Any tips and advice for getting rid of acne and acne scars would be appreciative and reducing stress as well
Are you currently on contraceptives? If so, it could be that it's not working for you, and is throwing your hormones out of whack - consult your GP My sister (26) had bad acne recently due to stress, and started cleaning the affected areas with Rubbing Alcohol / Surgical spirits. It cleared up pretty well, without obvious scarring. You can also ask a chemist for something to help clear it up and keep it at bay if all else fails. Good luck! Edit to add: To reduce the appearance of existing scars, try Bio-Oil, or anything that contains Vit. E :icon_wink
When it comes to acne, go natural. You wouldn't believe the mess these 'miracle' acne treatments cause your skin. They strip your skin of their natural oils that protect your from acne causing bacteria which is often referred to as the 'acid mantle'. Google it. If you want to get rid of scars, try oils. You may think it's crazy to apply oil to acne-prone skin, but it's quite the opposite. Try something like Jojoba oil (similar to the skins oils) or coconut oil, which is amazing for scars and moisturising. Since I stopped using OTC (over the counter) products, my skin has never been better. Also, try improving your diet. Reduce your sugar, dairy and gluten intake as much as possible. Especially dairy when it comes to acne. Drink lots of water! Trust me, natural is the way to go.
I don't have acne. I do however have pretty bad skin and often have breakouts and cysts which I'm pretty sure are hormonal. I haven't had any in ages though since I started using urea cream as my nightly moisturiser. My skin hasn't been this good in years and it certainly wouldn't do yours any harm.
I use the Neutrogena Anti-Stress and Axe Oily Skin face scrubs and they work fine for me. I used to have Proactiv but I don't remember if it worked well. If you've tried things like that, try talking to a dermatologist about finding a plan that works for you.
To clear up my skin (everyone's is different, but this tends to work) I drink a LOT of water, work out/go outside/sweat a bunch and then take a shower. Doing all that pushes water through your skin and prevents clogging and bacteria and all that. I also use Ocean Salt by Lush which is pretty expensive, so I only use it on my acne affected areas (my face, for me). It has lime infused vodka that kills bacteria and the sea salt scrubs nicely. Plus it smells really good. plus it doesn't super dry out my skin because of the avocado and coconut oils. But if your skin is sensitive, this might not be a good option. (I realize I sound like a Lush ad, but it really really does work well for me )
I use Sudocrem to get rid of my acne/acne scars. Remember to put a tiny amount and only on your spots. Leaving it on overnight will help heal your acne considerably. Its not suitable for the daytime because it leaves you ghostly white.
