If you’ve got acne, you know it’s a tough job keeping the affected skin areas clean and oil-free to prevent more breakouts from happening. And if you’ve been to the supermarket or beauty shop, you also know it’s almost as challenging a task selecting the perfect acne cleanser for you. Here are a few steps you may take to help you with that:

First, be on the lookout for terms such as “non-comedogenic,” “non-irritating,” “non-overdrying,” and “oil-free.” Hopefully these words will greatly narrow down your selection. Read the label carefully. Just because it says it removes dirt and oil doesn’t mean it will do the job for you, especially because acne is different from your regular zit, blackhead, and whitehead.

Next, choose the form you like best. You might be surprised, but this bit is really up to you: Bar acne cleanser? Liquid? Foaming? Non-  foaming? Just as the color or the scent of the product will not matter, these forms are dependent on what you’re comfortable with, although consider that non-foaming cleansers and lotions cause less dryness. If acne treatments have already made your skin dry, these are advisable.

The third step would be best taken after consultation with your physician or dermatologist: deciding whether your cleanser should be medicated or non-medicated. Of course, to be on the safe side, non-medicated is ideal. But if you’d like to reduce breakouts and pore blockages, you can choose from benzoyl-peroxide-, sulfur-, and salicylic-acid-combined cleansers. If you’re not using acne treatment products, a medicated cleanser will be a good choice, although it can cause skin dryness. Doctor consultation is imperative if you plan on using one while already using other treatment products.

The fourth step is to pick an acne cleanser specifically made for your face, not your body. Skin is oilier, thinner, and more delicate on your face, neck area, down to the chest and back, so mere body soap wouldn’t be as effective as face soap. You will save yourself from a lot of episodes of skin irritation in the future if you follow this advice. 

Choosing among skin cleansers can be difficult, but if you’ve done your homework and you know what you’re looking for in particular, it should be easy as pie. Prioritize effectiveness of the product over price, although consider too that expensiveness does not necessarily mean optimal results. Happy shopping, and a clearer, cleaner skin to you!

Acne can be caused by a variety of reasons such as hormonal imbalance, improper diet, bacterial infection, clogged pores or genetics. But for arm acne, or keratosis pilaris, the acne problem is caused by the clogging of pores. As we all know, our skin sheds dead skin cells everyday and some types of clothing may prevent the skin from naturally shedding off the dead skin cells. When a person prefers wearing tight fit clothing, sebum and dead skin cells may continually pile up and block the pores and lead to arm acne.

Expert dermatologists would advise wearing loose clothing for people who have arm acne. Simple treatments for this dilemma include keeping the arms free from sweat and dirt. At all costs, keep your pores from getting more blockages which will lead to more blemishes on your arms. If you’re a girl and you still want to wear halter tops and sleeveless shirts or if you’re a man who would want to flaunt those biceps while at the gym, then treat your arm acne fast before it worsens.

You can control arm acne and make it go away by cleaning the area regularly and applying anti-acne creams over the area. It is best to start with OTC anti-acne creams. There are lotions and solutions that contain salicylic acid especially formulated for arm acne. If yours is a severe case, ask a dermatologist if he or she can provide you with a prescription for oral antibiotics. You can also ask if they can rather give you a topical antibiotic. In the case of pregnant women, the effects of anti-acne antibiotics are not yet determined so if you’re pregnant, please do not intake anything without consulting your doctor first.

Arm acne takes much longer to treat than regular facial acne. And once they go away, it is easier to just prevent it from occurring again. During summer time, clothes made from natural and light materials such as cotton are preferable. Use these types of clothing in order to let the perspiration and dead skin cells be excreted without blocking the pores.

With this knowledge about treating and preventing arm acne from occurring, you can now undo the things you perennially commit which leads to blemishes on your arms. The simple act of wearing breathable clothes will go a long way in preventing unnecessary expenditures. Follow these tips religiously and start saying goodbye to the perennial problem of arm acne.