How to Manage Adult Acne

Its timing is always perfect. It seems to know when you have an important meeting, date or special event when it rears its ugly head, diminishing our otherwise flawless appearance and confidence. Ok, maybe it’s not that serious, but acne is never a welcome visitor.

It’s more common than you might think – approximately 90 percent of Americans have acne at some point in their lifetime and nearly 25 percent of men have adult acne – it doesn’t make you feel any better about it. How can you nip it in the bud before it gets out of hand?

The story behind acne

We are constantly shedding old skin cells to make way for new cells. When that process slows, the dead cells gradually build up and sebum (oil) acts as a clogging agent, essentially binding the dead cells together within follicle. And thus a zit is born.

Here’s how you focus on preventing zits by reducing a number of potential causes :

• Stress– acne flare-ups can occur within 14 days to a month after the stress response.
• Nutrition– alcohol, caffeine and foods with iodides (salt, processed and fast foods, MSG, dairy in excess) can trigger existing acne.
• Skin irritants– detergents, fabric softners, shampoo and conditioner, and fragrances or dyes can stir up acne.
• Picking– improper squeezing and picking can cause the zit to return in full force, often accompanied by a few friends.
• Drying – products that dry out your skin can cause you to over-produce sebum (oil) – the clogging agent.

Try to eliminate as many stress factors as possible, adopt a healthy, clean diet and reduce the skin irritants in your life by changing your pillowcase often and rinsing laundry very well to get rid of excess soap. Also watch what you are putting on your face, it could be doing more harm than good.

Creating a Clean Environment

While the afore mentioned potential culprits of acne should be avoided, one of the best tricks to preventing acne is cleansing! This seemingly rudimentary step is not to be taken lightly. Most of us are not very successful when it comes to washing our faces, often leaving dead skin, oil and other debris behind in the cells. Obviously a recipe for disaster.

• Cleanse daily– Use a cleanser with salicylic acid, such as REDMethod's Ctrl. Halt.Del. Cleansing Pads, to keep acne-prone skin clear or Blue Agave, a deep pore cleanser with salicylic acid and tequila extracts. Blue Agave is massaged into the skin for several minutes, rinsed with warm water and white cloth to see the debris you remove. When the cloth wipes are clean you know you have done a great job. This is the most crucial step.
• Eliminate the build-up – Using alpha hydroxy acids (AHAs), retinol, and salicylic acid exfoliate the skin, preventing dead cells from building up. ReZone as a daily toner will keep skin in check and Radical Redux at night gives gentle supportive exfoliation.
• Manage the bacteria– Daily action, which may include REDMethods Ctrl.Halt.Del. Cleansing Pad, ReZone and Radical Redux, will support pure skin.
• Clean up the oil – But don’t go overboard with this. Remember some oil is good and excess dryness can actually increase oil production. Bentonite clay and kaolin (China) clay are part of the REDMethod's Cacti Mud Mask, an enriched purifying and detoxifying mask. Use ReZone twice daily.

Bottom line, be sure you are cleansing thoroughly and regularly – especially after workouts. The more preventative measures you take, the less likely you are to have a surprise visitor on your forehead.

For more see the Cacti Mud Mask, Rezone and Blue Agave.