Breakouts always seem to rear their head at the worst of times: right before an important business meeting, senior photos, or that special date. While our Pittsburgh, PA, dermatologists understand that the occasional pimple may not be a cause for concern, there are also countless teens and adults who are having trouble getting their acne under control.

Here are some helpful tips to prevent those dreaded breakouts,

• Wash your face twice a day with a cleanser that contains acne-fighting ingredients such as benzoyl peroxide or salicylic acid.
• Be gentle whenever you are applying cleansers, lotions or moisturizers to your skin. You may think scrubbing your face will get skin cleaner, but it will only exacerbate your symptoms.
• Make sure you are drinking enough water. The Institute of Medicine recommends 13 cups of water for men and at least 9 cups for women.
• Make sure you are also getting your beauty rest and sleeping anywhere from 7-9 hours a night. Getting good, quality sleep every day can reduce inflammation and improve skin problems.
• Quit smoking, as smoking has the ability to lead to deep, cystic types of acne that are incredibly painful and can last for months.
• Limit alcohol consumption, as alcohol has the ability to affect hormone levels, which can be particularly problematic for women whose acne symptoms are due to hormones (e.g. women who often experience breakouts around their menstrual cycle)
• Make sure to wash your face and body immediately after sweating or working out.
• Only use makeup and hair products that are “non-comedogenic”, meaning that they won’t clog pores.
• Wash pillowcases regularly and make sure to disinfect your cell phone regularly throughout the week, as germs can easily spread from your pillow or phone to your face.

When should I seek professional treatment for acne?

Is it time to see one of our Pittsburgh, PA, dermatologists for your acne? It might be if:

• Your skin isn’t responding to lifestyle changes and home care
• You are dealing with severe, cystic acne
• You are dealing with painful acne
• Your over-the-counter treatments aren’t working anymore
• Your acne is affecting your self-esteem, appearance, and quality of life

If you are having trouble treating your acne with lifestyle changes and over-the-counter treatments, then you may want to sit down and talk with our Pittsburgh, PA, dermatologists about more effective solutions. Call Three Rivers Dermatology at (412) 262-4911 to schedule an evaluation.