6 Tips To Help Clear Adult Acne From An Acne Survivor

clearupacne

If you're struggling with adult acne you're not alone (the struggle is real)! There's nothing more depressing than waking up and with blotchy, inflamed skin covered in zits.

I remember that gut wrenching feeling every time I looked in the mirror because I didn't feel like me. I was staring at a raging hormonal monster in their late twenties. I was fighting what seemed like a never ending battle, but instead of accepting defeat I was determined to have clear skin before my 29th birthday. Scroll down to learn about what helped me clear up my acne.

DRINK LOTs Of WATER

1. If you haven't heard this yet, LISTEN UP! I HATE drinking water but this step is crucial in maintaining glowing skin and a healthy body (and avoid those kidney stones)! This adorable water bottle from Limboea on Etsy will help you stick to your goal of clearer skin with it's easy to follow water tracker on the side.

Change your pillow case often

2. You mash your face in your pillow every night so make sure it's clean! Change your pillow case at least every other night before bed to avoid bacteria growth and allergens. Find more tips here on what you can do to keep your bedding clean. If that still doesn't work you can try an anti-acne pillow like this one.

Wash towels regularly

3. Anything that makes contact with your skin on the regular should be cleaned regularly. Aim for at least once a week with a mild detergent. If you've had your towels for awhile then it may be time to retire them to the rag pile. Snag these cute towels from Nordstrom.

use a gentle cleanser to remove makeup

4. Do not sleep in your make-up! I repeat, do not sleep in your make-up, please! Wash it off before bed with a gentle cleanser and warm water followed by a cold water rinse. We love the gentle cleansing action of Cetaphil because it's non-drying and great for all skin types.

Big zit got you down? Try a nightly drying lotion spot treatment, but be careful! If you already have dry skin, this can be a little irritating so use sparingly. Try the Mario Badescu drying lotion and remember, a little dab goes a long way!

Moisturize in the morning

5. After your morning shower, it's time to moisturize! Cetaphil moisturizing cream is safe to use on your body and FACE. That's right! It doesn't cause breakouts (my dermatologist swears by it!) so pick up a tub of this ASAP. It soothed my red flaky face fast and is now my go-to full body moisturizer. Period.

Try Medicated make-up

6. I'll be the first to tell you I am not a make-up person. I've always tried to wear as little as possible on my face, but when I started to break out my make-up usage quickly sky rocketed. I bought everything and anything to cover my zits to no avail. I started using the Blemish Remedy concealer from Bare Minerals and to my surprise it helped minimize the redness of my skin. Plus, this stuff is really easy to use. Amateur approved!

My acne routine

clear up your acne

By changing those few things my skin finally started to calm down on its own, but not at the rate I wanted. This is when my wonderful husband decided to step in and made an appointment for me to visit the dermatologist. I have to admit, I was nervous about taking medication for my acne. I mean we've all heard the Accutane horror and success stories. Which one would I be?

To my surprise though, my dermatologist listened to my needs and instead of Accutane she prescribed me a three-month supply of Minocycline. Taken 2x a day it helped fight the bacteria that was causing my inflamed breakouts. Along with my oral medication, she also gave me a nightly topical treatment called Clindamycin Phosphate Topical lotion. Armed with my new meds, I set an alarm on my phone and took the Minocycline religiously, twice a day. At night, I would rinse off my make-up and apply the topical lotion before bed.

Another recommendation she had was to use a benzoyl peroxide cleanser in the shower every morning. I chose Neutrogena Rapid Clear for stubborn acne. After 3 months of treatment I am happy to say I finally tamed the raging hormonal monster within and now have CLEAR skin. I wish I could say this will work for everyone, but I promise you it's worth the try!