Nairobi News

I have an acne prone skin. I have a very oily skin. Since my teenage years, I have struggled with acne. Sometimes I could sleep on a smooth face just to wake up to a face full of breakouts. Total nightmare, right?

It is so devastating and sometimes you don’t wish to leave the house. It steals your self-esteem and confidence. I had visited enough dermatologists but the acne seemed to get worse and worse. Three years ago, I learnt how to manage this condition. It has worked for me, and though a times I still experience a few breakouts, my face has really improved.

Here are some of the dos and don’ts:

1. Garbage in, garbage out

Unhealthy eating habits can be one cause of acne. I can attest to this. Anytime I consume junk food, a day or two days later my face breaks out. These includes fatty foods (chips, crisps, deep-fried foods), processed sugars (sodas and juices) and too much wheat products. Keep away from these foods or consume less if necessary. Adopt a habit of consuming foods high in fibre e.g. fruits and veggies.

2. Take enough water

Ensure drinking at least eight glasses of water per day. Make it a habit to drink fruits and vegetable smoothies, preferably two to four glasses a day. This also helps to increase your metabolism hence keeping of excess weight. Cheers to killing two birds with one stone.

3. Clean your face regularly

Wash your face twice a day, morning and evening. This is to ensure your pores are not clogged with oil and dirt residues. Due to my face being so sensitive, I use Sunlight bar soap to clean it. One mistake that people with acne prone skin make is sleeping with makeup on. No matter how lazy you feel, never ever sleep with makeup on.

4. Home facials

It is so expensive to go to the spas for facials regularly. I also noticed my face is so sensitive to some of the products some spas use and I end up breaking out more. Improvised your home facial routine with natural products. Below is my home facial routine.

After cleaning my face, I make a facial scrub using lemon juice, turmeric, Sandal wood (LIWA) and sugar. I use this paste as a scrub and also as a face mask. This paste helps in reducing acne and blemishes left by the acne pimples.

I allow the paste to settle on my face for 15-20 minutes after scrubbing, as a mask. Afterwards I wash it off with lukewarm water, then splash cold water to close the pores. I wipe my face with a clean face towel then moisturize it using a small amount of Bio oil or coconut oil.

Below are precautions that have also assisted me in the battle against acne:

• Using original and natural facial products.
• Avoid pricking and squeezing pimples. This helps in preventing blemishes and also existing pimples from spreading.
• Never ever sleep with makeup on.
• Have a specific face towel for cleaning your face. And always ensure that its clean.
• Do not try different products on your face just because they suit someone else, they might not suit you.
• Make an intentional decision to take care of your face and body in general.
• Avoid hairstyles that run on your face. Hair being greasy could contribute to acne.
• Clean your phone screen regularly and ensure daily change of clean pillow cases.

These has worked for me and It could probably work for someone out there battling with acne. Seeking a dermatologist is an option too especially if your acne is as a result of hormonal imbalance. It is important to know the cause of your acne.

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