Acne (or Acne Vulgaris, if we’re being technical!) can come in a variety of forms and severities - none of which you have to suffer with forever.
Acne is often thought of as an issue only teenagers have to deal with, but a 2015 study of 92 private dermatology clinics found a 200% rise in the number of adults seeking specialist acne treatment. Whether you’re in your teens or dealing with adult acne, it can be tackled head-on – naturally - no matter what kinds of lesions you have.
Types of Acne
Blackheads
What: Although not technically considered ‘acne’, blackheads often come hand in hand with oily and acne prone skin.
Looks like: Recognizable as small, dark spots on the skin, often appearing most often on the chin and nose.
Whiteheads
What: Whiteheads are very common and the ones that are the hardest to resist picking! These spots can be gently squeezed (with clean hands), to release the build up of pus, but don’t overdo it!
Looks like: A white raised bump on the skin.
Papules
What: Papules are raised, inflamed bumps on the skin, but don’t contain any fluid inside – so don’t pick!
Looks like: A raised, inflamed bump.
Pustules
What: Pustules are like whiteheads as they contain fluid (as hinted at by the name). However, pustules have an inflamed bump beneath.
Looks like: An angry whitehead! A white/yellow top with the typical red, inflamed bump underneath.
Nodules
What: Unfortunately, nodules are painful, large, inflamed bumps on the skin and reside deep under the surface of the skin. Nodules can stay around for weeks or months at a time. They can also feel quite hard to touch.
Looks like: A large, inflamed red bump, sometimes developing a whitehead over a longer period of time.
Cysts
What: Cysts, like nodules, are large, painful inflamed red bumps on the skin and can often lead to scarring.
Looks like: Large, red bumps. Because of their greater surface area, they tend to lay flatter than a normal pimple. Cysts and nodules can be disguised quite easily with makeup.
Treat Acne Naturally
There are lots of theories as to whyacne occurs, including clogged hair follicles, over production of sebum, a sluggish lymphatic system, hormonal changes, dietary intolerances…the list goes on! If you want to get rid of acne, it’s important to determine the cause, but skincare can play a significant role in treatment and prevention so it’s essential to get it right.
Creating a skincare routine can help the appearance of your skin whatever your skin type, but especially so in the presence of acne. The right skincare can prevent certain types of acne from raising its unwelcome head.
Step 1: Cleanse
The primary role of a cleanser is to remove impurities, such as excess oil, bacteria, pollution and makeup. All of these pollutants can cause breakouts – even on those who don’t typically suffer from acne.
Our Lemon & Tea Tree Purifying Wash is formulated with this in mind. Not only will it detoxify your skin with organic lemon essential oil, it contains tea tree oil, which is reported to be effective in the treatment of acnetoo.
Cleansing in the morning and evening will keep your skin as fresh as possible and act as a preventative measure.
We wouldn’t recommend cleansing more than twice a day though. Skincare should aid the natural function of your skin. You’ve got to allow time for your skin to balance and regulate oil production and stripping your skin from all oil can end up causing more issues.
Step 2: Tone
Toners have a similar purpose to cleansers, but aren’t always a necessity. For acne prone skin, they can be a worth while addition to help lift away excess oil, but also to put goodness back into your skin.
As well as being a refreshing spritz, our Balancing Citrus Super Tonic uses citrus fruit oils to balance sebum production to intercept the development of spots!
Our toner also includes soothing and regenerating rose flower water to help your skin get back to looking the way you want it – calm and clear.
Use a toner in the morning and evening after cleansing. Our Citrus Tonic can also be used throughout the day, where you may feel your skin getting progressively oilier as the hours pass (and a quick spritz can alleviate this)!
“I was recently diagnosed with PCOS and since then my skin has become very shiny and I've been getting hormonal spots. I purchased a sample of the Balancing Citrus Super Tonic and the Lemon & Tea Tree Purifying Wash, and the results have been amazing. As soon as I put on the toner I feel my enlarged pores shrinking and my face cooling..,it balances the oils in my skin so well that I was then able to put on moisturiser for normal skin, (I had run out of my usual one for combination skin) with no excess shine or discomfort at all, I'm so happy. Wish I'd tried it years ago, thanks Odylique!” – Odylique customer
Step 3: Moisturize
When someone suffers from acne or oily skin, there is a tendency to put moisturizing at the bottom of the to-do list in an attempt to help skin feel less greasy. But moisturizer is not the enemy and the elimination of moisturizer could mean more oil!
The skin can produce excessive amounts of oil to compensate for being too dry. However, regularly using an effective, natural moisturizer can help to regulate oil production and leave your skin clearer and less oily in the long run.
Step 4: Spot Treatment
A spot treatment is a must whether you have full-blown acne or just the occasional pimple.
Before you go to bed and after you’ve finished moisturizing, apply a pea-sized amount of a targeted spot treatment to individual blemishes to reduce swelling, inflammation and redness.
Ideally, the treatment will contain multi-beneficial ingredients like organic tea tree oil. One study demonstrated tea tree oil’s superior acne-fighting properties against benzoyl peroxide with fewer side effects!
Once you have your routine together, measure the results over 3 months - although you’ll likely notice an improvement a lot soon than that. When clear skin begins to shine through, you may be interested in our other article on treating acne scars naturally – it can be done!
If you'd like any more advice on acne or scarring, please do email us at customercare@odylique.co.uk or add your question as a comment below – we're here to help!