Your skin is your largest organ, and it does a lot more than simply
prevent you from spilling out all over the place. Skin cells are
constantly replacing themselves, making a journey from the inner edge of
your epidermis (your skin's outermost layer) to the outside of your
skin. As a skin cell ages and approaches the skin's surface, the dying
cell flattens out. Once on the surface, it joins countless other dead
skin cells and forms a protective layer that helps protect you from
bacteria and viruses.
Inside your hair follicles, there are small glands producing oil called sebum.
This oil mixes with skin cells in the follicle and joins them on the
journey outward. But when there's too much sebum, too many dead skin
cells or something on the surface that blocks their exit from the
follicle, a blockage can occur. Bacteria joins the party, and the result
is acne vulgaris, the most common form of acne.
While acne usually affects teenagers and 20somethings the most, anyone of any age can get acne,
even babies. Our instinctual response -- picking at it, rubbing it and
canceling our social engagements -- doesn't help in the least, but
fortunately, there are some treatments available that can.
Take the acne quiz!
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Here's a simple tip: If you want the skin on your face to look lovely, stop touching it.
Sounds easy, right? Well, good luck with that. Most of us aren't aware of how often we touch our faces. We relieve itches, wipe our lips and scratch our ears. Once you pay attention to how often you paw at your face, you may feel downright feral.
Hands are the body's primary tool to interact directly with the world around us. There's plenty of blame to go around, but the world is pretty dirty. Sweat, grime and oil (not to mention bacteria and viruses) spread from person to person through use of frequently touched surfaces like door knobs, store counters and gas station pump handles.
Needlessly touching your face at some point in the day is inevitable, so try to wash your hands throughout the day as well.
Speaking of washing, let's move on to our next tip.
Sounds easy, right? Well, good luck with that. Most of us aren't aware of how often we touch our faces. We relieve itches, wipe our lips and scratch our ears. Once you pay attention to how often you paw at your face, you may feel downright feral.
Hands are the body's primary tool to interact directly with the world around us. There's plenty of blame to go around, but the world is pretty dirty. Sweat, grime and oil (not to mention bacteria and viruses) spread from person to person through use of frequently touched surfaces like door knobs, store counters and gas station pump handles.
Needlessly touching your face at some point in the day is inevitable, so try to wash your hands throughout the day as well.
Speaking of washing, let's move on to our next tip.
Easy does it -- a gentle cleanser, twice a day.
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Don't go overboard with the washing, however. Twice a day should do it -- once in the morning, and once at the end of your day. Use a clean washcloth, warm water and a mild soap or cleanser. This simple regimen will be effective at ridding your skin of dust, dirt, dead skin cells and bacteria. You don't want to dry out your face by stripping away all of its oil, and you can do more harm than good by agitating or weakening your skin by scrubbing too hard.
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