Looking in the mirror you can't help but notice that a new pimple has erupted on your forehead. Right there in the middle of your face what you have been dreading for as long as you can remember. You knew it would happen sooner or later and it finally did. Now it's time to do everything in your power to make it go away so your friends won't see it and you won't have to spend the next week in hiding. That's how most of us feel the first time we get acne. It seems like our world is ending but it's not. Acne is nothing to be afraid of, especially if you know how to treat it and minimize the effects; which isn't as tough as it might first sound.

Your first instinct might be to poke and prod at the pimple but that's not always a good idea. Popping it can lead to scarring, additional redness, and it may even help to spread the acne to other areas of your face. This is definitely the last thing you want to happen. Instead grab that face wash out of the shower and start cleansing your skin. Do this at least twice a day and more often if needed just don't go over board because it can lead to excess drying of the skin. Of course your best bet would be to clean your face with a product that is designed for your particular skin type - be it oily or dry skin and keep to it even when you don't have a breakout.

Prevention is the best way to cure acne. Blocked skin pores is what causes acne so preventing blocked skin pores can stop your acne outbreaks either totally or from being as bad as they might be otherwise.

Maybe you got that first acne breakout to go away without much of a problem but inevitably another one will occur, it's only a matter of time. Sometimes acne is passed down from your parents and other times it is influenced by what we eat. As a teenager you probably don't have the healthiest diet. Mom might make you eat vegetables with your dinner but when you get the chance it's burgers and greasy pizza time all the time. Stop eating foods that have a high amount of fat and sugar and drink more water. A healthy body will mean healthy skin - look at anyone who eats a balanced diet and drinks a healthy amount of water - they look healthy don't they.

It's important to make sure also that if you wear makeup of any kind that you cleanse your skin properly after each use. Don't go to bed with it on - sure it might be hypoallergenic and all that wonderful stuff but if you leave your pores blocked overnight then don't be surprised if you wind up with a few zits a few days later. Actually the same cleansing pads that you use to remove makeup won't do any harm to guys either - they're a great way of keeping your pores clean and your face free of zits.

Sometimes, no matter how diligent you are acne still occurs. It's part of life that many deal with each year. Getting into a routine with your cleaning products and changing your diet will help some but you may need something stronger. Dermatologists often prescribe pills to those who suffer from moderate to severe acne although this isn't always the ideal route for some people. More people are looking back to nature for safe and healthy remedies to common lifestyle problems.