Acne mask reminds us of some things. To be honest, sometimes when we reflect on our childhood and think of some of the childish things we did, we would admit that childishness is fun and also wonderful.
Some of the activities we engaged in (as children) contributed to our health and well-being. We ran up-and-down, jumped, played, visited friends and engaged in different sporting activities. Childhood is a blessing. Why is that? You will find out soon…
While we were kids, most of us enjoyed wearing masks. We wore masks, especially during celebrations. We wore masks for game and fun. Do you still wear masks? Your answer is sure to be no. You are too busy to have time for such puerile acts. You probably leave early for work and come back late, so where is the time?
But did you know that wearing a mask could be a protective measure? Did you say HOW? Let us show you.
Table of Contents
What Do You Know About Acne?
Acne, or acne vulgaris (Vulgaris means common), is a skin condition that crops up when dead cells of the skin and sebum clog hair follicles. Acne could be painful and sometimes releases fluid when open.
In other words, it occurs when hair follicles contain excessive oil or dead cells. This explains why it is commoner among people who have oily skins.
It causes spots, blackheads and sometimes, pimples on the face, neck, chest, shoulder and other parts of the body. The commonest area affected is the face. And that makes it obvious.
Acne is not injurious to health but, as earlier stated, it could cause pain in the affected part and sometimes leaves a scar. Although it occurs at any stage, it occurs the most at puberty and affects both male and female. About eight out of ten teens have pimples. That shows how common it is. Do you want to know?
What Causes Acne?
Cosmetics
It is good to look good, but in a bid to look more attractive, some individuals use cosmetics that cause acne. Excessive skin sebum has been identified as one out of the major causes of acne. So, it is advisable not to use make-up or cream that contains too much oil. And you should be more cautious if you have oily skin.
Menstruation
There is a kind of acne that is common to girls (and some women). It is called premenstrual acne. As the name connotes, this kind of acne occurs a few days before their menstrual period. During this period, pimples pop up on their faces; but the good news is: they don’t last long.
Hormonal Changes
The human body is a complex machine which has a mode of operation. Many people, especially teens have acne due to hormonal changes in the body. Since their bodies are not used to the changes they are undergoing, the body reacts to it and that causes acne. Most times, this acne goes away immediately they are out of puberty.
Emotional Stress
Have you seen individuals with stress written on their faces? You have probably seen some of them. Emotional stress is not good for the body. It is detrimental and catastrophic. It affects human health in general.
One of the minor effects of stress is acne. Some individuals have acne when they are stressed emotionally. Why? They are so immersed in their emotion that they have little sleep and when they do sleep, it is not sound: it is intermittent. Thus, the body does not have sufficient rest and the skin fails to repair worn-out tissues.
Also, note that emotional stress such as anxiety and depression bring up adrenaline and cortisol which worsen acne.
Check out these interesting acne product reviews/articles:
Neutrogena Rapid Clear Oil-Eliminating Foaming Acne Facial Cleanser – In-depth Review
AcneFree 24 Hour Severe Acne Clearing System – Detailed Review
Bioré Warming Anti-Blackhead Cleanser – Detailed Review
Neutrogena Naturals Acne Foaming Facial Scrub – In-depth Review
Clean and Clear® Oil-free Pore Cleanser Daily Acne Face Wash – In-depth Review
Neutrogena Oil-free Pink Grapefruit Acne Face Wash – In-depth Review
How to Control Acne
Wash Face to Avoid Oil Accumulation
The role of hygiene can never be overemphasized in the lives of humans. It makes you clean, neat, fit, and healthy. Sound health, therefore begins with good hygiene. Proper hygiene requires a lot of discipline.
However, the reward cannot be compared with the little effort required. How long does it take to wash your face with warm water twice daily? This simple act can give you an acne-free face. Washing your face twice daily eliminates the excessive oil on your face. You should also try washing it after exercising. And you need to take this seriously if you have oily skin.
In addition, do not scrub your face. Don’t do that. Rather, wash gently. Scrubbing your face does not remove dirt faster than washing; in fact, it could cause irritations which lead to the development of pimples or other forms of acne.
Avoid Products with Excessive Oil
In the military, winning a war begins with identifying the enemy. An unidentified enemy could be more dangerous than an identified one. This ageless military strategy could be applied in other areas of life. And your health is no exception.
Since oil build-up has been identified as one of the causes of acne, the problem is half-solved. The ‘enemy’ is unveiled! So eliminate it. How? You can achieve this simply by avoiding creams that contain excessive oil. So simple!
Try using sunscreen and make-up that are non-comedogenic
Alcohol-rich gels are good for oily skin sin alcohol removes oil and from the skin.
Avoid Foods You React to
You know what suits you and you understand what is best for you. If you react to some kinds of food, or you observe that it becomes more severe when you eat some things, the best you can do is avoid them.
They may be tasty and delicious- very enticing! Don’t fall for it. Discipline yourself. It is better to constrain yourself than to have pimples pop-up on your skin.
Don’t Squeeze Pimples
Most people touch their faces often. They don’t stop there; they also pick on and squeeze the pimples on their faces. Obviously, you don’t like acne – nobody does. And you want to get rid of it as soon as possible, but touching, fondling and squeezing it could make it worse. You are helping the enemy in an attempt to eradicate it.
Use an Acne Mask
As stated earlier, acne masks are special masks used to treat acne.
Types of Acne Mask
We know that picking a mask is not an easy task; you want the best for yourself. That is what we also want for you. So we will guide you in selecting a suitable mask for your skin. Some acne masks are listed below
Clay Mask
This is the most suitable mask for oily skin. It does not only treat acne and other diseases associated with the face, but it also dehydrates, firms, detoxifies and tightens up the skin.
Clay mask absorbs excessive moisture from oily skin, remove impurities from it, and give you a super skin.
Cream Mask
If your skin is dry? Do you feel dry even after using a lot of moisturizers? Then you need a mask that has oil and moisturizer in abundance.
What you need is a mixture of hydration and moisture so, using a mask that would further dry your skin is not advisable. A cream mask can attract moisture from the atmosphere and fix it on your skin.
Not just that, you will need a mask that activates those dry cells. That is why we are recommending a cream mask for you.
Sheet Mask
Do you have skin that resists cream, lotion or other treatments? Have you applied several treatments on your skin with little or nothing to show for your effort? Then your skin probably resists most products and a sheet mask is ideal for you. You don’t need to bother yourself, this will work for you. Why?
As the name implies, a sheet mask is a piece of nutrient-rich material placed on the skin to treat acne and other facial diseases. Since it is a sheet, it makes the nutrient penetrate deep into the skin and that makes their action fast and effective.
You can apply other treatments under this mask to get an acne-free skin.
Exfoliating Mask
If you need a mask that will cleanse your pore, remove the dirt that is deep in your skin, brighten your skin, and also give you a glow; you need an exfoliating mask. This mask will remove dead cells from your skin and make it smooth- getting rid of every form of acne on your skin.
After using the mask, you can follow up with loads of treatment, since the mask opens up the skin to easily absorb other treatments.
However, don’t use it too often. At most, once a week because of its drying effect.
Factors to Consider before Choosing an Acne Mask to Buy
Several factors contribute to the overall effectiveness of any product and an acne mask is no different. Therefore, before you choose any acne mask to buy, there are some factors to keep in mind. Here are a few of them:
Know Your Skin Type
The first step in determining a suitable acne mask is to understand your skin type. Do you have dry or oily skin? Once that is determined, you are halfway closer to selecting the right acne mask for yourself.
To determine what skin type you have, use water to wash your face and leave it without applying any product overnight or for several hours. If you sense some dryness on your skin, then you have an oily skin. On the other hand, if you observe some oil residues on your skin, then you have an oily skin.
Brand
The brand or maker of any acne mask you choose is important. If you go for one that is just here briefly, in the long run, you may not find any to buy.
Established brands are preferable in skincare products because of continuity and experience. But this does not mean that up-and-coming brands have nothing to offer. Just be sure that they will stick around for a long time so you do not become stranded.
Ingredients
The ingredients an acne mask contains make all the difference. Fragrance-free and alcohol-free products top the chart. Whether you have sensitive or normal skin, you would be doing yourself a favour by avoiding such products.
Find out which ingredients work best for the skin type you have by researching. You could also ask dermatologists to find out more. This information would help you get the best acne mask for you.
Price
It is important you go for an acne mask that would be sustainable. Work according to a budget. This does not mean you should buy inferior products. It also does not mean that expensive ones would treat you better.
But most times, expensive products have higher percentages of active ingredients so work better. However, go with what you can afford. More times than not, this product is made to be very affordable.
How to Get the Best from an Acne Mask
Get Your Mask Ready
You can buy acne masks online or walk into a store and get one. And you can as well decide to use home-made masks. The decision is yours.
You also need to know the ingredients of your chosen mask. This is not a big deal; knowing your skin type as explained above, also helps in selecting a good one.
Don’t forget to read the instructions before applying the mask. You may need to add water to masks to get your desired results. And if you are using home-made, read the recipe carefully and follow it.
Prepare Your Face
Poor preparation always precedes poor performance. This applies to facial treatment as well. Never apply an acne mask on a dirty skin. It’s a waste of time. You won’t get results that way. Rather, wash your face gently using warm water to eliminate dirt, oil and make-up.
You can have a hot bath to open your pores for maximum effect. Mind you, the water should not be too hot for obvious reasons. You are not aiming to peel your skin. Let it just be hot enough as not to scald.
Apply Your Mask
You can use your hand or preferably a brush. If you are using your hand, ensure it is clean.
You can cover your eyes with cucumber or raw potato while applying your mask. This has a cooling effect on you and reduces eye puffiness.
Avoid getting very close to the mouth and eyes as this may cause irritation.
Apply evenly and gently. You don’t need to rush. Take your time to do it. Apply gently to ensure no part is left untouched and be relaxed after application.
Remove the Mask
Fifteen minutes is long enough to wear masks, at least most of them. However, if a certain time was stated on the mask you purchased, follow it. Do not leave it for too long.
Don’t let it exceed an hour, especially if you use a clay mask. If clay mask stays too log on your skin, it can dehydrate your skin. You can use your stopwatch to know when time is up.
Then remove gently with water that is warm, and cloth.
Follow Up
After applying an acne mask, the skin is always sensitive and ready to absorb other products. Don’t waste this golden opportunity; follow up with lotions and moisturizers that suit your skin. This practice prevents unnecessary dryness.
Store in a Cool Place
Preservation is important. It saves a lot of money. You don’t need to waste your mask if it is not exhausted; you can refrigerate to preserve it.
Mind you, if the temperature is too cold, you can warm it up by taking it out of the refrigerator for some time before applying it.
Apply the mask once a week for a great result except if stated otherwise on the product.
If you have any question or comment, please use the comment section below.
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