Oily skin, spots and acne are very common complaints, and not just amongst teenagers. Unlike many people believe, oily skin and acne can last well into your twenties, thirties, forties or even fifties. It is also possible to start getting spots at any age as factors such as stress, pregnancy and diet all have an impact on your skin.
Spots can have an effect on your self-esteem but unfortunately, there is no overnight solution on how to get rid of spots, especially if you suffer from particularly bad acne or very oily skin. However, by understanding what causes spots you can make the changes needed in your diet, lifestyle and skincare routine, eventually leading to beautiful, perfectly clear skin.
Your skin naturally produces its own moisturizer, known as sebum. People who do not have enough sebum suffer from very dry skin, whilst people with too much get overly oily skin. This excess of sebum blocks the tiny pores in your skin, trapping dirt and impurities in there which cause infections and become spots. So, the key to perfect skin is to achieve the right balance between too much sebum and not enough.
Here are my top five tips on how to get rid of spots…
1. Eat Healthily
Your skin is nourished and fed from the inside as well as the outside, so if you are desperate to get rid of your acne or oily skin, do not underestimate the importance of a healthy diet. Avoid too much junk food and drink plenty of water to keep your skin quenched – not drinking enough will lead to drier skin, and your body will produce excess sebum to compensate.
2. Change Your Pillow Regularly
It may not be an obvious one, but if you tend to wash your bedding once a month rather than once a week, you are laying your face down every night on a pillow that is covered with dirt and bacteria. This leads to infections and so to spots. Your skin spends many hours a night in contact with your bedding so ensure that it is clean and fresh for perfectly clear skin.
3. Moisturise
It is a common mistake to believe that if you have oily skin, you do not need to moisturise. Just as with not drinking water, not giving your skin the moisture it needs from the outside will make your body produce excess sebum to compensate and can leave your skin oilier than if you had moisturised in the first place. However, avoid moisturisers intended for dry skin as they will be too rich and creamy for your needs – look for a specially designed moisturiser for oily skin that is lighter than others.
4. Exfoliate
Exfoliation is the process of removing dead skin cells from the surface of your skin. You might think that only people with dry skin need to exfoliate but in fact, people with oily skin and spots need to do it more often than anyone else! By exfoliating, you are gently rubbing away the dead skin cells that would otherwise get stuck in your skin’s sebum and lead to spots. However, exfoliating daily can aggravate the skin so aim to do it around twice a week for best results.
5. Avoid Heavy Make Up
When you are suffering from acne it is very tempting to try to cover the problem up with a thick layer of concealer or foundation. However this will only block your pores even more, and lead to further break-outs. Avoid makeup when not needed, such as if you are home alone, and for times you do want to wear it make sure that the product you buy says ‘non comedogenic’ on the label which means it does not block pores.
Michelle Star writes for Thea Skincare, a UK based online retailer offering 100% natural skincare products enriched with organic ingredients. If you are wondering
how to get rid of spots without using chemical based products, try one of the specially designed
cleansers for oily skin which both reduces excess oil and quenches thirty skin for a perfectly balanced, clear complexion.
