How to Get Rid of Acne: A Step-By-Step Tutorial

To get rid of acne, you have to understand what causes it in the first place. All in all, the formation of acne pimples a pretty complicated process that even scientists and dermatologists don't fully understand. What is known though, can be summed up in a fairly simple manner ? Acne bacteria (p. acnes) get trapped inside a pore (hair follicle). The bacteria then feed upon the sebum (oil) trapped inside the pore, and multiply, causing an infection. The body spots this infection, and tries to protect itself from it, leading to inflammation, which makes for a huge, red, inflamed "spot".

Using this basic information, we can come up with three to-the-point ways to combat acne.

1.) Kill the bacteria. If there's no bacteria to cause an infection, then there will be no acne.

2.) Reduce the oil on the surface of the skin. Since oil can clog pores, and gives "fuel" for the bacteria to thrive off of, less oil means less acne.

3.) Stop the pore from getting clogged in the first place. If you can keep dead skin cells from clogging up a pore, you'll reduce the number of spots.

With that said, we'll move on to the basic regimen.

Step 1 ? Washing your Face

In this step, we will be trying to accomplish two goals ? Removing excess oil from the surface of the skin, and killing the bacteria on the skin.

To do this, we will need a gentle, non-comedogenic, non-irritating antibacterial cleanser. These are few and far between, and I have only found one cleanser that can do the job: Noxzema "Triple Clean" Cleanser. This is a gentle cleanser that contains an antibacterial ingredient called "triclosan".

First of all, splash your face once or twice with warm water. Then, squeeze about a dime sized amount of the cleanser into your hands. Work into a rich lather, and then apply to the face, being extra careful to be gentle. There is no need to scrub or rub it hard, as this will NOT help with acne, it will only make it worse. With that said, very gently, using no pressure at all, and only the tips of your fingers, rub it onto your skin for one minute straight. This is to make sure that all of the bacteria are killed off. Then rinse the cleanser from your face, and gently pat the skin dry with a clean towel.

Step 2 ? Benzoyl Peroxide

Benzoyl Peroxide is a very common over-the-counter acne treatment product. BP works by creating an oxygen rich environment within the skin, interrupting the metabolic process of the p. acnes bacteria, causing it to die off. It is also antiinflammatory, helping to reduce redness.

Avoid anything that is 10% BP, unless it won't be staying on your skin for long. Go for 5%, or better yet, 2.5%. The two products I recommend are Neutrogena's "on-the-spot" acne treatment cream, and Stridex's BP pads. Both contain 2.5% benzoyl peroxide.

No matter which product you choose, apply it gently to your skin after cleansing.

Step 3 ? Salicylic Acid

Salicylic Acid is a beta hydroxy acid ? meaning it is an exfoliant, and will help your skin to shed dead skin cells faster. This prevents the dead skin cells from forming a clog inside pores, trapping bacteria and leading to a pimple.

The salicylic acid product I recommend is Clean & Clear's "advantage" acne spot treatment. It is a sort of gel, that contains 2% salicylic acid. It goes on smooth, is invisible once it has dried, and stays on all day to provide protection against acne.

After the benzoyl peroxide has dried, gently apply the salicylic acid. I use about a quarter sized amount for my face, but if your skin isn't "used to it" yet, start with less.

And that's it! You're now protecting your skin from three major causes of acne, and hopefully your skin will begin to clear up!

This regimen is meant to be done twice per day ? once in the morning, and again at night. Since both benzoyl peroxide and salicylic acid are irritating to the skin at first, don't jump right in. Your skin has to get used to the products before you can use them to their fullest extent. Be patient, and at first, only apply benzoyl peroxide, and only apply it once per day. Then work up to twice per day. Once your skin is used to that, add in the salicylic acid slowly. Eventually, you should be using quite a bit of both products. Definitely remember to wear a sunscreen if you'll be venturing out into the sun.

Ryan Bauer is a former acne sufferer from Springfield, MO. He runs an acne information website called Acne Elimination.

---

Take Advantage of Natural Acne Treatments

Let's face it. Nobody is really immune to having acne from time to time. Don't blame your French fries. Don't blame your Hershey's bar. Don't blame yourself... Read More

Battle Blemishes

Every individual has different skin needs. But what doesn't differ is that everyone's skin needs to be cleaned to remove excess dirt brought about by the outside... Read More

Mineral Makeup a Natural Acne Cure?

Mineral makeup may offer new hope for acne sufferers. Because mineral makeup has several unique qualities not offered in any other makeup product that make it ideal... Read More

Acne and Skin Problem Myths Debunked

Isn't skin a wonderful thing to have?An obvious benefit of skin is that it protects our bodies' internal organs from harmful elements like dirt, insects, bites, toxic... Read More

Dairy Products and the Possible Effects Related to Acne

Continuing research into the causes of acne has brought to the forefront information related to diet and acne. There is new evidence that confirm the old wives... Read More

Slash Your Acne Supplement Expenses with Food

Twenty-one year old Lydia Garcia faces an imminent dilemma- poverty or acne. Lydia religiously uses three herbs to keep her skin clear and she's always on the... Read More

Acne Medicine

Is acne making your social life hell? Is everybody giving you their valuable advice on how to get rid of acne? Have you tried and tested everything... Read More

An Introduction to Microdermabrasion

Microdermabrasion is a progressive skin re-surfacing technique that targets wrinkles, lines, superficial scarring, stretch marks, acne, and sun damage. Originally developed in Italy during the mid 80s,... Read More

Acne

One of the most popular skin disorders, Acne, is the term used for plugged pores (blackheads and whiteheads), pimples and even deeper lumps like cysts or nodules.Though... Read More

Solutions to Rosacea & Acne Rosacea - Treatments That Eradicate the Redness

Rosacea, or acne rosacea, is clinically defined as a chronic "acneiform" disorder which affects both the skin and the eyes. It's location on the human body is... Read More

Acne Scar Treatment

Acne scars develop after severe cases or when the acne has been forcibly picked or scratched. There are many types of acne scars, each entirely treatable.The only... Read More

The Kill the Bacterial and Cure the Acne Myth

All life forms strategize to survive and procreate. Weeds, worms, birds, fungi and bacteria all work to sustain their own lives on this planet. In fact, we... Read More

Prevention and Treatment for Acne Scars

While it may sound elementary, the first place to start with acne scar treatment is prevention.Most people cannot predict when they will have an acne outbreak or... Read More

A Look at Laser Acne Treatment

Laser acne treatment has been around for a few years now, and it is quickly replacing more traditional forms of acne removal and prevention. As antibiotics become... Read More

The Hows and Whys of Acne

A few simple steps occur that cause skin blemishes. First, acne occurs when for some unknown reason or combination of reasons, hair follicles, also known as pores,... Read More

Acne Can Be A Problem At Any Age

Adult, teenage and baby acne have something in common; no one likes the problem. Adult, teenage and baby acne problems are surrounded by myths.Adult, teenage and baby... Read More

Acne Care for Adults

Roughly 20% of acne cases being treated in the United States belong to adults. For many adults, what was thought of as a teenage affliction has continued... Read More

Clear Your Acne With My 12 Step Program

In 12 previous articles, I have outlined the specifics of each step they you need to take to eliminate acne and have a clear, clean face.Here I... Read More

An Acne Herbal Hand and Footbath

In a book I read by William L. Fischer called Hidden Secrets of Super Perfect Health at Any Age, Book II, 1986, I learn how to do... Read More

Healing Skin Cream

There are so many skin creams on the market it's enough to make your head spin. There are creams for under the eyes, creams for anti-aging, for... Read More

What Causes Adult Acne?

For many people the question of "what causes adult acne" has been a tireless quest in search of an answer to a problem that plagues many individuals... Read More

Silver Bullet for Acne? - I Dont Think So!

I read a report recently discussing the success of the project to sequence the genome of the bacteria that is said to cause acne, Propionibacterium acnes, and... Read More

What You Should Know About Acne

There are many different types of acne and with that come many theories, myths, and treatments. The exact cause of acne remains a mystery. Why some pores... Read More

Information on How to Treat Adult Acne

Although most teenagers get some form of acne, adults in their twenties, thirties, forties, or even older, can develop acne. Men and women alike experience acne, but... Read More

The Importance of Water in Caring For Acne

The benefits of water as part of our daily lives are undeniable. We use it to prepare food, to drink, and to bathe. What many people do... Read More

Some Healthy Ways to Fight Acne

Acne is a major concern for most of the teenagers. It not only manifests physically but also leaves a deep emotional impact. Acne Vulgaris occurs when the... Read More