Simple Changes in Habit Can Clear Acne

Acne is a problem for almost everyone at some point in their life. Fortunately, there are some simple habit changes that help clear acne. While a lot of people are looking for the next miracle cure or undergoing expensive treatments, some simple changes could have saved them both time and effort. Here are some simple habit changes that can help resolve your acne problem

1. Eliminate Stress

A strong link has been proven between increased stress and increased acne breakouts. This is because when your body is stressed it produces hormonal steroids. These chemicals target the skin and increase the propensity for acne breakouts. Unfortunately, avoiding stress is not always an easy task. The key is to recognize when stress levels are high and make a conscious effort to thoroughly cleanse your face an extra time or two during the day.

2. Cut Down on the Coffee

There is a large amount of research that has indicated that coffee stimulates cortisol production just like stress does. It does not matter if the coffee is caffeinated or not. An excellent and healthy substitute could be either green or white tea as they also add beneficial antioxidants to the body.

3. Stop Smoking

A study done in Germany noted that acne is 62% more common in smokers than non-smokers. Not smoking is also a healthy choice within itself. This study showed a link between the severity of acne and the number of cigarettes smoked in a day.

4. Headgear and Linens

Anything that is in constant, prolonged contact with your head or face needs to be washed on a more than regular basis. Items such as towels, pillowcases, washcloths, hats, sweatbands and the like have a knack for collecting bacteria and then returning to your skin every time it is touched. By simply keeping these items clean can help out significantly.

5. Avoid the Sun

A long-standing myth has continued to be passed around stating that unprotected sun exposure can benefit people with acne because it reduces the oiliness in the skin and thus reduce acne. Unfortunately, this simply isn't the case. The sun actually releases photons that produce free radicals within the skin. These free radicals promote acne growth and diminish the skins ability to heal itself after an acne outbreak.

All of these simple habit changes can dramatically improve your chances of coping with acne and in some case clear acne completely.