4 Suggestions to Reduce Acne and Its Effects

Like most people, I suffered from acne as a teenager.  Worse, the acne continued into my twenties and thirties.  Here are 4 suggestions to reduce acne and its effects that you may want to try.

4 Suggestions to Reduce Acne and its Effects

Acne is so common but when it carries into adulthood, it’s just that much more frustrating.  Even in my forties, I deal with the occasional blemish.  It’s common but it still doesn’t make you feel good about it.  Luckily, there are many things you can do to reduce acne and the effect it has on your physical and emotional wellness.  Here are 4 suggestions to reduce acne and its effects.

First, Sunscreen for oily acne prone skin.

Sunscreen is a problem for acne sufferers.  I had a hard time finding the right sunscreen for me.  It got to a point where I didn’t want to wear sunscreen because it made me break out.

I tried many different brands, but my skin was so sensitive that many didn’t work for me.  But I did find some, eventually.  The key is the ingredients.  Many sunscreens caused me to break out – A LOT!  The below sunscreens are what worked for me so that is why I am sharing them with you.  These are options for sunscreen for oily acne prone skin.

Neutrogena Clear Face – SPF 55 that is oil-free and fragrance-free and noncomedogenic.  This wasn’t my favorite option, but it was an affordable alternative that had a high Broad-Spectrum SPF.  What I liked about this is that it had a good texture, and it didn’t feel heavy.  Plus, it’s water resistant for 80 minutes – meaning you don’t have to reapply too often, as long as you aren’t sweating a lot or in the water.  I occasionally would break out with this sunscreen.

Banana Boat Simply Protect Tear Free – Broad Spectrum for Kids SPF 50.  Make sure you buy the one with titanium dioxide and Zinc Oxide.  They have many different versions so check the label ingredients.  This is a very affordable sunscreen.  It’s also water resistant for 80 minutes.   It’s reef friendly and doesn’t have any oils or fragrance.  This one did go on thick and can leave a white residue, but I accepted it since I knew it was providing protection from the sun’s UV rays.  I occasionally would break out with this sunscreen.

Alba – this pure lavender sunblock is paraben free and it does absorb fast.

For those of you on a budget, I would definitely recommend any one of these.  If you can “splurge” on something more expensive, do it only if you can get a free sample to try to see if your skin reacts well.  Then, if you decide it’s worth it, use it on any area you are acne prone like your face, neck, chest, upper arms and any exposed areas of your back.  Then, use the Banana Boat or Neutrogena on your legs, feet, and lower arms.

Second, juicing for acne.

This one goes hand in hand with eating and drinking the right foods.  If you are drinking things with a lot of sugar, that doesn’t really help your diet, your waistline or your skin.  I’ve found that juicing raw fruits and vegetables go a long way to helping with all 3 of those areas (diet, waistline and skin).

There are many juicing recipes on the web, or you can even find a good juicing recipe book or two.   Two of my favorite ingredients for juicing are celery juice and cabbage juice for acne.  I love The Celery Juice Miracle.  They have a lot of great celery juicing recipes.

Celery Juice and acne

Celery for acne…If you decide you want to try juicing for acne and you use celery, you may notice that your acne flares up.  What?  Celery juice and acne?  Don’t be alarmed – it’s just your body’s way of removing the toxins.   Celery juice benefits acne – trust me on this!  For more information on juicing with celery, read more here.

Third, juicing for mental health.

If you’re like me, the effects of acne can cause low self-esteem.  I suffered from low self-esteem as a teenager and even into my twenties.  Acne can really take a toll on our mental health and well-being.  But, it doesn’t have to.  If you suffer from any type of emotional struggle, like anxiety, sadness, depression or even guilt, try juicing.  Again, there are many recipes on the web that can provide you with juicing recipes for mental health.

Finally, smoothies for acne prone skin!

I love a good smoothie.  If you are still getting used to the idea about juicing (or maybe you don’t even have a juicer yet and are still deciding if you want to purchase one), try smoothies.  If you’re lactose intolerant, you have many options like almond milk or coconut milk.  Some of the best smoothies for acne prone skin use almond milk or coconut milk.  I don’t personally recommend soy milk.

So there you have it, 4 suggestions to reduce acne and its effects!