Do you have acne ? Acne maybe the scourge of adolescent years, but it can follow people into middle age and beyond.

Acne is really a catchall term for a variety of symptoms such as pimples, whiteheads, and blackheads. It's a condition where the pores of skin become clogged and the person gets inflamed and non-inflamed lesions.

So what's the cause of all the clogging ?......

Heredity - at least for the most part. Acne is genetic - it tends to run in families, it is an inherited defect of your pores. If both your parents had acne, three out of four of your brothers and sisters will get it too.

Factors that can aggravate an acne outbreak are :- Stress, sun exposure, seasonal changes, and climate can all precipitate an acne attack. Certain types of makeup and taking birth control pills can also cause a breakout.

Change Your Make-up

In adult women, make-up is the major factor in acne outbreaks, especially oil based products. It's the oil that causes the problem. The oil is usually a derivative of fatty acids that are more potent than your own fatty acids. Use a non-oil-based make-up if you are prone to acne.

Read The labels.

Cosmetic products that contain lanolins, isopropyl myristate, sodium lauryl sulphate, laureth-4 and D & C red dyes should be avoided. Like oil, these ingredients are too rich for the skin.

Wash Properly.

Wash your make-up off thoroughly every night. Use a mild soap twice a day and make sure you rinse the soap entirely off your face. Rinse six or seven times with fresh water.

Use Less Make-up.

Whatever make-up you use, try to cut down on the amount you put on.

Leave Well Alone.

Don't squeeze pimples or whiteheads. A pimple is an inflammation, and you could add to the inflammation by squeezing it, which could lead to an infection. A pimple will always go away in one to four weeks if you leave them alone.

Know When To Squeeze.

Most pimples are best left alone, but there is one kind that you can squeeze to help get rid of it. If the pimple has a little central yellow pus head in it, then a gentle squeeze will make it pop open very nicely. Once the pus pops out, the pimple will heal more quickly.

Attack Blackheads.

You can also get rid of blackheads by squeezing them. A blackhead is a very blocked pore, and a gentle squeeze will help rectifty this.

Give Dry Skin Extra Care.

Dry skin can be sensitive to some over the counter skin treatments, so please use these treatments with care. Start with the lower strength products first, and then increase the concentration slowly.

Stay Out Of The Sun.

Acne medications may cause adverse reactions to the sun, so minimize you exposure until you know what the reactions going to be.

Use One Treatment At A Time.

Don't mix treatments, use only one at a time because they may cause an adverse reaction if mixed together.

Stop The Spread Of Acne.

Apply acne medication about half an inch around the affected area, to help keep the acne from spreading. Acne moves across the face from the nose to the ear, so you need to treat beyond the inflamed area. Most people make the mistake of treating only the pimples and not the outlaying areas of skin. This is wrong.