Best Way to Reduce Acne Breakouts

Erin Jacobsen is an esthetician for Ole Hendrikson Face/Body Spa inL.A., a popular place for models and celebrities who have cam­eras close up on their skin. Here are her suggestions:

Cleanse. If you have acne, use a good cleanser made for normal/oily skin. Be careful not to overcleanse, or the natural oxygenation process will not be able to take place, leaving your skin crusty, red, and irritated. To kill bacteria, take a tea spoon of tea tree oil and pour it into a sink of warm, not hot, water. Soak a towel in it, wring out the towel, and place it on your face for a few minutes. This will heal the skin tissue. It might make your face a little red for a bit. Do this three times a week.

Use a toner. A toner will help take the shine away and make your skin look less greasy. You can make a toner at home by filling a 4-ounce bottle with 1 ounce of distilled water and then filling it with half lemon juice and half apple juice. Pour a little bit on two cotton pads and rub it on your face. The mixture of citric acid, malic acid, and water works wonders to calm the skin and help in the cell-renewal process.

Consider moisturizing. Moisturizer can be used on oily or acne-prone skin if it is non-comedogenic, which means it won’t clog pores.

Drink lots of water. Water will cleanse your body and flush out your system.

Eat a nutritious diet. An unbalanced diet, or one with too much sugar can contribute to acne.

Sleep and relax. Get a good night’s sleep an try not to stress out too much. Not enough rest and too much stress can contribute to acne.

These suggestions will help with the start of mild acne. For serioui acne, you should consult a dermatologist. And be patient—acni doesn’t often go away overnight.