You wake up to the sound of your alarm clock. Its 8:30 and you’re already late for school. You rush into the bathroom and behold, you see it…a big fat pimple right on your forehead where everyone can easily see it.
 At times it may seem like your skin is impossible to deal with, particularly when you wake up with a large zit at the worst possible time. Fortunately there are numerous ways to prevent and take care of ordinary skin problems.
A person is most prone to acne in their T-zone, the oil-producing glands on the forehead, nose, and chin. The best way to take care of your skin is by washing it twice a day (once in the morning when you wake up, and at night before you go to sleep). Make sure to wash with warm water and mild soap in order to prevent irritation and inflammation of the skin. Remember: Scrubbing until it burns does not equal cleanliness. It’s also important that you don’t pop your pimples. Although it may seem very tempting, it leaves scars and causes bacteria to enter the skin. Rather, apply a skin treatment to the face. Try Clearasil’s New Ultra Pimple Pen Blocker, which is slender enough to put in a pocket or in a bag, for when you’re on the go.
Next, avoid touching your face with your fingers. The oil and bacteria from your fingers can clog your pores and cause infections which lead to inflammation and redness. If you wear glasses or sunglasses, make sure you clean them frequently. Particularly in the summer, sunglasses collect little pools of sweat and oil and when left on your skin they cause breakouts around your eyes and nose. Also make sure to keep hair clean and away from the face in order to prevent dirt and oil that’s trapped in the hair from clogging your pores.
Lastly, and perhaps most importantly, remove makeup before going to sleep. When coming home late the thought of going to bed sounds very enticing, but you will definitely see the repercussions in the morning. When buying makeup, make sure you choose brands that say "noncomedogenic" or "nonacnegenic" on the label. Noncomedogenic is a term applied to oils, lotions, and skin creams that do not block pores. These products are also sometimes referred to as non-occlusive. Non-acnegenic means it does not cause or promote acne. Also, ensure that you throw away old makeup that smells or looks different from when you first bought it. All makeup has an expiration date and they are not meant to grow old with you. "Products are developed to last a year or two," says Peter Pugliese, M.D., a skin physiologist in Reading, Pennsylvania, yet “contamination can occur at any time, since makeup is always in contact with germ-prone areas like your eyes, mouth and fingers.” With these guidelines for taking care of the skin, it should be much less problematic to keep skin glowing with the right skin care techniques.
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