Submit your skincare questions to Dr. Agnes, CEO of Herborium and natural medicine expert
In this journey we've set out on to help you get clear skin for the holidays, it's important to focus on the basics first, and to learn not just what to do, but also what not to do.
1. Do NOT squeeze, pop, rub (vigorous exfoliation) the pimples - and do not let anyone do it for you!
A very important role of skin is PROTECTION. When you break or injure this barrier, bacteria will hop in and create even more serious inflammation and infection. In addition, this is how acne scars and marks are made!
2. Do not follow diet fads.
Recently, having gluten in your diet became linked to having acne. If you don't have celiac disease or are sensitive to gluten (both can be diagnosed by a doctor), going gluten free without a carefully designed diet may deprive you of iron, fiber and several other important nutrients, which will do more harm to your skin. Protein shake diets may also exasperate skin problems. Balance and moderation are key, not extreme measures.
3. Don't use heavy alcohol and salicylic acid based products.
Drying your skin does not mean you are treating your acne. If you want to use a powerful quick-fix astringent, use witch hazel, and dab it on your pimples with a q-tip 3 times a day.
4. Tanning booths are bad for your skin.
Now that we're going in to wintertime, some think that the fake sunlight will help their pimples look better. I don't need to go in to the numerous bad effects of tanning booths (ie. skin cancer and premature aging), but do know that this will not help treat your acne, can actually make you look worse and can further injure and irritate your skin.
5. Do not put aspirin on your face.
When diluted in water, this turns in to acid. It may kill some bacteria temporarily, but it can dry, sensitize and irritate your skin.