Keep acne at bay

Shikhee Agrawal, Head Training, The Body Shop, and Kiran Lohia, Dermatologist at Lumiere Dermatology, share some tips on how to fight acne.

Many times acne is caused by internal imbalances, especially with your hormones. Blood tests and ultrasounds can help rule out anything that is causing acne from within. Problems within your gut can also cause acne through a pathway called the "gut-skin axis". 

To stop this, eat a balanced diet with plenty of fruits, vegetables, pre and pro-biotics. Also, avoid dairy and high glycemic foods as they worsen or create hormonal imbalances.

Do not be too harsh with your skin. Many think that acne is simply an overproduction of oil and they can scrub it dry with harsh soaps and exfoliators. The truth is that overly-dry skin can make acne even worse. 

Acne is an inflammatory process that causes a lot of redness and swelling; the harder you scrub, the more likely you will damage your skin leading to marks and worsening irritation. Also, do not pick at your pimples, this will only result in marks.

Stay away from home remedies. Acne takes a long time to treat, 3-6 months to be exact. It can also get worse before it gets better because acne from underneath the skin rises to the surface as part of the healing process. 

People get impatient and try home remedies like lemon, toothpaste, or garlic on zits. These things can actually burn your skin! Warm and cold compresses are okay. Otherwise you should look into a safe, sulfur-containing spot treatment. 

Opt in for the perfect cleanser. It is important to exfoliate your skin not excessively but 2-3 times a day. If the skin has enough moisture it doesn't secrete its own oil and hence no breakouts.

Moisturise your skin frequently. Your skin needs to be moisturised regularly to keep the outer layer of the skin properly hydrated and leave it feeling soft and supple. If it is raining, try using non-water based moisturiser so if you get wet, it won't completely wash off. 

To keep bacteria at bay, wash your hands while doing an application on face. Touching your face especially the infected area will spread bacteria that can cause more acne.

Tea tree oil is a must have essential oil with astringent properties which can fight this odd season. It is both anti bacterial and anti-fungal and is perfect for oily skin.