At one point or the other, we all have woken up to the universally-despised visitor... acne! First things first, when you discover your breakout, don’t panic because this could potentially make matters worse. When our stress levels are elevated, our body and skin are put in a tizzy. Oil production increases, inflammation arises, and your immune system is lowered. To counter this, take a deep breath and be grateful that now this stubborn, unwanted blemish has come to the surface and you are well on your way to clear and radiant skin!
Your next instinct may be to squeeze or pop your pimples which is 9/10 times not the best solution. I know how difficult it is to resist this temptation, so if you absolutely must, only extract if you see a visible whitehead or blackhead.
You may gently try to extract it by squeezing no more than 3 times in order to prevent damaging the skin. If there is no visible whitehead or blackhead, forget about it!
When we pick at our inflamed acne lesions, we force the debris further into the pore which may cause it to rupture. This rupture causes bacteria, excess sebum (oily substance), and dead skin cells to pour deeper into our skin and into other pores, which increases the likelihood of additional breakouts. Power through the urge to pick!
When I discovered what salicylic acid did for my skin, I was sold. Although we can't solely rely on this particular skin care ingredient to banish our zits forever, we can still give it some major props!
Salicylic acid is a multifaceted compound derived from the bark of white willow and wintergreen leaves. While it sloughs off dead skin cells on the surface, salicylic acid is able to penetrate into the pore and exfoliate debris inside due to it’s oil-soluble nature. It also has stellar anti-inflammatory and antibacterial characteristics which will hurry along your acne’s stay. With consistent use of product with salicylic acid as the main active ingredient, your breakouts will heal at a faster rate and the risk of scarring will be less likely!
This may seem a little quirky to some, but focusing on self-love and practicing positive affirmations on a regular basis has a strong relationship with our skin. Mind, body, spirit… we often hear how connecting the three is essential to fully experiencing life, but do we really grasp that this is a truth? Sometimes, what your skin needs is for you to go inward and express love yourself, beautiful.
Dr. Murad (a skin care legacy) performed a study where 40 women were asked to read notecards with positive affirmations and journal about their thoughts and feelings every day for a month. Upon their return, Dr. Murad was delighted to find their blood pressure and stress levels had decreased and their skin’s hydration levels increased! Hydrated skin = healthier skin = less skin concerns.
Spark that creativity, move that body, develop those rituals, meditate on uplifting mantras. Do whatever it is that makes you feel alive and free because you are the only one who really knows the solution. Believe you are a masterpiece worthy of love and your skin will reflect your beautiful, radiant heart.
xo, SK