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The 5 Biggest
Acne Treatment
Mistakes
It's hard enough
finding an acne treatment that works, but sometimes our own
bad habits can make clear skin even more difficult to
attain. You might not even be aware of the things you're
doing to limit your results. So take a step back from the
stressful, emotional side of acne, and make sure you're
being smart in your regimen and putting those treatments
properly to use.
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1) Quitting Too Soon
- As an acne sufferer, it's easy to become a jaded, cynical
person, especially when one treatment after another lets you
down. But here's the deal: it's not always the
treatment's fault. Many people are simply so quick
to despair that they quit after the first week or two, never
giving that new product much of a chance.
Well guess what?
Chances are, the next product isn't going to work for you
either, or the one after that. When your body is used to
pumping out acne and has been for months or years, it's
unrealistic to expect all those biological processes to just
come to a dead stop as soon as you use a new treatment. Be
practical. The fact is, any treatment that gives
lasting results will likely take some time to kick in,
so show a little perseverance and stick with it faithfully
for at least a month before calling it quits (unless you
experience averse side effects, of course). |
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2) Improvising
- For almost every acne treatment, there's a little line on
the side of the packaging that reads "use only as
directed". Products give us directions intended to
maximize our chances of seeing results (and for our safety), and yet many times
they either get ignored or are only half-followed.
Many users will
look at a supplement that clearly recommends starting with 6
pills per day, and say to themselves: "I'm sure I can get by
with 4 pills", or they will take a cream with directions
than plainly state to use it 3 times per day and figure:
"For me, I probably only need to use this twice per day".
Then they wonder why they don't see results! Don't
improvise. Don't try and use a product your way.
Follow the directions precisely. They're there for a reason.
3) Overkill
- Have you ever used a product that was really irritating
your skin, but you kept using it anyways? Or how about
amassing an overloaded drawer full of acne products, using a
combination of them all because you're hesitant to quit
anything in fear of your acne getting worse?
Sometimes your
skin will adjust to minor irritation, but anything that
harshly agitates your skin and leaves you with rashes,
peeling or extreme dryness is not a healthy solution.
Moreover, provided you've given it a fair shot, it's
alright to quit products that aren't working. When
trying a new treatment, sometimes the best practice is to
get back to basics, avoiding all other products so as to
prevent any complications. And besides, your skin really
doesn't need a bazillion chemicals assaulting it at once.
4) Being
Inconsistent
- Similar to improvising, sometimes we do follow the
directions, but only when we want to. Many acne
sufferers will spend a ton of money on the latest
treatments, only to use them sporadically - skipping days or
taking breaks from their regimen. This lazy approach is a
good way to ensure that a product doesn't give you results.
The human body
likes to have a natural, predictable rhythm. For instance,
it's best for your metabolism if you eat and sleep at about
the same time every day. This same principle applies to
medicinal treatments, and is especially critical when one is
first starting on a new regimen. During that all-important
first month with a new acne treatment, do not skip!
Be consistent in your daily cleansing or supplement routine.
5) Ignoring the
Big Picture
- One of the biggest and most common mistakes among
acne sufferers is having a narrow perspective when it comes
to your skin. I'm talking about the people who take the time
to wash their face with a system of cleansers every night,
only to then go and lie down on a pillowcase they haven't
washed in 6 months.
There's more to
healthy skin than just using acne treatments, and sometimes
even a good treatment isn't enough if other bad habits are
interfering. So if your acne is really stubborn, start
looking a little deeper into your lifestyle. What is your
diet like? What surfaces are you exposing your skin to on a
daily basis? Are you drinking enough water? Don't just rely
on some product to give you perfect skin. Consider the big
picture.
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