A spot on the face often leads to heartbreaks and heartaches and is a nightmare comes true for an adolescent. Our expert gives some tips to overcome this frightening situation.

Keep pimples at bay

Removal and prevention of blackheads is part of preventive care for pimples and acne.

Daily cleansing and skin care, with appropriate products, is the only way of preventing acne and other oily-skin conditions. A medicated cleanser, which is specially formulated for oily skins, should be used. This helps to reduce surface grease and restores the natural acid-alkaline balance. Use plenty of water to wash off all traces of the cleanser.

In order to deep cleanse the skin, cleansing grains mixed with a rose-based skin tonic should be rubbed gently on the skin. This helps to remove the dead cells of the outer layer and keeps the pores free of oil. Blackheads are also dislodged and discouraged from forming.

Stubborn blackheads should be removed at a skin-care clinic, by a trained therapist, using proper methods. Pinching blackheads, or trying to remove them at home, not only leads to infection, but also scarring. If there is acne, cleansing grains or scrubs should not be used.

Frequent washing with soap and water is not advocated. The face should not be washed with soap more than twice a day. Due to their alkaline nature, most soap destroys the acid-alkaline balance of the skin, leaving it predisposed to bacterial attack.

A rose skin-tonic helps to keep the skin moisturized. This can be used to wipe the face after cleansing. This not only completes the cleansing procedure, but also helps to close the pores and restore the normal balances. The skin can be wiped with the rose skin tonic several times a day to reduce surface grease.

A visit to the doctor helps

Clinical treatments are part of professional care for acne, pimples and oily skin conditions. The treatment depends on how far the condition has progressed. If the infection is severe, the main emphasis is on controlling the condition and checks it from spreading.

This is done by a course of clinical treatments, which involve the reduction of surface oil, the creation of a germicidal environment and the cure of the existing eruptions. Once the condition has subsided, the treatment is adjusted to tackle the problem of scars. Advice regarding daily care is provided, along with dietary suggestions. Daily care with appropriate products not only helps to control the condition, but also helps to improve skin texture.

Watch what you eat

Diet plays an important role in skin care. External cosmetic care cannot work wonders if the diet consists of the wrong foods.

Your diet should include fresh fruits and fresh fruit juices, clear soups, lassi, raw salads, sprouted cereals and dal and yogurt.

Nimbu paani, first thing in the morning, helps to flush the system. In fact, it can be taken two or three times in the day. Add a dash of honey, instead of sugar.

One should also have 5 to 8 glasses of water.

Too many sweets, chocolates, cola drinks, fried foods and snacks can have a detrimental effect.

Wrong foods and lack of fibre in the diet can lead to constipation and the build-up of toxins and wastes. This, in turn, causes skin congestion and gives rise to problems like acne.

Many beauty treatments can be carried out at home, using kitchen ingredients. But, pimples and acne need professional guidance and care. In fact, prevention, protection and correction are an important part of modern skin care.

The right routine helps

Skin cleansing assumes much importance for city dwellers. The night-time routine is an absolute must, to get rid of the pollutants that have accumulated during the day.

Cleansers containing aloe vera help to counteract such problems and restore balance. Aloe vera has a healing effect on the skin and helps to soften the dead skin cells and facilitate their removal, along with all debris. The normal acid-alkaline balance is restored and the skin’s normal functions improve, particularly that of cell renewal and moisture retention.

Those who spend much time traveling in the city can protect the skin, by wiping it with cotton wool soaked in a rose-based skin tonic, several times during the day.

For eruptive skin disorders, cleansers and ointments containing sandalwood, eucalyptus, margosa (neem), clove, rose, lavender, mint and basil (tulsi) have been used to soothe, heal and protect the skin.

Things to keep in mind

Oily skins have the tendency to attract more grime and pollutants and this aggravates the problem.

Washing with soap and water is not helpful, because of the high content of chlorine in the water and the alkalinity of most soaps. This actually disrupts the balance further and predisposes the skin to problems.

The antiseptic properties of many natural ingredients like neem, sandalwood, clove, etc., have helped in treating eruptive conditions. They have also been used to formulate protective creams and form an ideal barrier between the skin and the pollutants.

Many essential oils, extracted from plants like juniper, neem, tulsi, have been included in formulations for their effects on the blood, lymph and cells of the dermis. They help to stimulate the skin, improve blood circulation and lymphatic drainage and are particularly good for congested, toxic skin conditions.

Exposure to chemical pollutants also causes “cross linking”, an oxidation reaction, that leads to early ageing and degeneration. From the cosmetic point of view, “cross linking” causes damage to the collagen fibres of the skin. This not only leads to ealy wrinkling of the skin, but also to improper cell nutrition and elimination of wastes. This, in turn, impedes the cell-regeneration process, on which the health and youth of the skin depend.