How to Treat Acne

Acne is a common skin condition that millions of people suffer from worldwide. It’s likely that you or someone you know has dealt with the skin condition. Consider this article your guide to acne treatments as we go over the different things that may help you to manage it. Along the way, we will also draw attention to some common acne myths. Keep reading so that you can discover some of the best ways to tackle acne.

What is Acne?

So, what is acne? Put simply, acne is a very common skin condition that causes spots to appear. It’s common during puberty, but acne can also persist into adulthood. The spots can sometimes be painful, and it can also cause your skin to take on an oily appearance. Skin can also be painful to the touch if you have a severe case of acne.

Spots are most common on your face, but they can also appear on your back and chest. In fact, there are six main types of spots that can appear. For example, papules are small and red, while cysts are large lumps that are often filled with pus. These are considered the most severe type of spots that acne can cause, and they are often associated with scarring.

Acne Myths

There are many myths surrounding acne and we are going to dispel some of the most common here:

• Poor Diet: Acne being caused by a poor diet is a myth, as there’s no scientific evidence to suggest that certain foods can cause or exacerbate the condition. Of course, it’s a good idea to eat a healthy and balanced diet for the sake of your general health and well-being.
• Squeezing Spots: Squeezing your acne spots is not a treatment of acne, as some people believe. In fact, it will actually worsen your condition and is likely to cause scarring on your face.
• It’s Contagious: Thinking that acne is contagious or infectious is completely false. You can’t catch acne from another person or pass it on.
• Sex: Having sex has no impact (positive or negative) on your acne. It is wrong to believe that having sex can affect the appearance of your spots.
• Tanning: Tanning, whether that be using sunbeds or going out into the sun, won’t help to improve your acne. There’s no scientific evidence to support that being in the sun will improve your condition. You could also increase your risk of skin cancer if you expose your skin to damaging UV rays. Make sure that you use sunscreen before you head out into the sunlight and that you don’t stay out in it for too long. Sunlight (and vitamin D) can have a positive impact on your mental and physical health. In case you live somewhere that doesn’t allow you to have access to the sun, make sure to take a vitamin D supplement to help support your general well-being.
• Poor Hygiene Habits: Finally, it’s utterly false to believe that acne is caused by having dirty skin or by not cleansing. Acne is caused by issues underneath your skin, and therefore washing the top layer will not be able to stop acne from occurring.

Current Acne Treatments

Now let’s take a look at some of the current treatments of acne.

Self-Help

There are some things that you can do to help manage your acne at home:

• Don’t squeeze your spots – no matter how tempting this might be. It can cause you issues down the line with scarring, and this can be harder to cope with.
• Wash and clean your skin with a gentle cleanser. Use room temperature water as water that’s too hot or cold can aggravate your skin. Use cleansers that are marketed for spotty or sensitive skin. Only wash your skin a maximum of twice per day. Over washing can cause your skin to feel dry and sore.
• Some people use toothpaste to dry out a particular spot overnight. Although there is no guarantee that this method will work, you could give it a go.
• Since various acne medications can cause side effects, many individuals opt for natural alternatives like CBD (Cannabidiol). Available in many product formats like CBD Capsules, tinctures, topicals, edibles and vapes, this natural compound is touted for many potential health benefits. Nowadays, there is a growing body of research regarding the use of CBD for acne, which shows that CBD has the ability to regulate the production of sebum, an oily substance that the body produces and that usually causes acne. Because cannabidiol also possesses anti-inflammatory effects, the redness and pain associated with acne can also be reduced in users.
• Fully remove your make up before going to sleep. Also, if you can, avoid wearing heavy make up as this can block your pores.
• Keep hair clean and try not to let it touch your face.

Treatments From A Medical Professional

If your acne doesn’t improve from these self-help tips, then it’s a good idea to make an appointment with a doctor or dermatologist. There are a variety of treatments that they can prescribe, for example:

• Topical treatments: These types of treatments include creams, lotions and salves that you apply directly onto the affected areas. One common example is Benzoyl peroxide. This is an antiseptic cream that can help to reduce bacteria on the skin. It can help to reduce inflammation and is typically used once or twice per day. Too much of this treatment can irritate your skin, so make sure to use it sparingly and follow specific instructions from your doctor. Some of the common side effects that can occur with this treatment are dry, itchy or stinging skin. These should pass following the completion of the treatment. If you are ever concerned about these side effects, then speak to your doctor. They may need to change the treatment. People are typically on this topical treatment for six weeks.
• Antibiotic tablets: Oral antibiotic tablets can sometimes be prescribed to treat more serious cases of acne. It can take six weeks for you to notice any improvements. The doctor will assess your acne and consider how long they think you should be taking this medication.
• Hormonal treatments: Sometimes, doctors will place women with acne on the combined contraceptive pill. This is because sometimes acne can have hormonal causes. The pill can take up to one year to notice a difference in your acne.

Final Thoughts

And that completes our article on acne treatments. Although there are a number of things that you can do to help your acne at home, this isn’t always sufficient for moderate or severe acne. Making an appointment with a medical professional is a good idea if you are concerned about your acne and if it’s causing you to have low self-esteem.

*this post contains PR samples and/or Affiliate Links unless indicated otherwise - you can learn more on my Disclaimer page.

Cult Beauty Female Founders Edit

Having only just released the hair care boxes, Cult Beauty is back with another box and this one is quite exciting with amazing contents - The Female Founders Edit: USA Edition.

This box, which is worth over £190/€215 will be on sale for just £75/€86.25 which Cult Beauty say is a saving of 60%, which is quite the saving.

The Female Founders Edit: USA Edition stars high-performing formulas from seven American brands with women at the helm.

A love letter to some of the incredible women that make the beauty industry what it is, this edit shines a spotlight on seven of the female-founded brands that are more than deserving of a place in your routine. 

The products inside this box have been chosen for different elements of your beauty routine and there is six full sizes and one travel-sized beauty products.

Contents

• Briogeo Don’t Despair, Repair! Deep Conditioning Hair Mask (236ml/full size)
• Glow Recipe Watermelon Glow Niacinamide Dew Drops (40ml/full size); 
• OUAI Hair care Body Crème in the heavenly ‘Melrose Place’ scent (212g/ full size); 
• SUMMER FRIDAYS Jet Lag Mask (64g/ full size); 
• Supergoop! Unseen Sunscreen SPF 30 (50ml/ full size); 
• Then I Met You Living Cleansing Balm (10g/ travel size) 
• Tower 28 Beauty ShineOn Lip Jelly in clear ‘Chill’ (3.9ml/ full size)

I absolutely love the contents of this box and that there is such a good mixture of brands and their products.

This box, which will go on sale soon, has a waiting list that you can sign up to here, to be alerted to its sale.

*this post contains PR samples and/or Affiliate Links unless indicated otherwise - you can learn more on my Disclaimer page.

Can digital marketing drive admissions to your college?

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With the advent of the digital age, companies all over the world are evolving to ensure that they remain relevant and up to date with current trends. To stay afloat, one often needs to employ new strategies and ways off work, such as working from home, teleconferencing, and creating a social media presence. Advertising has greatly changed down through the years, as many organizations are now employing the use of digital marketing for a wider reach.

What is digital marketing?

Simply put, this is a type of marketing that uses digital means to get the word out. This could be in the form of Early Years Apprenticeships, email, social media posts, affiliate links, and so on. Ina college context, you could advertise your school through a social media page such as Instagram. With the wider demographic on the app being a much younger age, this could be an excellent way to reach out to potential students and run up the admission numbers.

Why should you use digital marketing?

Affordable

According to Forbes, digital marketing is an easy and affordable way to market your services or product, in this case, a quality college education. Traditional forms of advertising such as billboards or commercials and tv are quite expensive and require a significant investment of time and resources. However, using ads on the internet is much cheaper, as you can get an ad space at a low cost and work your way up. Whatever your budget, therefore, it will be easy for you to get started and have an ad up and running. 

Has a wider reach 

Higher education digital marketing is an easy field to break into, as most internet users are younger. With popular platforms such as Tik Tok, with the right kind of content, you can drive up traffic to your website and attract more students to your college. We understand that it can be a bit nerve-wracking to create content that appeals to a younger generation, but it is possible. If you need some help or a type of roadmap, Skillshare can be a good place to start. There are plenty of courses on the site that explain how to get the most out of digital marketing and how to break through to your target audience.

Breaks down barriers

With traditional forms of advertising such as newspaper ads or billboards, it is less likely that consumers will visit your store or website or make that phone call. However, with digital marketing, all it would take is one click and your customer can access your website or page. With this instant accessibility, users will be much more likely to make a purchase or an inquiry, which is good for your numbers.

In a nutshell, digital marketing can drive admissions to your college. With the right engaging content and advertisements, you will have students reaching out to you for a prospectus. Moreover, digital marketing creates a lot of visibility on whether or not your advertisement is doing well and if people are engaged with it. This kind of feedback is crucial, as it will help you make adjustments where necessary.

*this post contains PR samples and/or Affiliate Links unless indicated otherwise - you can learn more on my Disclaimer page.

Glossybox March Edit - Glossy Wonderland

Moving on from last months TImeless Treasures, the March Edit of Glossybox has arrived and this month we are being asked to step into a Glossy Wonderland where you can explore your playful side because the world of beauty is fun. 

So this month featuring everything from magical makeup to sweet scented shower treats, you will find five full sized products bring a vale to this box over £65.

The first product from my box comes from a brand called Elikya with their Rose Liquid Highlighter.

Described as being an all natural highlighter that is enriched with essential hibiscus oil.  On this skin, this highlighter is so lightweight, it has a subtle pink shimmer which I really like, but best of all, depending on your preference, you can mix a few drops into your foundation to give that sunkissed glow too.

The second product in this months box comes from KNDR Beauty with their Mood Stick Lipstick.

Proudly claiming that this is no ordinary lipstick, it is a colour shifting lipstick which transforms from the shade Never Blue to a pH perfect pink tone for your lips. It also has a sheer luxe finish which is really hydrating, quite similar to that of a lip balm.

From James Read Tan for the third product in this months box, we have the Sleep Body Mask.

Described as being the product to help you develop a natural-looking sun kissed glow, it develops through the night when your skin is at its most receptive hours and transform into a light sun kissed hue which can be built upon for a more intense colour, so that be your wish.  This formula is a fast-dry formula and because it is colourless, it also doesn't stain the bed sheets or your pj's!

Up next from Magnitone we have the WIPEOUT! Microfibre Cleansing Cloth which should help you ditch those wasteful wipes.

I stopped using wipes longer ago than I care to remember, I don't even use them to remove makeup swatches off my skin.  These Cleansing Cloths are incredibly soft to the touch and are said to have the ability, with just warm water, to remove even the toughest of makeup.  Once you have used the cloth, you can wash and re-use thousands of times.

The final item in this months box is one of two different products. You will either find Bubble T Cosmetics Peony and Cherry Blossom Body Wash or the product that I found hiding inside by box which is the Bilou Shower Foam.

With the Bilou Shower Foam there is four different options that have been put into the boxes, so you will either get Coco Cocktail, Tasty Donut, Pink Melon or Fizzy Berry.  I have Coco Cocktail which describes itself as smelling just like Tropical Paradise. It has hints of creamy coconut and tropical Madagascan Vanilla alongside Sweet Almond Oil, Aloe Vera and Avocado Oil too. 

For me, once again, I have absolutely loved the theme of this months Glossybox and continuing on from last months box, they have produced three very good boxes for 2022.

As you will all know, Glossybox is a beauty box subscription service and it costs as little as £11 per month here*. By subscribing to these boxes, it gives you the chance to get your hands on the Limited Edition boxes.

*this post contains PR samples and/or Affiliate Links unless indicated otherwise - you can learn more on my Disclaimer page.