1. You have to leave your face alone- stop picking at your spots. When you aggravate the spots on your face, it increases the amount of sebum your body produces. This will rupture the membranes below your skin; then the infection and sebum that causes acne will spread under your skin, resulting in more spots. It will also increase the likelihood that your skin will become scarred.



2. Wash your face twice daily. It is important that you only wash your face twice daily using a mild soap and if you can buy one that is sulfur based as is specifically designed for acne. But if your skin is too oily then use a soap that has benzoyl peroxide in it. Never use rough sponges, brushes or anything similar in order to wash your face and do not over wash it or it will stimulate the sebaceous glands which will then produce more sebum and so increase the amount of acne that you have.

3. Take into account what you are eating. Many times acne is caused by a food allergy. Studies have shown that acne is caused by milk (which contains hormones), and also seafood (which contains high levels of iodine). Wherever possible cut back on these foods. Try increasing your vegetable juices, green vegetables, and foods that are rich in zinc- these can help cut down on the problems associated with acne.

4. Drink more water. Drinking more water will help flush and carry waste material out of the body, so be sure to drink at least 8 glasses. It will also prevent and heal acne flare ups.

5. Opt to not wear makeup. Try to give your skin a rest by not wearing makeup if you don't need to. Makeup can clog your pores, which will cause more spots and blackheads. If you do need to wear makeup, make sure it is a water based product, not oil based. Also be sure to clean your skin before going to bed each night. Also be sure to cleanse your makeup brushes on a regular basis.

6. Keep away from oil products. It is important that you avoid such products as hair pomades, intense oil based facial moisturizers and oily cleansers as they will excacerbate your acne.

7. Keep your face clean. Try not to rest your chin on your hands or touch your face constantly with your hands. Also regularly shampoo your hair and keep it tied back from your face especially when you go to sleep.

These points will help provide you with some ideas on how to treat your acne and how to prevent it if you ever suffer from it.