Dem Pimples Doe
Stephanie Silva-Gomez
“I used to use makeup to hide who I was”, stated model Cassandra Bankson. “I was viciously teased growing up when my acne got worse. I was called freak of nature, exorcist, and there was a point where my grandfather was actually on his death bed and I was told that it was a good thing that he was dying because he didn’t have to see my face again”, she adds.
So what causes acne? I remember being told while I was in middle school that candy such as chocolate, peanut M&M’s, and skittles were the pain cause of my horrible acne. And of course, how could I forget the most common myth, dirt. “Contrary to what some people think, these factors have little effect on acne: greasy foods and chocolate have proved to have little to no effect on the development or course of acne”, Mayo Clinic staff member writes then adding, “Ance isn’t cause by dirt. In fact, scrubbing the skin too hard or cleansing with harsh soaps or chemicals irritates the skin and can make acne worse. Simple cleansing of the skin to remove excess oil and dead skin cells is all that’s required.” More or less it is dietary factors and certain medications that can trigger or aggravate acne. “Dairy products and carbohydrate-rich foods - such as bread, bagels, and chips may trigger acne. Drugs containing corticosteroids, androgens, or lithium are also known to cause acne”, says Mayo Clinic staff.
Although it may seem like your skin is hard to manage, when you have a huge pimple on your face and you’re trying to pull “game” on asking your crush to prom, there are ways to prevent and treat common skin problems. Here are a few tips from “Kids Health” you may want to keep in mind:
“Wash your face no more than twice a day with mild soap made for people with acne. Do not scrub.”
“Do not pop pimples. While it is tempting, popping them can cause the infected material to push further into the skin, leading to more swelling, redness, and even scarring” - and trust me, that’s the last thing you want.
“Try to avoid touching your face with your fingers or leaning your face into objects that collect oil and skin residue like your phone. Touching your face can cause bacteria to spread. If applying makeup by hand, be sure to wash your hands before applying anything to your face.”
“Try to avoid tanning. As it may seem that your tan masks your acne, please note that it is only temporary. A tan may worsen your acne, not improve it.”
If worse comes to shove, natural remedies listed below also help.
Olive oil for cleanser - “Massage a small amount into your skin and let it sit for 3 minutes. Apply a steamy towel over your face. After it cools, use it to wipe away the remaining oil.
Oatmeal to reduce redness - “Vitamin- rich oatmeal can reduce redness and inflammation. Mix 1 cup of oatmeal in 1 cup of boiling water and allow it to cool. Apply it to your face and rinse after 3 minutes.
Honey for spot remover - “Honey is naturally antibacterial. Dab a small amount on a zit and cover with a bandaid overnight. Most zits will be significantly smaller by the next morning.”