How to get rid of acne and pimples?

Most of us are familiar with acne because we struggled with it in our puberty, but even at a later age some men still struggle with acne vulgaris, the medical term for pimples. In this blog post I will tell you about the different causes for acne and what you can do to reduce acne.

What is acne?

Acne is basically an inflammation of the sebaceous gland follicle. When your skin produces too much sebum, it sometimes cannot find its way out. In that case your pore gets clogged and an inflammation can occur.

When you have small inflammations with a black tip on it, we call those black heads usually. And then there are pimples with a white head that are usually located in a deeper skin layer.

What causes acne?

There are many causes for acne and in many cases you can not really do much about it.

Heredity

First of all acne can be hereditary. If you have family members that struggle with acne, then there is a chance you will have to deal with it as well. The structure of your skin is hereditary, so it will cause similar issues.

Hormonal changes

Hormonal changes can play a critical factor as well in developing acne. That is why most guys (and girls) will get acne when they hit puberty. The sebaceous glands become bigger and the composition of sebum will change.

Hormonal changes can also be caused by medication, like steroids and mediation that elevates your testosterone level.

A lot of stress

Stress and touching your pimples will not necessarily cause acne, but they can make it worse. Stress can have an effect on your body and that is why acne can deteriorate.

The same is true for trying to pop pimples, because that way you spread the bacteria that cause acne.

Food

A final cause I would like to mention here is food. There are many myths about food and acne, but there are connections between acne and certain foods. Food that is rich in carbohydrates, like quick-sugar foods and certain dairy products can cause pimples and blackheads.

Some busted myths about acne and food

Because there are so many myths about acne, I will debunk a few of those below. In many cases there claims are simply untrue or more recent studies proved them wrong.

1. Poor hygiene.

Acne is not caused by poor hygiene. Too much cleansing can actually cause dehydration of the skin and that can lead to acne. Your skin will overcompensate the lack of natural oils and produce too much sebum. That excess sebum can cause blocked pores and inflammations.

2. Fatty foods, chocolate and fastfood

No correlation has been proven between these foods and acne.

3. Too many skincare products or make-up

Especially when you use oil free skincare products and cleanse your skin enough, these products will not contribute to your acne.

How can you treat acne?

There are a few things you can do yourself to treat acne. As you have read before, it helps to reduce stress, because that will only make your acne worse.

Besides that it is also important to cut out the fast carbohydrates and limit your dairy intake. So, make sure you have a healthy and balanced diet.

There are also many skincare products that help treat acne. Certain ingredients have proven to be effective in treating acne and reducing inflammations of the sebaceous glands. Use a face wash or facial cleanser with one or more of the ingredients below and use a oil free moisturizer afterwards.

Ingredients to fight acne

Benzoyl peroxide

This ingredient is probably the most effective ingredient to fight acne and you usually can buy it over the counter. This ingredient kills the bacteria that cause acne and it slows down the production of sebum to prevent clogging your pores.

Salicylic acid

This acid has anti-inflammatory properties and it works well to exfoliate your skin. That will help to prevent clogged pores.

A great product that contains salicylic acid is the Billy Jealousy Bar None Salicylic Acid Face Wash. This facial cleanser also contains vitamin A and menthol to calm your skin.

Clay:

A natural clay, like kaolin, can pull impurities from your skin. This ingredient is also used to absorb excessive oil in your hair and it does the same for your skin.

A product that contains kaolin and works well for men with oily skin is the Jack Black Deep Dive Glycolic Facial Cleanser. This face wash prevents clogged pores by removing dead skin cells.

Alpha hydroxy acid:

This acid will help to dissolve the top layer of your skin to remove dead skin cells. Dead skin cells can cause clogged pores and in turn these can cause pimples and acne.

The Baxter of California Clay Mask AHA is an exfoliant for men to help remove dead skin cells. This face mask also helps to remove blackheads.

Tea tree oil:

This ingredient has been mentioned a lot when it comes in fighting acne. This oil is an antioxidant that protects your skin against free radicals and has soothing properties. But in most cases skincare products do not contain enough tea tree oil to be effective. It does work well with other more effective ingredients.

Daily skincare routine for men with acne

When you have acne, it is more important then ever to have a great skincare routine. In our Moquer shop we have an amazing American brand that has many skincare products for men. The brand Brickell Men's Products contain multiple products to fight acne.

Step 1: cleansing

You start with the Brickell Men’s Acne Controlling Face Wash. Apply some on your wet hands and create lather. Massage gently on your damp face. Rinse afterwards with cold water.

Step 2: hydration

After cleansing your skin it is always important to provide proper hydration. Drying out your skin has the opposite effect when you are trying to get rid of acne.

So, apply the Brickell Men’s Acne Controlling Face Moisturizer Treatment on your dry skin after you used the face wash mentioned above. It is best to use this treatment in the morning and before bed.

Step 3: clearing acne scars

When you have small acne scars, you can use this product to reduce them and make them less visible.

The Brickell Men’s Clearing Scar Cream contains antioxidants and vitain C to nourish your skin. Apply this product once a day before bed for the best result.

This skincare routine will reduce acne over time. The best results will be visible after about 2 weeks. These products also require some them to do their magic.

Conclusion

Acne is a problem for many men and in many cases the causes are outside of our control. Trying to reduce stress and eat healthy are the best behavioral changes to reduce acne. There are many myths about acne, so do not go crazy.

Luckily there are many products nowadays that can help men get rid of acne. The most important thing is that these products contain either glycolic acid, salicylic acid or benzoyl peroxide, because these are most effective.

Use natural and premium products, because these contain less or no chemicals. That is already way better for your skin. In this blog post I mentioned a few great products and you can find them all in our Moquer shop!

And then this...

Do not forget to subscribe to our weekly update with new blog posts, discounts and more! On our Facebook and Instagram you can find many more tips and tricks for the best hairstyles, beards and skincare routines.