Monday, July 22, 2013

Skin Care - How to Cleanse

Your face is generally the first thing people see when they meet you. You don't want to make a bad impression with flaky skin or acne, but some people naturally have problems with their skin and complexion, and it can be rough trying to keep those skin problems under control.

The basic element in taking proper care of your skin is learning how to cleanse it. You will need to use products that won't exacerbate your particular issues, and sometimes you may have to try a few different things to find out what works best for you.

Caring for Oily Skin

Oily skin can be tricky to deal with. If you start to feel a little greasy, it is natural to feel like washing your face, but over-washing can end up drying out your skin too much, or making your skin produce even more oil.

People with oily skin are often more prone to acne and that produces a whole other issue to deal with. If your acne is beyond what you have been able to control with over the counter products, it may be best for you to consult a doctor or a skin specialist. There are some prescription medications that could provide more help for your situation.

In the meantime, if you have mild to moderate acne, or you just need to dry out your oily skin a bit, you will probably find that cleansing products containing salicylic acid can help. There are countless cleansers on the market that you can choose from, whether you prefer name brands like Clean & Clear and Clearasil, or you can often find less expensive versions in store brands.

The key with these products is not to overuse them. You should only use them to wash once or twice a day, and stop using if your skin becomes dry or flaky.

You can also find acne spot treatments that often contain salicylic acid to apply directly to pimples and help them dry out and disappear more quickly.

Caring for Dry Skin

Dry skin can also be difficult to deal with. Generally, you will need to find more gentle cleansers, and possibly follow them up with moisturizers. There are many dry skin helpers on the market, like Vanicream and Cetaphil.

These products most often don't work up a lather like other cleansing products and soaps. Even if you have acne issues, you should try to avoid most acne washes, as they will only dry your skin out further. You will not want to wash your face more than twice a day either.

There are also many facial moisturizers on the market that will help your problem areas without over-moisturizing and making your face feel greasy. Most body lotions or scented lotions should not necessarily be used on the face, as they may be irritating to the skin, or to the eyes and sinuses.

Caring for Combination Skin

Many people are unlucky enough to end up with combination skin. Parts of the face may be oily, while others are dry. This makes it very difficult to find the proper items to buy to keep your skin looking its best.

You will most likely want to stick with lighter cleansing products that will not over-dry the dry areas of your face. You may need to occasionally use a cleanser containing salicylic acid if you have issues with oiliness and acne, but you will probably need to follow up with a very light moisturizer.

Combination skin sufferers can find plenty of oil-free moisturizers that will usually do the trick of moisturizing the areas of your skin that need it, without making the oily areas even worse. You can also use spot treatment of acne areas, so that you don't end up with flakiness in your problem dry areas.

Conclusion

Sometimes it can take a while to get your perfect skin cleansing regimen down, but the fact is, there are so many cleansing and moisturizing products on the market, that you should eventually be able to figure out what works best for you. If you try a new product and find that your skin is irritated in any way, you should stop use immediately.

Whenever you have extreme problems, you should consult a physician or dermatologist. Often skin problems can be a sign of a deeper health issue or allergy that you may need to be treated for. Don't give up on your skin, because it is just as important to keep it healthy as it is the rest of your body. And remember that drinking lots of water can cure all kinds of skin ailments, so always try to stay hydrated.

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