Making a list of do’s and don’ts for those folks who have been diagnosed with acne is tough. If there is one universal truth about acne it is that there are no universal truths about acne. Doctors still, for the most part, don’t know what causes it, can’t make blanket statements about what triggers it and can’t say for sure when (or even if) you’ll grow out of it. Not even cancer confounds doctors to the degree that simple acne does. But here are a few basic guidelines for you to follow if you have been recently diagnosed.
Don’t – Eat grease – While not everyone who has acne has greasy food as a trigger, there hasn’t been a single study (yet) that shows that greasy food helps acne patients. So if you are still in the rudimentary stage where you are trying to pinpoint your triggers, try cutting out grease since it will likely be one. Try keeping a diary of your behavior to help pinpoint other triggers.
DO - Pick a cleaning regimen and stick with it – The first thing that many acne patients need to learn is the fact that your skin is a delicate organism that needs proper care. Too much cleaning/scrubbing/antiseptics can be just as damaging as not enough. Your doctor will likely give you a schedule for keeping your face clean. Stick with it! Don’t think that if you double the number of times you scrub, you’ll have half as many outbreaks. It simply doesn’t work like that. Trust your doctor when it comes to keeping your face clean.
DO – Stay patient - This is especially true when you are first diagnosed. It is going to take weeks, or maybe even months, to get a handle on your own particular kind of acne. From your triggers to your cleaning schedule to leaning not to touch your face every ten minutes, acne sufferers go through a real period of adjustment that can be frustrating.
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