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Face Breakouts

Rimlee Bhuyan
Most women suffer from face breakouts at some point of their lives. To know more about some of the preventive measures and treatments for acne, read on.
There are many reasons for face breakouts, and the foremost among them are lack of proper hygiene and hormonal imbalance. Stress is also one of the major causes. Some women might notice acne on their face during pregnancy. The fluctuation of hormones during pregnancy causes breakouts.
If your cell phone is dirty, you might have breakouts on one side of face. If you have dandruff or your hairstyle has bangs, you might be prone to breakouts on your forehead.

Preventive Measures
Some of the steps you can take to prevent a breakout on the face, and obtain a radiant, blemish-free complexion are as follows:

Avoid Touching your Face:

You should avoid touching your face constantly, as the dirt and grime from your hands can cause these zit-like conditions. You should also avoid picking and squeezing your acne, as it will push the infection deeper into the skin and might lead to scarring.

Maintain a Good Skincare Routine:

Start following a good skin care regimen. To get rid of bacteria that causes pimples, wash your face thrice a day with a face wash containing salicylic acid and benzoyl peroxide. Apply a non-comedogenic lotion during the day. You can also use a light cream containing glycolic acid, as it sloughs off the dead cells, and prevents clogging of pores.
Products with glycolicacid also help to reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. At night, apply a night cream that has alpha hydroxy acid. These night creams perform a dual role of eliminating breakouts, and also acting as an anti-aging agent.

Be Gentle While Cleansing:
Many suffering from acne tend to be over avid while cleansing their skin. Always use a gentle cleanser and avoid the use of cleansers containing harsh chemicals.
It is good to switch to cleansers that contain acne fighting ingredients like salicylic acid. In a gentle, circular motion, rub the cleanser on your skin. Do not exfoliate your face with scrubs that contain very rough and gritty granules, like apricot pits or walnut shells. Use gentle exfoliants for scrubbing, as they are less likely to cause inflammation.

Get Smart with Makeup:

Always use oil-free makeup and foundation. Look for makeup products labeled as 'non-comedogenic', as they prevent clogging of skin pores. You can also switch to mineral makeup, as it contains minerals like zinc oxide that are effective in healing acne.

Treatments

Over-The-Counter Medicines:

You can try taking over-the-counter (OTC) medications or ointments. These contain ingredients like benzoyl peroxide, retin A, salicylic acid, etc. Prolonged use of these products might lead to inflammation and redness of the skin, so application should not be continued for more than six to eight weeks.
Doctors might also prescribe oral antibiotics to treat moderate to severe breakouts. These antibiotics are usually prescribed with some form of topical creams and ointments.

Tea Tree Oil:

You could also treat breakout on face by using tea tree oil as an alternative to topical ointments. Tea tree oil has powerful antibacterial and anti fungal properties. 
Its advantage is that, it does not have a drying effect that is present in over the counter products. While using any topical ointments, using a sunscreen of SPF 15 or above is very important, as the ingredients present in the ointments makes the skin more sensitive to sunlight.

Chemical peels:

Chemical peels, like alpha hydroxy peels can also be used to reduce the appearance of acne, and improve the texture of skin. Milder formulations like alpha hydroxy acids and beta hydroxy acids are used for treating acne. It works by sloughing off the upper layer of the skin, to reveal fresh skin.

Disclaimer:

The information here is for informative purposes only, and should not be used as a replacement for expert medical advice.