Having acne prone skin can be a pain and result in the loss of confidence in your appearance. Our faces are usually the first thing that other people see and having blemish and acne prone skin may defeat your purposes of showing your best self to others. You may feel self-conscious and others may judge you unfairly because of the acne that you struggle with. While on the search for acne treatments that will effectively eliminate your acne, here is some TLC to adopt for your acne prone skin to help you on your way to clear skin.

The first step is to treat your acne prone skin with care and be cautious when dealing with acne. Do not use overly aggressive skin treatments that may cause your skin to break out even more or dry your skin. Although it may be hard to do, leave your pimples alone. Use a blackhead extraction tool which is gentle on the skin when extracting blackheads. Do not use your fingers to squeeze the blackhead free. This will only aggravate the skin and lead to greater scarring. Gradually eliminate your acne problems by starting with the basics discussed below.

1. Wash your face gently. Use gentle complexion soaps which may be geared towards acne prone skin. Avoid harsh soaps that strip the skin of natural oils which results in an over stimulation of the oil glands and excessive oil production that will clog pores. In addition, these soaps will leave a layer of scum on your face which will further increase pimples, blackheads and whiteheads. You do not need to purchase expensive cleansers since the cleanser will only be on your face for a few seconds before it is washed off.

Purchase a cleanser that effectively and gently removes dirt and grime as well as excess oil without overly drying the skin. Only use a toner once or twice a week if you battle excessive oiliness. For other skin types, a toner or skin astringent is an unnecessary step after cleansing and you do not need to waste money on these.

Use a complexion bar or cleanser that contains salicylic acid or benzoyl peroxide which have been determined to help with acne prone skin. For a natural alternative to the harsh salicylic acid and benzoyl peroxide which are drying, use a cleanser or bar that contains tea tree oil which has been found to contain acne clearing and anti-inflammatory properties while being gentle on the skin. For natural treatment for acne, opt for products containing tea tree oil.

To exfoliate skin, use a gentle scrub and avoid harsh scrubs that will only aggravate your acne. Use this scrub twice or three ties a week. Use warm water (not hot) when cleaning your face to open up your pores and finish with lukewarm water (not cold) to close the pores.

2. Men with acne prone skin should shave gently and carefully to avoid aggravating acne prone skin. Use a cream or gentle soap to soften the hair before shaving. Invest in a good shaving tool that will treat your skin gently.

3. Use cosmetics sparingly and carefully. Do not pile on cosmetics as this will only clog your pores and lead to more breakouts and blackheads. Use a moisturizer sparingly to moisturize your skin. Use one that is oil free and noncomedogenic and preferably purchase one that is targeted for acne prone skin. If you have to use makeup, use it sparingly and look for natural or organic products that will not clog your pores.

Invest in your skin and treat it with care and you will be rewarded for all your efforts with clear skin that is also healthy. Having healthy skin does not mean perfect skin but you will ensure that you have your acne prone skin under control.