5 Ways To Take Care Of Your Skin After Acne Treatment

In the weeks after you’ve undergone an acne treatment, you’ll notice that your skin has become more radiant than ever. Pimples and blemishes will reduce and you’ll be positively glowing. However, that doesn’t mean you can sit back and relax. Acne treatments will reduce the amount of pimples and blemishes you get in the future (in some cases they prevent them completely, depending on your skin) but, you’ll still need to take care of your skin on a regular basis. Here are five ways to keep up that post-acne treatment glow.

1. Up your Antioxidants Skin care products that are laden with antioxidants like vitamin C can help restore your skin, making it feel smoother and more balanced. Antioxidants also protect it from environmental factors like dust, grease and anything else that’s floating around that can harm your skin.
2. Exfoliate with BHA BHA stands for beta hydroxy acid and when it’s found in skin care products it gently desquamates the skin’s surface. When you exfoliate with BHA it not only dissolves the clogged pores that lead to breakouts, but it allows for the new skin that’s been hiding to finally show itself. Plus, BHA calms the skin and minimizes that dreaded redness associated with blemishes and acne scars.
3. Avoid the Sun Immediately following your acne treatment, you’ll need to stay out of the sun. The sun’s ultraviolet rays stimulate pigment-producing cells that not only burn our skin but cause it to discolour. Sun exposure, especially when you have scarring due to acne, can hinder the healing process. When you do go out make sure to wear a broad-spectrum sunscreen of SPF 30 or higher. Don’t forget to reapply!
4. Don’t Pick or Scratch After an acne treatment your skin will need to heal. Do not pick, scratch or impede the healing process in any way. Our skin needs collagen to repair itself and you have to give it time to regain the collagen that has been lost due to inflammation. Also, do not pick or squeeze pimples. This may seem like a quick fix but it’s actually what leads to discolouration and scarring. When you scratch or pick at a pimple, pus emerges from it and bacteria filters back into the skin, damaging the collagen.
5. Keep Away from Vitamin E There’s much debate about vitamin E and what it does for our skin. However, according to a study from the University of Miami, applying it directly onto a scar can actually create problems. Vitamin E can hinder healing and promote rashes like dermatitis.

Your dermatologist can recommend the best skin care products for your skin type. If you are having laser acne treatments done, your surgeon will also give you a skin care routine to follow. If you would like to learn more about taking care of your skin after an acne treatment, contact us directly.