What's Happened To My Face?!

I always get a zit right on the end of my nose. It inevitably happens before I take a picture, go on a date, or stand in front of an audience.

But before I start blaming God for my bad genes or crummy circumstance, I need to remember some facts of life:

What causes bad skin:

Hormones -- Do you notice how you get more pimples during certain times of the month?

Weather -- You need to adjust to how heat and cold affects your skin.

Health -- Drinking enough water and exercising regularly can help keep your skin healthy and pores clear.

Genes -- Unfortunately, you're stuck with them.

Stress -- If you stressed less, you would have fewer zits. (Although if you pray regularly, you usually stress less.)

Hygene -- This is easy to take care of:

Here is a simple regimen for good skin. You can adapt it to your schedule, personality, finances, and skin type.

Every day when you wake up and before you go to sleep:

1) Wash your face with a facial cleanser and pat dry with a towel. Your cleanser doesn't have to be expensive, but try to avoid normal soap because it leaves a sticky film on your skin. Washing removes dead skin, dirt, and oil that clogs pores and causes pimples. If you have dry skin, you need to remove dead skin cells and open pores to allow your skin to naturally moisturize itself.

2) (optional) Put a small amount of freshener or toner on a cotton ball and run it over your skin. This opens pores and dissolves zit-forming oils.

3) Put on moisturizer. If you have oily skin, put on a small amount. If you don't moisturize, your skin usually produces more oil to compensate for how dry it is after washing. A very thin, light coat of moisturizer will balance things out so your oil glands think, "Oh, I don't need to work so hard." If you have combination skin, put only a light coat on your oily spots, and a little more moisturizer on your dry patches. (optional, for night) Use a special nighttime moisturizer to repair any damage done during the day.

4) (optional, for morning) Protect your face with a LIGHT coat of GOOD sunscreen lotion -- the kind that's okay for use on your face. This will keep your skin moisturized and protected from dirt and UV radiation.

5) (optional) Once a week use a mask/masque. It's typically a thick paste you leave on for a few minutes. The mask sinks into your pores and grabs hold of underlying dirt and oil. When you wash/peel the mask way, the oil comes out too. It can also add nutrients to your skin. There's also facial strips that you wet and stick to problem areas, then peel away after a few minutes, but these are a bit caustic to your skin. Masks work the same, but are usually gentler.

WARNING: If you have sensitive skin, be sure to spot-test a small amount of any facial products before using them, especially moisturizer (since it's on your face for the longest time). The skin of your face is different from the rest of your body.

And, as always, some girls have more serious skin problems which can't be solved by the conventional wisdom here. Be sure to check with a parent or doctor.

Next month: I'll address Special Problems and Emergency Measures for your face.
If you have any skin care questions, just email us!