After an individual receives acne treatment, one must follow a set of simple and easy practices in order to maintain results for extended periods of time. A healthy diet, for example, allows patients to reduce the amount of oils that often clog up pores, an act that most always causes acne on and off of the face. Other practical steps do not affect an individual's lifestyle as much as dietary changes do, and therefore become much easier to follow for certain acne treatment patients.
Immediately after the Treatment
Once an acne treatment concludes, the patient will generally go through a quick period of recovery. For example, after some chemical peels, patients might take days or weeks to fully allow their skin to heal. Without letting the treated area heal properly, extended side effects or complications will occur, though not always.
Maintenance Tips
Patients who plan on keeping acne off of their face or any other area of the body must follow simple practices that minimize the amount of oils and grease that clog up pores on the skin. When the small holes on a person's skin get clogged with oil, other objects get stuck in the tiny openings as well. Dirt and small particles of airborne debris that get stuck in pores cause bacterial infections, which act as the start of most acne conditions.
In order to keep pores clean, patients will find that washing multiple times daily helps to greatly reduce the possibility of developing acne. If the acne problem generally occurs on the face, patients simply need a soft wash cloth, a gentle non-drying, fragrance free moisturizer and water. Patients will cause more harm than help if the face is scrubbed in a harsh manner. Washing more than three times a day also causes acne to develop in some cases.
For keeping acne of the face at bay, patients will notice desirable effects by bathing or showering at least twice a day. Hot and warm water help open pores, allowing them to be cleaned thoroughly with the use of some soaps and body wash solutions. A patient with serious acne conditions must consult with a dermatologist in order to determine if a certain soap, body wash or moisturizer will affect the acne condition to any degree.
A New Lifestyle
Aside from simple cleansing techniques, patients who strongly desire to keep acne off of their bodies choose to change their lifestyle to some degree. Although complete lifestyle changes seem more difficult than simple maintenance tips, the changes will eventually become routine activities.
Many patients adjust dietary habits in order to keep their bodies from producing too much oil, which tends to clog pores. Patients accomplish this lifestyle change by eating more fat-free foods and avoiding products with high saturated fat content.
Other lifestyle changes include exercise, hygiene and sleep practices. A person who exercises frequently will often lose toxins and oils through sweat. This allows the pores to remain clear. Patients who shower before and after sleeping often shed most of the oils on the skin's surface, allowing the pores to breathe before and after sleep, and throughout the day.
