7 Different Ways to Achieve Clearer & Healthier Skin

I'm sure most of us wish we had a magic eraser that could instantly get rid of acne or make our skin smooth. Although that doesn't exist, what we can use are these reasonable steps to make our skin complexion glow brighter and feel softer. You don't need to feel insecure about your skin and spend a lot of money on makeup products or skincare products.

It's important to understand what causes breakouts and how to treat them. Some of you may be experiencing genetic skin conditions or hormonal fluctuations which is out of your control. Meanwhile most of us can help our skin by controlling our skin routine or even down to switching out our pillow case. 

To help you clear up your skin fast, here are 5 different tips gathered from dermatologists:

1. Always wash your face before bed and in the morning. 

Regardless of how tired you may feel, you are not allowed to sleep in your makeup. Whether you have makeup or not on your face, you need to clear out all the dirt and oil on your face. Wash your face for 30 to 45 seconds every night with a nickel-size amount of face wash. 

Hairstyling products in your hair can get absorbed in your pillowcase then transfer onto your face. Add cleansing your face in the morning to your routine after brushing your teeth. 

2. Stop touching your face.

Whether it be while you're studying or resting your chin on your hand while sitting in class, this may be the reason for those blemishes on your cheek or jaw. Your hands are constantly touching things that have germs and bacteria - anything from your phone to your books. Putting your hands on your face transfers all of that onto your skin which can be the cause of those breakouts. 

3. Eat a healthy diet.

A healthy diet wont only make you feel better but it will help you look your best. Eat plenty of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and lean proteins. Research suggests that a diet rich in fish oil or fish oil supplements and low in unhealthy fats and processed or refined carbohydrates might promote younger and healthier looking skin. Stay hydrated and drink plenty of water to achieve that glow to your skin. Need help figuring out how much water you should be drinking? Reference Why is Water Important? 4 Tips to Help You Reach Your Daily H20 Intake. 

4. Get LOTS of sleep.

Re-watching Friends until 3 am is not healthy for you or your skin. Not sleeping enough can cause your hormones to get out of hand and raise your body’s stress levels, in turn, cause you to break out. Aim to get at least eight hours of sleep to look and feel your best. 

5. Change your pillowcase.

Many of us are guilty of not changing our bed sheets enough, but not changing your pillowcases can cause your skin to breakout. Even if we're following step #1, washing our face every morning and night, if our pillowcases aren't changed they can carry dirt and sweat from your hair, hands, and build off from the products you use on your face at night. Changing every 3-4 days is recommended to help prevent this. 

6. DON'T POP YOUR ZITS!

We might have the fighting urge to pick or pop our zits on our face but avoid doing this! Popping can cause infections, making the situation worse. Everytime you feel the fighting urge to pop your zit dab a sulfur treatment on your problem areas morning and night. It brings down the swelling until your zit disappears. 

7. Avoid hot water. 

Showering, bathing, or washing your face with very hot water can damage the skin. Showering in hot water can inflame the skin, causing redness, itching, and even similar to a sunburn - it can disrupt the skin's natural balance of moisture, of the natural oils, fats, and proteins that keep the skin healthy. 

What's next?

Maintaining your skin can be simple and affordable if you follow these simple steps. Focus on certain lifestyle factors like quality sleep and a healthy diet that can make a difference in your skin. 

If you've tried several types of treatments for your acne and nothing works, try making an appointment with a dermatologist. They may prescribe treatments to help clear your skin.