Acne is a terrible affiliction that involves the clogging of skin oil glands and, therefore, is really only skin deep. Of course, when it presents as blackheads, whitehead pimples, zits and inflamation, it's hard to imagine that some simple skin cleansing techniques could be the solution. If you suffer from acne of the face, back, or other parts of the body you are bound to be self-conscious around people, especially in intimate situations. It is the one disease that is difficult to hide, even with makeup and it is the one condition that can negatively affect personal and professional relationships. If you have severe acne, you already know what I mean.

If you have any type of severe skin disease or would like to do something about it, then adopting a daily skin cleansing routine is your first line of attacking the problem. The key is cleansing your skin pores of excessive oils and bacteria if you want to prevent acne or treat the beginning of acne. The idea is to try and prevent the acne before it can actually take root and become an overwhelming problem. This means you must be on defense not offense.

Daily skin cleansing to prevent acne will take determined effort to develop and stick to a sensible skin cleansing routine. The benefits will far outweigh taking the time every day to make sure your skin is in optimal condition, that is, clean and fresh. This requires that you think outside the box, too. While you should follow daily skin cleansing routines at home, you should also take opportunities during your work day to stop and cleanse your skin. This is especially true if you have the start of acne. Dash off to the restroom for a quick face-washing, for example.

A typical skin health routine has only one main goal, that is, to have clean skin. Cleaner skin is the surest way of preventing acne or zits.

We begin by taking a nice hot shower in the morning and another in evening before bedtime. You will not find a more effective way of keeping your entire body clean of excess oils and bacteria. That evening shower before bedtime, by the way, will also relax you for a better night sleep.

If you normally have a sweating problem, that bedtime shower is especially important because, while you are sweating, you are also producing excess body oils and bacteria which produce the right environment for acne to start.

You may be surprised that our advice for good skin health is also about wearing well-laundered clothing and making sure your bedding is changed often. Clothing should also be comfortable, not tight-fitting. Tight-fitting clothes tend to make us sweat even more and hold body oils and bacteria throughout the day. This is a major cause of back, arms, and legs, acne. Cotton clothing is the most absorbent clothing fabric and is recommended above clothing made from synthetic fibers. Bedding should be changed twice a week, if possible. This should include laundered pillow covers as well.

For my female readers, pay close attention to keeping makeup brushes, pads, and other instruments you use for daily grooming as clean as possible. Those instruments accumulate body oils, hair follicles, and bacteria and need to be regularly cleaned for good skin health and to prevent acne.

In your daily skin cleaning routine, you should apply mild, water-soluble, oil-free and soap-free products to keep all parts of your body clean. Some products that promise smooth skin are actually adding oils that clog pores and promote acne. Watch what you are cleaning your body with by reading the ingredients on the labels.

So-called 'skin cleansers' are very effective in removing excess body oils, environmental pollution, and just plan grime that we pick up in our daily lives. Getting rid of this stuff with a diligent skin care program reduces the chances of you becoming a victim of severe acne. Again, for my female readers, no matter how tired your are from work or a night out, remove that makeup before bedtime. Leaving makeup on overnight is simply leaving all that bad stuff you accumulated during the day to do its nasty business while you sleep. There are a great number of acne skin care creams and lotions choices available at your local drug store and many double as cleansers so it always makes sense to read the labels.

One final piece of good advice: If you suffer from severe acne right now, do NOT pick or squeeze your zits or blackheads. I know you think you are getting that bad stuff out but you are only exacerbating the problem by spreading the bacteria. Not only are you spreading the problem, you may also be causing severe scarring.