize your Face
Keeping your skin moisturized will prevent dryness, and help prevent oily skin. As with the other products listed above, you can find a moisturizer at your local drug store. Frankly, any moisturizer will do, just keep your face nice and moist. However, if you really want to know, the one that I usually use comes from Clean and Clear. You can buy it at Target for the low low price of five dollars. Additionally, don’t use any facial products that have a lot of oils. Because this will cause your face to become even more oily. Also, use a moisturizer that has a decent SPF count so that you’re protected from the sun, and less oil is produced.
So now that you have a good idea of what products you should have in your acne fighting arsenal, here’s the order in which you should use them. First use your cleanser, however, twice to thrice a week use an exfoliator in place of a cleanser. Usually, I’ll exfoliate on Sunday, Wednesday, and Saturday. Next use your toner, zit cream, then moisturizer. But most importantly, follow this routine twice a day, in the morning and the evening. After a while, your face should become more clear. In the words of that monkey at the end of Bojack Horseman season 2, “It gets easier. Every day it gets a little easier. But you got to do it every day. That’s the hard part. But it does get easier.”
Use Oil Wipes
Although there is no exact cure for acne, from what I’ve noticed at least, oily skin tends to lead to a lot of zits. So in order to help eliminate oily skin during the day or while at school, carry around a pack of oil wipes in your pocket. Oil wipes are these tiny thin sheets of paper that remove the oil from your face. You can find a pack of them at Walgreens for usually five dollars. However, if you don’t wanna always spend your money on oil wipes, here’s another tip.
If you go to Colonia High School, consider yourself in luck. The toilet paper at Colonia High absorbs oil incredibly well. You probably think I’m kidding, but trust me this works! Next time you ask to use the bathroom, go into one of the stalls, roll a few sheets and see that oil come clean off. And if any of the CHS Staff are reading this, PLEASE DON’T GET RID OF THE TOILET PAPER YOU’RE CURRENTLY BUYING THE SCHOOL, IT IS A LIFE SAVER! Furthermore, the toilet seat covers that are in most public bathrooms are super oil absorbent as well. So next time you go to a public bathroom, steal maybe one or two, or ten!
If you follow these skin care tips, your skin will start clearing up real quick. However, don’t take my 100% word on any of this. I’m not a dermatologist, I’m a journalist and fellow teenager who tangles with acne and oily skin on a regular basis.
