5 Reasons Why Your Acne Won't Go Away
Acne. The four letter word that everyone loathes. It comes so suddenly, can be extremely painful, and is often difficult to get rid of. Many teens suffer from inflamed skin that can sometimes follow a person into adulthood in the form of adult acne (hormonal acne). At this point, you’ve tried almost every product on the market and you find your skin is not getting any better. To make matters worse, it seems like your flareups are starting to worsen. For the past year I have been documenting my acne journey on the road to clearer skin and I have learned a few things that have helped me clear up my skin.
Today I’m sharing with you 5 Reasons Why Your Acne Won’t Go Away.
1. You’re using too many products
One quick search at Sephora will open you up to a plethora of acne fighting products. From facial cleansers, toners, serums, creams, spot treatments, masks, and don’t get me started on the tools - it can be a bit overwhelming. Retinol, Salicylic Acid, Vitamin C, Niacin-amide and so much more are great ingredients to combat acne and heal inflamed skin. But using them all at once can be a recipe for disaster. If you’re using too many products on your face at the same time you may not be allowing each ingredient to do what is needs to do. Most importantly, some ingredients should not be mixed or used in the same routine. Should a product actually be breaking you out or conversely making your skin better, you’ll never know which one is giving you good results. Simplify your skincare routine, and start by using one new product at a time.
See Go Green With Your Skin Routine
2. You’re not using one product long enough
Skincare products often have pretty large claims, such as “proven results in just 7 days.” Granted some product actually deliver on those promises, but often will come with a pretty price-tag. For the majority of the products on the market, consistency is the only way to see great results. Good skin is not an overnight process. The acne did not just appear overnight, so it is highly unlikely for it to disappear that way. Ideally you want to be trying a product for at least 3 months to see major improvements in the skin. At the very least, get into the habit of using one product for an minimum of 30 days before making your judgement on whether the product is for you or not. Now of course, if the product is breaking you out within the first 7 days or causes excessive dryness, irritation or reddens the skin, you should definitely discontinue using it rather than forcing the skin to just - deal with it.
3. You’re irritating your skin
Giving your skin some TLC is one of the best things you can do to see improvements in the quality and health of your skin. I make facial steams, blackhead extractions, exfoliation and facial masks a part of my weekly routine and it has done wonders for my skin. As always, a word of caution. While at home facials do great things for the skin, it also has the potential of doing great harm (the infamous Spiderman quote comes to mind). Doing too much to your skin, too often can cause serious irritation, dryness and inflammation to the skin. This includes excessive exfoliation with harsh granules, picking at your pimples, and using too many masks during a weeks time. Remember, the skin is designed to heal and take care of itself. All you need to do is promote an environment where the skin is able to do what it is supposed to do.
Try doing an at-home-facial once a week to detox, give your skin a deep cleanse and hydrate the skin.
See 4 Natural Beauty Ingredients To Avoid and What To Use Instead
4. You’re not listening to your skin
Your skin is a reflection of everything that is going on, on the inside. A quick look at a Chinese Face Mapping chart will give you a overview of what areas of your body are reflected on your skin. Pay close attention to what you skin is telling you. Your skin will always let you know what it needs. Great skin is not just about what you do on the surface of the skin, its about what you put inside your body too.
On that note, it has become the norm to share one’s skin routine on the internet, and while its nice to peer into someone else’s skincare regimen, that doesn’t mean you can transplant their entire routine on your face. A product or routine that works for someone else’s skin doesn’t necessarily mean that it will give you the same results. Everyone’s skin is different and reacts differently to products. Trying new products is great and I absolutely recommend it, but make sure to research the product, its ingredients and what skin-type or concern it is meant to treat. With this information you can determine if its worth giving a try. All in all, you skin will tell you what it needs and what it likes, all you have to do is listen.
See 3 Things That Completely Changed My Skin
5. You’re stressing over your skin too much
This is by far the most difficult problem to fix and its often the most overlooked. Ever notice that something you continue to stress about and ruminate over never seems to go away? It’s the same with acne. I know it is not easy but obsessing over your skin is no way to start off your healthy skin journey. Actually, stress can have a huge effect on your skin and can make the problem worse. A watched pot never boils, and stressed skin never heals.