Acne affects many people each year, specifically around 9.4% of the world’s population, which is more than 612 million people. It is rated as the eighth most prevalent disease in the world, affecting 3 in every 4 people. Aside from potentially leaving scars on the skin, it can leave emotional scars too, as it affects self-esteem and creates issues relating to socialization, sexuality and body image. In other words, it can be quite damaging to the perception of ourselves.

There are many guides, remedies and tips on the internet, but unfortunately many of them are usually expensive, impractical or difficult to follow. Some require you to purchase expensive creams, or expose you to harmful treatments that ultimately do more harm than good.

Finding the right treatment can be difficult, but it is important to do so because effectively removing acne can change your personality and lifestyle. Thankfully there are some cost-effective and simple tips to clear up your skin and be rid of acne.

Skincare routine

A skincare routine is something that just about everyone should have, but it is even more important to have if you are suffering from acne. People develop acne when the pores of their skin are blocked by things like bacteria, dead skin or oil. By not having a skincare routine, or at the very least washing your face, those things will continue to block your pores.

The first step in creating a skincare routine should be determining what skin type you have; dry, oily, normal, combination (which is both dry and oily skin) and sensitive. If you’re not sure what type of skin you are, check this guide from Misumi Skincare. This is very important, especially when buying a moisturizer, which should be included in your routine.

Sometimes dry skin can compensate for a lack of moisture, which results in the over-production of oil, causing oily skin. So, if you were to buy a moisturizer for oily skin, it would make the problem worse.

Use clean sheets

An effective, easy and cost-effective way to treat acne is to simply change your bedding every night, or once every two nights. It goes without saying that the used bedding should be washed every seven to ten days. This will help because when you sleep, oil and dirt are transferred from your face onto your sheets and pillowcases. This will eventually lead to a build up of the things that cause your pores to get clogged.

In addition to this, when you sleep you will often toss and turn, which causes friction. For those who are predisposed to acne, this is not good. Essentially what is happening is you are setting the conditions for a breakout.

This is a good practice for those who already have severe acne, as the dirt and bacteria on your pillowcases and sheets can lead to an infection.

Look at your diet

One of the reasons for a breakout is because your skin is producing more oil than it needs, which cause your pores to get blocked. This can happen when your body produces too much insulin, and that is caused by your blood sugar rising quickly. In order to stop this from happening, try avoiding simple sugars, such as sugar, white bread, pasta or white rice.

Other food groups to look out for are trans fats, dairy, saturated fats and high-glycemic carbohydrates. Now that you know what you should eat less of, try eating more legumes, whole grains and unprocessed fruits and vegetables. Good choices are brown rice, tomatoes, whole-wheat bread and any kind of fatty fish, among many others.

Exercise

One thing that you can do that costs no money is to exercise. This is often overlooked as a tip to reduce or prevent acne, but there are many benefits that exercise provides. One of those benefits is improved circulation, which your skin will greatly appreciate. To keep it simple, improved circulation means less inflammations because of an increased blood flow.

Most importantly, one of the biggest psychological triggers for an outbreak is stress. Negative stress leaves you more susceptible to acne, so exercising will help to reduce or prevent this from happening. This is because exercise naturally reduces your stress levels and produces endorphins in the body, which is the feel-good chemical.

A good idea is to not touch your face when exercising as this will transfer dirt and bacteria to your already sweaty face, which might increase the chances of a breakout.