Is it possible to take some basic preventive measures to thwart acne outbreaks? What kinds of preventative maintenance should you do to cut down on your acne?

Let's quickly scan some of the most effective strategies, shall we?

The first, most obvious, and most important measure to help prevent acne is to have a healthy lifestyle. It is too easy to neglect this, but don't do it! Eat three good meals a day, get the proper rest at night, and drink a minimum of eight glasses of water a day. Don't let stress control you even if you do have a frantic and unpredictable lifestyle.

Now that the first one is out of the way, let's move on to the rest.

Make sure you are cleaning your face every day and for best results, twice a day. Use a mild cleaning bar or liquid that also minimizes sensitivity and irritation. Use various mild scrubs or exfoliants that remove the outer layer of the skin and opens pores. The products that contain fine granules or salicylic acid make it a mild peeling agent.

Reducing oil is an important step in preventing outbreaks of acne. You can't stop your oil glands from forming oil but you can get rid of the excess oil on your skin. This will help in keeping the pores open and lessen the shine that often accompanies oily skin. A gentle astringent can wipe away excess oil and are easily found where cosmetics are sold.

Pharmacies now carry strips under various names that you can use on your forehead, nose or chin, or wherever you notice blackheads to pull out all that unpleasant material from your pores. Remember, this is oil and not dirt. They are inexpensive and while they aren't as effective as a professional pore cleaning, they are safe and effective.

Killing bacteria is an important part of the therapy to minimize or prevent outbreaks of acne. Antibacterial cleansers can be found in over-the-counter products. They usually contain benzoyl peroxide. Topical or external applications can be applied to the affected area to kill surface bacteria. You can find these in the form of gels, creams, and lotions.

When using moisturizers, use oil-free moisturizers that also contain an antibacterial agent. If you use make up, use oil-free foundation. A thick coat of make up can block the pores and cause acne to flare up.

Apply a honey mask once or twice a week. Honey is great for disinfecting and healing minor blemishes and takes it easy on sensitive skin.

Avoid wearing excessive make up. Also, be sure it is water based.

Drink eight full glasses of water per day.

Keep your hair off your face.

Take a good multivitamin.

Take a chromium supplement once a day.

Eat carrots; they are rich in beta-carotene and Vitamin A. Both are essential in repair tissue of the skin and mucous membranes.

When you sleep at night, be sure you are sleeping on a clean pillowslip that no one else has used. Pillowslips absorb oil during the night and acne can be irritated. If you have long hair, keep it pulled back during the night as the oil in your hair can also transfer to your pillowslip and to your skin.

Don't pick or squeeze your pimples -no matter how tempting! This can't be said too often.

These are just a few simple measures you can start to follow right away. Don't look for extreme remedies when a simple solution is all you need. For many acne cases, when following these simple strategies you will begin to see gradual steady results in just a few days.