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The path to clear, smooth, healthy glowing skin begins and ends with following a few, simple dos and don’ts. For the best skin results, follow these steps from your Southlake, TX, dermatologist.
Do Remove Makeup Daily
Yes—It’s been a long day, and the last thing on your mind is cleaning your face. However, the worst thing you can do to your skin is sleep with a thick layer of concealer, foundation, eye shadow, eyeliner, mascara, blush, lip liner, and lipstick still coating your face.
Your makeup picks up contaminants, such as the dirt and oil that your face encounters throughout your day. As these build up, they clog your skin’s pores, leading to acne outbreaks and blackheads. If removing your makeup nightly and still developing acne, contact your dermatologist for an exam.
Do Exfoliate Regularly
Removing makeup and washing daily isn’t enough to keep your skin’s pores from clogging up with oil and dead skin cells. Weekly or twice-weekly physical or chemical exfoliation gives your face an extra cleansing and helps reduce acne and blackheads. It also improves your skin’s softness and glows. If you have sensitive skin or find it red and puffy following twice-weekly exfoliating, consider only doing it once per week and for further concerns, contact your Southlake, TX, dermatologist.
Do Wash Twice Daily
Get up in the morning and lightly wash away any oil or dirt accumulating from the night before. There’s no need to scrub or irritate your skin, use warm water and a cleanser, especially if you exfoliated the night before. At night, use a makeup remover and cream cleanser to clean away your long day, unclog pores, and prevent blackhead and acne outbreaks. Your dermatologist may be able to recommend the right face and body wash for your skin type.
Do Wear Sunscreen
The sun is one of the biggest influences on our skin. While the warmth can feel great on the surface, too much can damage it and lead to greater consequences from exposure—skin cancer. The ultraviolet rays can penetrate cloud cover and even car, home, and office building windows. To prevent sun damage, always wear sunscreen with an SPF of 15 or higher and reapply it every two to four hours when your outside.
Additionally, consider wearing a hat to protect your scalp from sunburns. For concerns about sun exposure and burns, including suspected sun allergies, contact your Southlake, TX, dermatologist, and schedule the next available exam.
Don’t Skip the Moisturizers
After a long day in the sun, exfoliating, or removing makeup at the end of the day, massage your face and body with a thick, creamy moisturizer to rehydrate your skin. Exposure to daily elements, certain activities such as swimming, and aging zap the moisture skin. A quality moisturizer, especially one with anti-aging and wrinkle care components, can help rejuvenate it. If you have questions or concerns about dry, red, and itchy skin, call your dermatology specialist today to arrange an appointment.
Don’t Pick or Pop Zits
Yes, Dr. Pimple Popper does this for a living. However, only a dermatologist has the training and knowledge to pop zits without leading to an even worse outbreak or causing scarring. Popping pimples will leave a scab and if you keep picking at that scab, it will leave behind scars. Additionally, if you do this with papules or pustules without whiteheads, it can make the skin in the area swell, turn red, and even hurt. You can also develop severe skin conditions, such as acne cysts.
If you’re lucky enough to avoid more serious skin lesions, popping zits can cause the area of your skin to have a darker pigment, requiring additional treatment or makeup to cover different skin tones. Instead, use over-the-counter acne treatments, including products that spot treat pimples. For problems with scarring or if you think you’ve developed acne cysts, contact your dermatology specialist for an immediate appointment.
Don’t Forget to Wash Your Pillowcases
You may not think about it, but changing your sheets and pillowcases are essential to keep your skin clean, clear, and acne-free. For the best results, change the pillow covering every three to four days. Any leftover dirt and oil still on your face when you go to bed ends up on your pillowcase. For people with acne-prone skin, consider changing it daily.
The material and the detergent you use to wash it also count. Look for cotton pillowcases instead of synthetic materials because it’s more breathable and better for reducing acne outbreaks. If you have sensitive skin, stick to fragrance-free laundry detergent and line-dry them to avoid irritating your face. You can get more help with skin sensitivity issues from your local, dermatologist.
Don’t Skip Yearly Dermatology Exams
Your annual doctor’s reviews should extend to your dermatologist as well as your primary care provider. At the appointment, they will examine your skin from the scalp to the tips of your fingers and toes, looking for unusual spots and changes in moles and other places on your body. In addition to the head-to-toe review, they may use a dermatoscope to get a closer examination of moles and other areas of your skin.
Patients with a history of cancer or a family history of melanoma might undergo more extensive screenings of the lymphatic regions. Although some checks may seem intrusive, it’s important to understand that skin cancer can develop in areas not exposed to the sun regularly, such as the soles of the feet and in inside regions of the arms and legs.
Use these steps daily to reduce acne breakouts, dry, painful skin, and keep it soft and glowing. If you have further concerns about your skincare routine or new acne or skin conditions that form or won’t go away, contact Compassion Dermatology, your Southlake, TX dermatologist, for the next available appointment.
