Self-treatment concerns

If you already suffer from this medical condition, you should only consider self treatment as an addition (complementary care) to your doctor’s treatment plan. Since medications, food, supplements, herbs, vitamins and minerals all interact with one another, and in combination could make your condition worse, you must advise your doctor of any self treatment plans and follow his or her advice.

If you don’t have this medical condition, we think our advice can help prevent the problem. However, you still need to be aware that food, supplements, herbs, vitamins and minerals can act like medications in combination with one another and can change the effects of any medications. Therefore self treatments should only be used with the knowledge and approval of a qualified health care provider.

Self treatment recommendations

The following are self-care steps that many have found will lessen the effects of acne:

• Always follow good nutrition guidelines, eat well and drink plenty of water.
• Apply benzoyl peroxide to treat acne problem areas as needed. 10% benzoyl peroxide is too strong for many people. If this is true for you, try 5% or 2.5% benzoyl peroxide instead. This will help clear acne you currently have. If your skin is too sensitive to use benzoyl peroxide at all, use natural medications like tea tree oil, lemons, and tomatoes applied topically.
• No picking or popping. Avoid squeezing, scratching, picking or rubbing the pimples. Although it might be tempting to do this, it can lead to scarring and skin infections.
• Avoid touching your face with your hands or fingers. They may contain dirt and/or bacteria.
• Avoid greasy cosmetics or creams. Look for water-based or “non-comedogenic” formulas. Women should take any make-up off at night.
• Clean your skin gently with a mild, non-drying soap (such as Dove, Neutrogena, or Basics). Remove all dirt or make-up.
• If your skin becomes too dry after showering, use a little non-comedogenic moisturizer. If your skin is dry, it will tell your sebaceous glands to produce more sebum, which is bad.
• Wash once or twice a day, including after exercising. However, avoid excessive or repeated skin washing.
• Shampoo your hair daily, especially if it’s oily. Comb or pull your hair back to keep the hair out of your face. Avoid tight headbands.
• Switch to a soap or body wash that contains 2% salicylic acid. In the shower, wash with something slightly abrasive such as a loofah or pouf. The goal in this step is to prevent acne by washing away oil and dead skin cells so that pores don’t become clogged. Be careful not to irritate your skin.

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