Prevention of Acne Vulgaris

When teens experience acne vulgaris, many of them think that they have done something wrong, such as letting their skin get dirty or eating the wrong foods. The truth is that there is only so much that you can do with soap and diet. Teenagers get acne because their hormones create an increase in sebum, which is just a technical name for skin oil.

Acne Vulgaris is Not Caused by Dirt or Food

Acne vulgaris occurs when sebum and dead skin cells form a seal over your skin’s pores. This creates a breeding ground for bacteria that cause irritation. The result, of course, is acne. Some teens see blackheads and think that the problem comes from dirt. They’re not alone. A lot of adults are mistaken in this way, too. The black dot that you see in blackheads, however, is little more than dead skin and oil.

Even if dirt doesn’t cause acne, you still might think that you get them because your skin is “dirty” because of the oil and dead skin. Washing regularly will help keep your skin clear by eliminating some of the oils and dead cells. Washing, however, isn’t a solution to the problem for most teens. In fact, most teenagers have the opposite problem: they scrub too much. Washing your face too much can cause your pimples to get irritated, which makes them redder and more painful. Harsh astringents can produce similar unwanted results.

Chocolate and greasy foods also get blamed for increases in acne vulgaris. Some research has shown that people who eat diets high in carbohydrates and refined sugars often have skin that produces a lot of sebum. This could lead to a larger number of pimples. Most research, however, has shown that many of the demonized acne foods have little to no effect on our skin. Pizza might have a lot of grease on it, but that doesn’t mean it makes your face greasy. Chocolate is also not as bad as many have presumed. There doesn’t seem to be a scientific link between chocolate consumption and pimples.

What Can Prevent Acne Vulgaris?

Intense washing and strict diets won’t fend off acne vulgaris, but that doesn’t mean you are powerless. Most teenagers get acne from time to time. It’s something that they have to learn to handle with effective treatments. One of the best ways to prevent acne vulgaris and clear up the pimples that you already have is to use an over the counter treatment that contains benzoyl peroxide.

Benzoyl peroxide helps clear skin by breaking up the sebum and skin cell layers that block pores, eradicating the bacteria inside your pores, and creating an oxygen-rich environment that prevents further bacteria from creating problems.

Benzoyl peroxide treatments like Proactiv work for most people. Proactiv even makes a range of products to help teens choose options that are right for their specific needs. For instance, if you only get pimples occasionally, then you might want a spot treatment. If you have a more persistent problem with acne vulgaris, though, then you might want to choose a revitalizing system that will help keep your skin clean and clear.