Oh Acne!

It's been a while and how is everyone? *waves*

I'm not sure what spur me on to write about acne of all things but it seems that there are alot of people still battling it and I thought that maybe I could share my own experience on how to deal with them.

I'm not entirely sure if my acne is now all gone because age has finally caught up to me or what. There are 101 solutions out there and a million more promising acne cure. So what works? Then again, what works for me, doesn't always have to work for you. I've spent a hefty amount of money on acne creams and facials since God remembers when and it annoys me having to spend so much on something promising and then it doesn't work and you go back to square one.

I've always be surrounded by friends who had good skin, Elisa, Kern, Pinky Doodle Doo, Elyn, blah blah and bla so it really stresses me when I have a face full of pimples and they don't. Worst you can't exactly turn to them for help. They just don't know how to help or answer you.

After a while, my piggy bank got fried, turned bacon and I decided to spend my remaining money on cheap but effective solutions rather than be sold on effective advertising. Pretty models with clear skin can no longer tempt me. I want results and not false promises!

A few tips and advise will cost you nothing and I try to recommend the 'cheaper' products that works. Not in any order.

So lets see, what works for me;

1) Acne Aid
It's a soap that a dermatologist recommended my colleague and she recommended us. I think I did a post on it a while back, It's easily available and cost less than RM15 for a whole bar that can last you a looooong time. Cut into smaller bars so you don't contaminate the entire bar.

2) Stop being so easily tempted by everything that promises you clear, white skin.
Stick to your regular regime, I know that girls tends to start 'wandering' once their skin heals a little and start applying all sorts of things on their face thinking it's going to further help them. Nay. Stop that! Stick to the usual and it'll help your wallet too.

3) Avoid whitening stuffs.
Acne + whitening stuff don't go along. Whitening stuff have an ingredient that irritates acne prone skin. Use whitening stuff long after your acne is gone to get rid of the scars.

4) Drink lot of water.
Sheesh, same old same old. This advise is so boring. That's what I used to think but when I had my wisdom tooth extraction, I drank nothing but plain water and my skin was fantastic!

5) Sleep early.
You can't replace lost sleep. That's what JH told me. I never knew that. Sleep really is important, I would know cause about 4 years ago, I worked in KL and I ate nasi kandar and other unhealthy food every single day for 2 months and still I had good skin, it was because I slept at 9pm every single day.

*I had nothing to do, no tv, no internet, no computer. no lights, no fan so I was "forced" to sleep early :P

6) Change pillow cases often!
Till today, I sleep on a towel. It's weird but I place a clean piece of either towel/face towel before I go to sleep. Imagine going out in the dusty road, coming home and "rolling" on your pillow, rubbing your face all over your pillow. The dust/ pollution from the hair would have transferred to your face and pillow case. And then repeat. Imagine how dirty your pillow case is in like what, a week?

7) Wash hair often

8) Don't use too much hair products;
Gels, sprays, waxs might stick to your face and and guess who pops up to parteeeeee. Oh le le, oh la la~

9) Switch to BB cream instead of foundation
Use concealers only on special occasions

10) Eat healthy
Eat veggies, and make them raw or lightly cooked.

11) Put on facial mask daily.. or almost daily
Clay mask and hydration mask, nothing fancy-smeancy please.

12) Stop touching your face!
One of my hardest habits to break, I got itchy hands that whenever it's free, goes straight to my face.

13) Keep hair off your face
Pin it up, tie it up, buy pretty accessories to just keep the hair off the face.

14) Go for a swim in the sea
This might be a myth and I have no way of proving this but long time ago, I used to have acne on my back and I realize that everytime I went for a swim in the beach, it got better and better. I no longer have this problem :D

Other skin products that might help is dermadex or if all fails, start taking birth control pills like Diane35. I'm not promoting pre-martial sex but birth control pills helps to stabilize hormones thus reducing flare ups. Word of caution. Make sure to see an OBGYN to make sure the Pills fits you or you'll either put on weight, go mental and cry at everything or just feel sick.

It all above doesn't work, don't sue me.