I hit puberty hard in middle school because I remember getting bits of acne earlier than most people. It wasn't a lot but I hated it. As I got older, though, it cleared a bit but on certain occasions. If I was stressed and ate certain foods, my acne would flare-up. I almost always had blemishes, whether it be on my face, back, or worse, my ass.
I did everything to avoid pimples, whiteheads, and blackheads with little to no results over the years; testing different lotions/creams, drying out my skin with different acne products, irritating my body with burning-like medications. Eventually, I stopped and found the best ways to keep my sensitive skin looking decent.
1. Put honey on inflamed skin.
honey jar with honey combPhoto by Arwin Neil Baichoo on UnsplashDon't put honey on open skin. According to healthlline™, honey draws out excess water which means it isn't the best option for treating blackheads or open acne. Instead, it's great for soothing red blemishes or acne spots that don't have a head or obvious opening on the surface of your skin.
I remember reading about this trick in my freshman year of college. I was overwhelmed with the college environment, the loneliness, the unknown, and the anxiety that came with figuring out classes. My face was angry with red blemishes and one day I warmed up some tea and massaged some areas of my face with honey. It works. The reddish went away but It was sticky to clean up.
2. Be careful with air conditioner.
backview of woman wearing dress and with tattoo on back of her neckPhoto by Karl JK Hedin on UnsplashConditioner has a way of locking moisture in your hair and does the same thing with the pores on your back if you don't wash it off. I used to wash my hair a lot with conditioner but I noticed my 'backne' getting worse the following days. I stopped for a bit. Whenever I did use conditioner, I always took the extra step of scrubbing my back with water after. I sometimes even rinse with my head rolled so far back that the water doesn't fall down my back. It's a hassle but my bacne is vanishing.
3. Wash with warm, rinse with cold.
man washing his facePhoto by Tadeusz Lakota on UnsplashMy face gets oily when I consume a large number of greasy foods. I wash my face with warm water to freshen up but always shock my pores closed with cold water to prevent those open pores from letting in bad bacteria. The cold wakes you up, too!
4. Put on lotions/creams while you still have tiny drops of water.
I never completely dry my face whenever I take a hot shower. I know my skin tends to dry up quickly when I do. Putting lotion on a wet face might feel weird and all but as you circle and rub it in as it dries, it doesn't feel as obvious that there's an extra layer of something on your face.
5. Skin too dry? Try a bit of Vaseline.
Winter sucks because my skin is drier than usual. Following the technique of wash warm and rinse cold, putting on small amounts of vaseline on your face won't hurt. I always rub it between my fingers and then circle rub its way into my cheeks and forehead.
6. Dirty Hair? Please pull it back.
Photo by Pierre-Axel Cotteret on UnsplashSometimes I don't wash my hair and instead, use dry shampoo. People do it. It's not odd but man my acne gets bad along my hairline, neck, and jawline because of my dirty baby hairs. Layered dirty hair makes you get acne everywhere. When you're just chilling or planning to go out with somewhat dirty hair, try to keep it out of your face! Your skin will love you the day afterward.
Every person's skin is different. It changes over time and reacts to things in different ways. It's okay to have dark spots, acne, whiteheads, and blackheads. Not everything and everyone is perfect and it's okay to want to get rid of them. These six tricks do not guarantee clear skin but it has tamed my acne well enough to vanish some blemishes over time.
