ZITS.
No, not the delightfully relatable comic by Jerry Scott and Jim Borgman. I’m talking the nasty facial parasites that crowd into your T-zone like factories on the mountains of China. I’ve dealt with these little bastards for about a third of my life so far, and recently, the conflict’s gotten pretty …ugly. Here I’ll pass on some information that I’ve found helpful in my war on pimples. Some of it may seem obvious and some of it esoteric, but since acne is a complex phenomenon that’s as varied as the individuals it attacks, you might as well have a quick refresher.
Note: I’ve coded these tips with ‘0’ for something that’s free, ‘$’ for something that’s cheap, and ‘$$’ for something that’s expensive for your convenience.
DO:
Wash your face twice a day with a good cleanser ($-$$)
Seemingly an obvious tip, I know, but there’s a nuance there that you may have missed: a GOOD cleanser. A good cleanser can be cheap or expensive, but it has to work for you. That means, if you dropped a ridiculous amount of bank on Origins, or Murad, or even Proactiv and it doesn’t work or has lost its effectiveness, cut your losses and move on. Yeah, you want to be frugal and make the most of the money you’ve spent, but if you keep up with a cleanser that’s just fertilizing your face, you’re going to look as porous as your bank account. Don’t be fooled by advertising. Once a cleanser, any cleanser, has stopped working, it won’t start again.
Use heat therapy (0)
Don’t worry, it’s not as complex as it sounds. Before you use your cleanser, hold your face over the steam from some hot water to open up your pores. This gives your cleanser an opportunity to be more effective, because it can penetrate your skin even deeper. When you’re done washing, rinse your face with cool water for about 10 seconds. This does double duty in closing your pores and making sure any traces of cleanser get rinsed off. (Thanks to my girl X for the recommendation.)
Try a baking soda face treatment (0-$)
Some find this treatment harsh and drying, some swear by it. I’ve done it a few times and noticed favorable results. Take two tablespoons of baking soda and mix with one tablespoon of water. It’ll form a cementlike paste. Lightly dab it all over your face with a cotton ball, until your face is coated. RUB AS LITTLE AS POSSIBLE! Leave it on for 2-5 minutes, then rinse off thoroughly. You’ll probably notice your whiteheads will have been healed.
If this is too harsh for your face, don’t let that stop you from trying it on your back or chest. It may work better there.
Change and rotate your pillowcases every day (0)
Many people don’t realize this, but you spend 5-8 hours of your day with your face squashed up against your pillow. If you change your pillowcase every two months, that’s two month’s worth of face and scalp goo getting all over your fragile facial skin every night. Change your pillowcase every night. If that’s too much laundry for you, do it like this: Night one- fresh pillowcase. Night two- flip pillow over. Night three- turn case inside out. Night four- flip pillow over. And again from the top.
Drink tons of water (0)
8 glasses a day. More if you’re exercising. If you like a little variety, add a splash of lemon juice or some mint leaves. It’ll flush out your system and probably energize you. For some people, this is the make-or-break factor for clear skin.
Eat leaves and nuts. Mostly leaves. ($)
Leaves, aka, spinach, lettuce, arugula, bok choy, broccoli, kale, collard greens, etc. Nuts like almonds, cashews, walnuts, peanuts, etc. These foods are rich in vitamins that correspond with better overall health. They cleanse your system, and may address health imbalances that are manifesting in troubled skin. They’re also scrumptious.
Exercise (0)
Exercise increases circulation, which may help your acne. Also, you’ll be so psyched about your sexy new bod and hyped up on endorphins that your acne will probably bother you a lot less.
DON’T:
Wear foundation
Don’t listen to the bozos who’ll tell you that foundation is good for you skin. Those claims are just advertising generated by an industry that wants to sell you a product you would probably be better without. It doesn’t matter if it has salicylic acid or benzyl peroxide in it, or if it’s mineral powder- you’re still coating your face in crap that can only serve to suffocate it. Lose it. Your face may look worse for a little while, but in the long run it’ll be much better.
Touch or pick your face, or pop your zits
This one is really hard, but also important. Try to avoid learning you head on your hands, or picking at your skin. Picking or popping zits bursts them, and then spreads the bacteria in them all over the surrounding area. For every one zit you pick open, you’re planting three. You reap what you sow.
Let it ruin your life
After all this, I have to say- your friends, family, coworkers, and classmates don’t care about your zits. Really. They care about you. Most people barely notice acne on the face of someone they’re talking to, but they will notice a smile. Even though you may despair, don’t obsess over your acne. You’re still you.
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