Living with acne can be really frustrating. We can totally sympathise with that feeling. Acne can be painful physically and it can take a mental toll too.  

In this article you'll learn some practical tips to help manage acne. But just a heads up, acne takes time to heal and there are no overnight quick fixes. Don’t believe anything that tells you otherwise.  

Managing acne is all about finding a routine that works for you, not just following all the latest trends.  

You might be glad to hear that acne is way more common than you might think. It’s estimated that 9.4% of people worldwide live with acne. That’s nearly 1 billion people all over the world.

 1. Prevention - How to stop a pimple 

Acne is caused when our pores trap dead skin cells and oil in them. From here, blemish causing bacteria can thrive, which leads to a pesky pimple. With a regular skincare routine that is focussed on preventing this from happening, you can help to eliminate acne. 

Look for products that are specifically made for people with blemish-prone skin. They’ll contain spot-fighting ingredients such as salicylic acid and azelaic acid. Generally, you want ingredients that will help to exfoliate the skin and keep pores clear from blockages.  

Also, keep an eye out for soothing and anti-bacterial ingredients such as niacinamide, tea tree oil, and witch hazel. These will help to reduce inflammation and redness. 

There’s also a lot of research that suggests our gut is linked to our skin health. Avoiding too much sugar, dairy, and other foods with a high glycaemic index could help your skin. Replace those with a balanced diet with lots of vitamins and minerals. Some also find that taking prebiotics and probiotics can also help balance the microbiome of the gut and have a great benefit to your skin. When it comes to trying dietary remedies, try different things out for a month or so, and make a note of the effect it has on you. 

 2. The hard truth - Why won’t acne heal

The best way to pop a pimple is to never pop your pimples. 

Be honest... Do you pick your skin when you have a spot? This could be one of the reasons why your acne isn’t healing.  

If you see a spot appearing, don’t pick it. However tempting it may be... It’s always best to leave spots alone and let them go away in their own time and with the right skincare. It may be frustrating, but picking at pimples could lead to spreading the bacteria around and causing more of them.  

You could also damage or scar your skin by picking at spots. Scars are much harder to get rid of than blemishes. You can get laser treatments or chemical peels to help even out the texture of your skin.  

If you need a stronger solution for curing acne, visit your GP or dermatologist. They may be able to recommend medicine and a specific skincare regime to help.  

In the meantime, you may choose to cover blemishes and scars with makeup. We’d recommend using Primer to help your makeup to last longer and smooth out a bit of uneven texture. Then, use Foundation or Tinted Moisturiser to help reduce the appearance of redness. Finish it off with Concealer. Using a concealer with a cream base will give great coverage. 

 3. Acceptance - What to say to someone with spots 

Everyone has problems with their skin at times. But when you’re going through it yourself it can feel like you’re the only one. There’s a great movement on social media all about skin positivity. Follow some accounts you can resonate with and it will help you to see what you’re going through is completely normal. 

A great way to help someone with acne is to just be there for them as a mate. Listen to them when they fancy a rant about it. And don’t give unwarranted advice and suggestions unless they ask.  

 4. Ongoing care – men's acne products 

We’ve already talked about looking after your skin with skincare, but here are a few extra tips for managing acne: 

• Moisturise: if you’re using products that exfoliate your skin, it’s important to keep your skin moisturised. It’s not going to make your skin oilier if you’re using the right products – we promise. 
• Clean your phone: when was the last time you sanitised your phone? If you’re scrolling your phone all day and touching your face it’s a perfect recipe for bacteria to thrive. If you’re already prone to acne, we suggest giving this tip a go. 
• Clean your sheets: Keep your pillowcase fresh to prevent bacteria from hanging out where it shouldn’t be.  
• Don’t try random at-home remedies: Toothpaste doesn’t help spots. Baking soda doesn’t help spots. Enough said. 
• Cover what’s not taken care of: If it will help you to feel less conscious of it, try a bit of concealer over the top of a spot. It might give you the boost of confidence you’re looking for.