Men’s skin is three times thicker than women
to hold more oil glands and collagen. That is
the reason why men age slower but have to
live with pimples or acne.
A pimple is a clogged skin pore that is
infected with bacteria. White blood cells rush
to help fight the infection and the result is
that ugly red bump you find on the morning
of your first date or your important corporate
presentation! Here are some tried-and-tested
tips to prevent pimples:
1. CLEANSE YOUR FACE
...three
times daily with a gentle
foaming cleanser to remove
oil and dirt, but for acne-prone
skin, look for cleansers with
salicylic acid to exfoliate
clogged pores. Cleanse with
your hands and not a cloth or
sponge which may irritate the
pimple and cause it to burst.
2. USE A SCRUB
...with granules to
remove dead skin cells and a claybased
mask weekly to help unclog
pores and absorb excess oil. Avoid
cream, gel or paper based masks as
it does not have any oil absorbing
properties. Men’s skin tend to
produce more dead cells and excess
oil so this step is important.
3. SHAMPOO YOUR HAIR
...daily and
use a coal tar shampoo if you have an
oily scalp. It reduces hair oil, which will
aggravate your acne. As pimples are
pores that are blocked with excess oil,
it helps to keep your hair and pillow
covers clean. Use a headband to pull
back your hair at night if it touches
your face and do not use greasy hair
products such as gels, wax or mousse.
4. TAKE A MULTIVITAMIN
...to nourish your
skin. Acne can sometimes be a signal that
something is wrong and lacking in your
body and this makes it react by producing
excess oil to clog pores. Eat
your carrots because
it contains Betacarotene
(Vitamin A)
to strengthen skin’s
tissue and can also
prevent acne.
5. AVOID DAIRY PRODUCTS
...which exacerbate acne.
Studies have shown that
iodine prevents the skin
from eliminating the toxin
produced by the acne bacteria
and causes the inflammation
to stay persistently.
6. AVOID ALCOHOL
...as it dissolves the
nutrients in the blood and it thins the
capillary wall of blood vessels, dilating more
blood to inflame the acne further. When you
drink a glass of beer, you will pass out more
water because alcohol depletes your skin
moisture. Drink eight glasses to of water
instead to detoxify your largest organ (the
skin) through perspiration.
7. QUIT SMOKING
...Researchers in Italy have
discovered that smoking
causes acne breakouts, and
brings out non-inflamed
pimples and blocked pores
lying beneath the skin layer,
causing them to be inflamed.
8. LASTLY, STOP PICKING
rubbing
or scratching the pimples as it may
result in permanent scars and will
not help get rid of the pimples.