Getting Rid of Acne and Blemishes – The Wrong Way

Acne can be a source of stress and worry throughout your life, not just during your teenage years.  Though your chance of developing blemishes is partially down to your genes, most people will develop a spot or blemish at some point in their lives so it is important to learn the right way to deal with outbreaks. 

Excessive washing or washing with products that are too strong for your skin can do more harm than good - your skin is a delicate ecosystem in which (to massively oversimplify things) P. acnes bacteria feed on sebum, a natural moisturiser excreted by your skin, which under normal circumstances keeps the sebum in check.  Wash away sebum and the ecosystem collapses, leaving you open to infection.  Kill the bacteria with strong antibacterial soaps and washes and sebum will build up, blocking pores and causing - you guessed it - spots.

Though it is many people’s first reaction when seeing a spot to ‘pop’ it between their fingers, this is never a good idea.  Much like excessive washing, a quick and easy solution can cause long-term damage to your skin - scarring, discoloration and simple whiteheads turning in to full-on cystic acne. Your body will take care of spots naturally if you leave them be - the white in a whitehead is billions of white blood cells fighting off the underlying infection.  While you’re waiting for the spot to disappear naturally keep your skin clean with fresh water - cool water will cause your skin pores to close, reducing the chance of sebum and bacteria entering.
Cleansing your skin regularly with Green People’s range of organic skincare products can significantly reduce your chances of developing acne without drying or damaging your skin.

View our range of products for acne, spots and blemishes