Skincare tips: Stop acne breakouts with these 5 simple habits

Home remedies for acne: Keep your hands off. Touching your face can cause acne to flare (Image: Canva)

Troubled by acne and unsure what to do. If you are looking online for a solution, the number of hacks and solutions including beauty products is bound to confuse you. They may even make your acne worse.

US-based dermatologist Margarita Lolis says that your skincare routine should be adjusted based on the type of acne you have. But that doesn't mean you need a 10-step routine or any other that you find on TikTok or any other social media platform. "Using too many active ingredients at once can be too harsh and irritate your skin, which can end up making breakouts worse," Lolis said in an article titled Best Skincare Acne 2024, According to Dermatologists published by Cosmopolitan. "It's often best to keep it simple: a gentle cleanser, a treatment product, and a non-comedogenic moisturizer, along with sunscreen during the day."

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According to the America Academy of Dermatology, these simple self-care tips should help with acne:

• Keep your skin clean. Gently wash your face up to twice daily and after any exercise or if you have sweated profusely. Choose a gentle cleanser. Apply it with your fingertips, as scrubbing with washcloths can irritate your skin.

• Choose the right skin care. Use gentle skin care products, preferably those that are alcohol-free. Avoid astringents and toners as these can make your skin dry and make acne appear worse.

• Shampoo regularly. The oil from your hair can cause acne on forehead. If you have oily hair, shampoo more often and keep your hair away from your face.

• Stick to your treatment. Trying new acne treatments can cause breakouts. Give your treatment time to work. It may take several weeks to few months.

• Keep your hands off. Touching your face can cause acne to flare. While it can be tempting to pick, pop, or squeeze your acne, doing so will make the acne take longer to clear and increase risk for scarring.

• Acne takes time to clear. If you keep seeing breakouts despite this, see a dermatologist. They can help treat and prevent new breakouts and reduce your chance of developing scars.