Been stressed lately. I have huge random blackheads. Whiteheads. And pimples all over my forehead. There's parts of my skin that are dry. Please answer EACH of these to get Best Answer. -how do I fix dry skin?
-how much water should I drink a day?
-should I pop whiteheads?
-how can blackheads go away?
-what should I eat?
Any extra tips will be greatly appreciated.(:
crystallinegreen - I have exactly the same problem! Especially in winter, but I seem to have brought it under control in the last couple of years so perhaps I can offer some advice.
ReplyDeleteSkin that is dry AND prone to acne can be difficult to look after as products targeted at either skin type may exacerbate the other problems. Although it's counter-intuitive, I've found it's best to stay clear of acne fighting face washes/cleansers etc such as Clearasil which only dry my face out more and maybe even cause more spots due to sensitivity. Try practicing a thorough daily skin care regime using gentle, non irritating cleansing products and exfoliate regularly, then use an acne treatment which can be applied directly to problem areas.
Currently I am using boots own brand cream cleanser formulated for sensitive skin to remove make-up, St Ive's blemish fighting natural apricot scrub for exfoliation, simple's refreshing face wash to cleanse and aqueous cream BP for moisturizing - and I can honestly say I'm seeing much better results for ditching all the harsh chemicals and my skin looks healthy rather than dry and dull.
To target-treat my acne I use panoxyl benzoyl peroxide gel. This was an amazing discovery for me, over the last year it has reduced persistent acne on my chin to the occasional pimple, which clears up much more quickly than before. It is quite a strong and effective acne treatment which is available over the counter or online. It can be applied to individual pimples as they arrive and will dry them out quickly - or alternatively can be spread thinly on small areas prone to acne on a night to prevent break outs in that area. When used in this way it will also reduce blackheads. It is quite drying and if applying to larger areas will dry them out quite a bit at first, but stick with it for a few weeks and you will notice that it stops drying out. It's best applied over night. It is available in different strengths, but I strongly recommend using a lower strength at first and then working up depending on your results, as some people react badly to the stronger formulations. Use the lowest effective strength, for most people this is around 5%. One tube is really cheap and will last forever.
If you wear foundation consider investing in clinique's blemish fighting formulation. I can't say in my experience I've found it to actually prevent acne, but it doesn't make it any worse like most foundations do. It also has decent coverage for covering spots and mattifies oily areas without drying out the skin. I fell asleep in my makeup recently after a night out, which normally spells disaster for my skin - but I was amazed when it made no difference what so ever.
Drink the recommended 2 liters of water a day to prevent dryness and dullness of the skin and flush spot causing toxins. Eat plenty of fresh fruit and vegetables, these are rich in anti-oxidants which help to prevent breakouts. Get plenty of sleep!
Following all of these steps should help prevent both dryness and spots, but when you do need to do battle with a white head, don't pop it with your fingers! Instead, sterilize a needle and pop the whitehead with the tip. Ease out the contents with your fingers but avoid getting too close to the broken skin where you might introduce bacteria. Wipe with a cotton ball soaked in a cleanser/toner.
I hope this is helpful =) Good luck!
Hello - Niacinamide face cleansing pads are effective and simple way to keep acne away. Just place a pad on the pimple and watch it fade away. Lavender Oil helps prevent skin drying.
ReplyDeleteNiacinamide pads are also known as Nicotinamide pads or Vit B3 pads.
Give them a try and you will be pleasantly surprised.