With our humid climate in Singapore, acne breakouts are common especially amongst youths. Many people are no stranger to that breakout of tiny, sometimes painful, bumps on their face – ruining their appearance for an important event. Unfortunately, you can’t make acne magically go away, but you can take some extra steps to prevent a breakout from happening like an acne facial in Singapore.
What is Acne?
People may tend to associate acne with pimples, but pimples are really just a subset of the whole category of acne. Each day, the pores on our skin produce oil. When it is left alone, the oil can form together with the dirt and dead skin cells on our face. As a result, this becomes the perfect environment for bacteria to thrive. Some acne bumps contain pus, while others are red and inflamed. Acne is most commonly found on the face, but it can also occur anywhere else on the body where oil and dirt have the opportunity to build up.
Common Acne Terminology
Whiteheads occur when the pores on the skin get clogged with oil, dirt and dead skin. They appear as white, slightly raised spots on the surface of the skin.
When a hair follicle gets clogged with oil and dirt, the result is a blackhead – a small black spot on the skin. The dark colour is due to the dirt being oxidised.
Whiteheads and blackheads that are infected with bacteria result in pimples. Pimples may be reddish in appearance with a whitish, raised lump in the centre due to inflammation of the skin. They can be painful or itchy.
Pustules are larger pimples that are filled with pus. They occur when smaller pimples burst, causing white blood cells to cover up the open gap in the skin.
A more serious form of acne, cystic acne is a breakout that takes place much deeper in the skin when bacteria get trapped there. It is often painful from the inflammation.
How to Prevent an Acne Breakout
As we have seen, oil, dirt and dead skin are the main culprits of acne when they accumulate on the skin and clog up the pores. This naturally occurs more frequently when the body produces more oil than usual, which is often a result of hormonal fluctuations. For instance, acne is a common side effect of puberty, when teenagers go through large hormonal changes. Environmental and external factors can also play a part in the amount of oil produced by the skin, such as stress, diet and genetics.
If you find yourself beginning to get acne, try to identify the cause of it. Perhaps you may be dealing with too much stress at work, or you may recently have been eating oilier foods than normal. Removing the root cause can help your skin to produce less oil. To prevent your acne from getting worse, it is important to pay special attention to skincare and facial during this time. This includes washing your face regularly to clean the oil and dirt off, and ensuring that you are in a cool environment to minimise perspiration or get an acne facial in Singapore.
How to Minimise Acne Scars
Even after an acne breakout is long gone, it can sometimes leave angry scars behind, showcasing your acne episode. These scars can take a long time to heal completely just like any other scar. Often, acne tends to leave scars behind if it is coerced to break or burst instead of falling off naturally. It may be tempting to pop or pick at that pimple, but to avoid getting near-permanent acne scars, do refrain from doing so. Acne will go off by itself eventually without leaving these scars behind, as long as you take proper care of your skin such as doing the best facial in Singapore.
Following a Skin Care Routine
Whether you are dealing with acne or have yet to encounter such an ordeal, it is a great idea to follow a regular skin care routine. There are numerous skin care routines out there that you can try out, but in general, you can’t go wrong with these basic steps for the best facial in Singapore.
Ensure your face is clean of oil and dirt as often as possible. The skin on the face is more delicate than other areas of the body, so make sure you use a mild facial cleanser. Wash your face gently – you can always use your hands, although we recommend investing in a face cloth or face brush since they are better able to clean the pores. However, try not to aggravate the acne spots directly, or they may become more inflamed. Once you are done washing your face, it is good practice to apply a toner. Toners will help to get rid of any remaining oil, dirt or makeup, and they can also close the pores. Finally, finish off with a suitable moisturiser depending on your skin type.