Chest Acne

Acne refers to blemishes on the skin such as pimples, blackheads, and whiteheads. It is an infection that results when oil and dead skin cells combine and block the pores. More oil builds up and encourages the growth of bacteria. Acne is most commonly seen on the face. But it may also be found in the back, chest, neck, and upper arms. Although acne is common in teenagers, adults can also get acne, especially when stressed and the hormone levels fluctuate. Now, a lot are concerned about getting rid of acne.

Some people believe that acne is caused be improper diet. They believe that nuts, chocolates and oily foods can cause acne. If you want to prevent it from coming back, instead of getting rid of acne every time you break out, avoid the foods that are believed to cause acne. However, there is no proven correlation between diet and acne. But it’s always better to be safe than sorry.

In getting rid of acne, DON’T:

•    Pop the spots! Popping will only make it worse. It can cause the bacteria to spread and make pimples worse. Unsuccessful popping only results in bigger and redder spots. Successful popping results in big scars.

•    Keep touching your face or other affected skin. Touching will only make it worse. The hand is the dirtiest part of the body. So touching will only add to the bacteria. Even if your hands are sterile, touching can irritate the affected skin further. This can lead to bigger or more spots. If you’re tempted to touch your acne just to see if it’s still there, chances are, it is. So don’t.

•    Use oily products. It’s no rocket science. Oil on the skin combined with bacteria causes makes acne. Guess what adding more oil will do. That’s right. It will only aggravate the situation.

In getting rid of acne, DO:

•    Use a treatment product with benzoyl peroxide. This chemical kills the bacteria. So apply this on the spots and those areas prone to acne.

•    Wash your face with mild soap or non-soap based products, preferably with benzoyl peroxide. You want to remove the bacteria on your face. But if you overdo washing, you might end up drying your skin, which is not good at all.

•    Exfoliate regularly. Clogged pores is a cause of acne, so exfoliating can clear out the dead skin that clogs pores. Take note, however, that exfoliating already affected skin may irritate it further and make the infection worse.

•    Use better make up. Go for the water-based makeup over the oil-based ones. Again, oil makes for bacteria growth, which makes acne. So you want to avoid giving bacteria more fuel. Avoid applying makeup over acne affected areas. The eye area and the lips are usually safe zones. It is a good practice to try to live with applying makeup only in those areas, especially when you’ve broken out.

•    Consult a dermatologist. The dermatologist’s specialty is the skin. So the doc probably knows more than you or any online resource does. Plus, the treatment could be made more effective because it’s personalized just for you.

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