How to Get Rid of Acne

Most people find themselves suffering from an acne outbreak at some point, whether it's due to hormones or stress. Contrary to popular belief, pimples don't necessarily mean your skin is dirty or unclean — in fact, over-cleansing can irritate your skin even more. However, hormones aren't uncontrollable, and there are simple changes you can make to eliminate your breakouts. You can have your glowing, healthy, and pimple-free skin back in no time.

Wash your face twice daily. The first step to getting clear skin is to set up a regimented cleansing routine. Buckle down and force yourself to wash your face when you wake up in the morning and before going to bed at night. As tired or busy as you may be, taking the extra few minutes to prep your skin will reduce your acne significantly.

• Wash your face for at least one minute straight. It takes at least this long for all the pimple-causing bacteria to be killed.
• If you have acne on other parts of your body such as your shoulders, back, and chest, give these areas a scrubbing twice daily as well.
• If you wear makeup, never go to bed without washing it all off. Sleeping with makeup on is a surefire way to increase your pimple-count and make getting rid of your acne even more difficult. Use an oil-free makeup remover prior to washing with your regular cleanser to make sure all traces have been removed.

1. Use products with benzoyl peroxide. You can use benzoyl peroxide in th e form of either a soap or lotion over your acne-prone areas. This product works to clean off dead skin and help your skin to regenerate new, clean cells faster. Look for products that contain 3% or less of benzoyl peroxide to avoid irritating your skin.
2. Try products with salicylic acid. This acid, similar to benzoyl peroxide, works to slough (to get rid of) off dead skin cells and encourage new skin growth. As a result, you may experience dry skin and scaliness around your acne, but this will dissipate over time as your skin begins to regenerate faster. Use this in a cleanser or spot treatment daily on the acne-affected areas of your skin.
3. Use sulfur-containing cleansers. Although we don’t know exactly why sulfur works as a great acne-killer, we do know that it does work. Look for products that contain sulfur to clear up your acne, seemingly by reducing oil production.
4. Use a retinoid. Retinoid cleansers contain ultra-high levels of vitamin A, which help to clean out clogged pores and dissolve away grime. You can purchase over-the-counter retinoid products or get a prescription for one from your doctor.
5. Find products containing azelaic acid. Azelaic acid is an antibacterial that also helps to reduce redness and inflammation and is found naturally in wheat and barley. If your acne tends to leave dark marks on your skin, try a product that uses azelaic acid to clean your pores and reduce acne-produced dark spots.