By Alana Mitchell
Blemishes are discolored spots on one's face that may occur due to various reasons such as acne, papules (small lesions on your skin caused by chickenpox rashes, eczema, dermatitis, psoriasis, shingles, etc.), nodules (e.g. skin tags, warts, etc.), age spots, scars, pustules etc.
Age spots are very common in adults over the age of 50 and occur due to prolonged exposure to the sun and as a side effect of hyper-pigmentation.
Dealing with wrinkles and blemishes can be a very challenging situation for anyone. If you adopt the right lifestyle and skincare routine, you can keep both these problems at bay. Here are some tips and tricks to keep your skin young, blemish-free and glowing.
Protection from the Sun
The leading cause of blemishes and other skin problems are the harmful UV rays that the sun emits. To overcome this, you should avoid overexposure to the sun and use a good sunscreen when you are under the sun.
The SPF (sun protection factor) depends on your skin type, allergies, the weather and the level of sun exposure you are subjecting your skin too. SPF 15 to 30 is suitable for a daily basis like traveling from home to work and back. However, SPF 30 and higher are recommended if you are spending most of your time outdoors, playing sports or at the beach, etc. Most sunscreens with SPF 30 usually block out 97% of the harmful UV rays emitted by the sun. If you have oily and acne-prone skin, different companies make sunscreens specifically for your skin type too. These sunscreens have a mattifying formula that is lightweight, completely invisible and helps in keeping the oil under control. Sunscreen not only helps in reducing dark spots and blemishes due to overexposure of skin to UV radiation, but it also helps in battling sunburn, skin cancer, and premature aging of the skin.
Maintain a Healthy Diet
Everything and anything you eat and drink has a great impact on your whole body, including your skin. So when every other dermatologist or nutritionist advises you to drink plenty of water and keep hydrated, they really mean it! Drinking plenty of water not only keeps your skin fresh, hydrated and glowing, but it also helps in preventing premature aging of skin and blemishes. Apart from this, food allergies may result in skin irritation and dermatitis, which eventually lead to blemishes. People who consume high levels of carbohydrates and sugar are also prone to blemishes. Certain medication, especially those that you get ‘over the counter’ such as Corticosteroids, androgenic steroids, lithium, anti-seizure drugs, etc., may also cause acne and blemishes. So always consult your dermatologist before taking new medication. A healthy diet filled with vegetables, fruits and lots of water will definitely lead to better skin and help combat blemishes.
Get Sufficient Sleep
If you don’t give your body sufficient sleep, your skin will look dull and tired because your body suffers from high stress levels, which in turn affects your skin too! If you want your skin to look young and healthy, make sure you get a good night’s rest!
Adopt a Regular Cleansing Routine
Based on your skin type, you need to adopt a regular cleansing routine at night to ensure that your pores remain unclogged. Use the skin script green tea cleanser to cleanse your skin properly. Don’t scrub your skin vigorously; instead, use a mild cleanser and a soft cloth to get rid of all the impurities.
You also need to choose the right exfoliator— many come packed with ingredients to fight blemishes and slow down the process of aging. Make sure you end your skincare regime with a moisturizer that fits your skin type. Even if you have oily skin, certain types of moisturizers are custom made for your skin type, as they are lightweight and don’t clog your pores.
Keeping your skin well hydrated and moisturized will ensure softer, younger-looking skin, and since it is not prone to drying, it will keep the blemishes at bay. If you have dry skin, make sure you moisturize your skin at least twice a day. Dried skin leads to blemishes!
You can also use a serum to hydrate and moisturize your skin if you aren’t comfortable with creams and lotions. Serums, although a little more on the pricier side, are lightweight, non-greasy and leave your skin feeling supple, nourished and plump. A great serum you can use to get rid of blemishes is the image vital c serum.
Buy Your Makeup After Researching
Makeup helps in hiding the flaws of your skin, but with consumerism on the rise, dupe and generic makeups are easily available, and these products can cause great harm to your skin. Make sure you buy makeup from well-known brands and trusted shops to ensure that they are original and have gone through rigorous testing. Many makeup products are mineral-infused— which helps to fill in fine lines, keeps your skin healthy, and avoids blemishes too!
Exercise
Exercising helps in keeping your blood flowing even in the capillaries under your facial skin. This leads to glowing skin!
When you exercise, you also sweat and this helps clean the dirt and sebum from your pores. So for healthy, blemish-free skin, make exercise a part of your daily routine!
Steam the Dirt Off
Hot showers, saunas, and steam rooms can help keep your pores clean. This helps prevent blemishes. If you can’t go for a sauna or to steam rooms, opt for hot showers at home, or just boil water in a saucepan and use the hot water for a facial steam. If your pores are unclogged, dirt and oil won’t build up and this will keep blemishes and discoloration away.
Avoid Scarring Your Skin
Don’t pop pimples or scratch your skin too hard. Your facial skin is very sensitive; if you don’t deal with it delicately, the scarring will result in blemishes.
Try these tips today if you want gorgeous, glowing and radiant skin!
About the Author
Alana Mitchell is the founder and owner of two successful businesses — SkincarebyAlana.com and the Alana Mitchell brand. A labor of love, Alana Mitchell products are made with hand-selected ingredients, do what they're supposed to, and help you fall in love with how you look and feel. Alana is happily married and has two sons. Her oldest is on the autism spectrum, and while she has had to learn to balance her personal and professional life, that hasn't stopped her business or her family from growing together!
