When people experience breakouts on their faces they often refer to it as acne. In fact, acne can occur on other areas including backs, chests and even arms.

What is acne?

It is widely recognised that acne is a prolonged breakout of either spots or blemishes.

Who can get acne?

Around 95% of people aged between 11 and 30 years of age are affected at one time or another by acne. Anyone can experience this, with around 3% of adults over the age of 30 having acne.

There are six types of acne, namely:

• Blackheads
• Whiteheads
• Papules
• Pustules
• Nodules
• Cysts 

Blackheads and whiteheads are small clogged pores which can appear black, yellow or white in colour. If they are picked they can become inflamed but generally they are not painful.

Papules are small red spots which can be painful and may turn into pustules if picked, while nodules are hard lumps under the surface of the skin which can be painful.

Cysts are the most painful type of acne. They are similar to boils under the skin and these have the greatest risk of scarring so should be handled by a professional rather than trying to squeeze them yourself.

While you may need a professional to diagnose and treat your acne there are some steps that can be taken to reduce it.

Keep skin clean

Wash your face twice a day using a non abrasive cleanser. This should be applied with your fingers as face cloths can irritate the skin.

Choose the proper skin care

Opt for products that are alcohol free. Additionally, you should avoid products that will irritate the skin such as exfoliants, toners and astringents. These will dry the skin and make the acne look worse.

Shampoo frequently

Often the oil from the hair can cause acne on the forehead, particularly if you have oily hair. You should try to keep your hair off your face as much as possible.

Give the treatment time to work

Try not to chop and change treatments as this may lead to further outbreaks. It can take several weeks for a new treatment to start to work so give it time.

Keep hands away from face

You may be tempted to pick and squeeze but this will simply make matters worse. It will also increase the risk of scarring. Try not to touch your face at all.

Avoid sun and tanning beds

Apart from the risk of skin cancer, tanning will damage the skin and worsen your acne. Additionally there are some acne medications that make the skin sensitive to ultraviolet rays from both the sun and tanning beds.

Final thoughts

If you need to be in the sun then make sure to wear sunscreen with SPF of 30 or more. Wear sun protective clothing when outside.

Remember that acne takes time to clear, although if you continue to have outbreaks you may consider seeing a dermatologist. 

Tags:

1

Go Back to Previous Page

Live in care jobs