B Beautiful

3. Acne

When the pores of your skin become blocked with bacteria, dead skin and oil you get ACNE!
85% of people at some point get acne, your not alone!

Types:
BLACKHEAD - it turns black when it gets to the surface of our skin.
WHITEHEADS - it stays under the skins surface.
PAPULE - pink bump, small and inflamed.
PUSTULE - this is known as a pimple, inflamed and red with puss on top. (Eww)
CYST/NODULE - inflamed painful pimples deep in the skin.

Causes:
HORMONES - hormones such as puberty or menstrual cycle may cause acne.
STRESS - research shows that increased stress levels cause the increase of acne. (Stop stressing!!).
INFECTION - bacteria are widely believed to cause acne.
GENES - due to genes some people are more likely to get acne than others.
DIET - people with a highly glycemic diet ( foods which affect blood sugar ) link to worsening acne.

Makeup may also be causing your breakouts try and avoid wearing as much makeup as possible. Make sure you clean your makeup brushes at-least once a week or two. Your phone is proven to be one of the things with the most bacteria. Think about, how many times do you up hold your phone and your hands aren't 100% clean, you also leave your phone on tables etc. Clean your phones with rubbing alcohol or anti bacterial wipes. Don't wet your phone too much you don't want to damage it. Your pillow case should be changed at least every two nights. You don't want to sleep on a pillow covered in germs and bacteria. If you are still breaking out you should make sure that the products which you think are helping you aren't the ones making you break out. For example your face wash may not be the right one for your skin type and it's making you break out. Try to determine what skin type you you are and what it needs.

What people do about it:
40% do nothing
30% will use medication
20% will see a dermatologist
10% see a physician
People who wait for acne to disappear on its own are at risk of permanent scaring.
Early treatment can prevent those marks.

4 simple steps to clear skin
1: Don't squeeze or pop your zits. You will risk spreading the infection and scarring
2: Eat healthy foods and drink a lot of water! Include at-least 5 portions of fruit to your daily diet. Cut out dairy foods and increase your veggies. If you don't like many fruits and vegetables try and include them in smoothies this way you won't notice they are there.
3: Exfoliate, steam and deep clean. Its important to clean your skin to clear your pores. If you have blackheads try steaming your face by just putting boiling water in a bowl and place your head over it with a towel to concentrate the steam on your face. Exfoliate at-least once a week. Try a deep cleansing mask once or twice a week depending on your skin type. Wash your face every morning and night, don't just remove your makeup with a wipe. These aren't the best to clean your skin and don't always remove all your makeup. Remove your makeup with a makeup remover wipe and then use a face wash or cleanser to fully clean your skin. Also, Never ever sleep with makeup on!.
4: Don't wait! Do something about your acne whether it's over the counter medication or home remedies. In severe cases, if you have a lot of acne and its very painful, see a dermatologist as you might need antibiotics or stronger medication.

I have had acne since I was around 11 years old. Throughout the years i have learnt how to control my acne, what triggers them etc. I put together these tips as they work for me in hope that they work for you. I find that washing my skin applying treatment and drinking plenty of water ohh and green tea, helps reduce my breakouts. Nothing stops your skin from breaking out but you can always try and reduce it and making the process of clearing your skin quicker and easier.

-you don't have to be perfect to be beautiful-

I hope this has been helpful to you. If you have any questions or need further advice feel free to comment or message me.
Thanx
xox