HEALTH

 

It's the dreaded skin condition that most, if not all, of us have had the misfortune of dealing with: acne. It seems like no matter how much time we spend popping, exfoliating and moisturizing, those pesky pimples never seem to go away. You're not alone in this: 50 million Americans are diagnosed with the condition every year. It's puzzled scientists for years, and we're still not sure what exactly causes you to break out.

But now, thanks to the University of California in San Diego, something is being done to change the way acne is treated...and it could be available in the form of the vaccine in the future. A team of scientists led by Eric C. Huang has found an antibody that can block the negative effects of P. acnes bacteria without compromising the good things it does for your body. P. acnes clogs hair follicles, causing your skin to become oily and inflamed.

How do you combat this bittersweet bacteria in the meantime? We have yet to see a 100 percent effective treatment hit the shelves, but there are helpful products you can use in the meantime.

Our first tip is to avoid touching your face. This means popping pimples, too. Breakouts are triggered by three things: excess oil, excess skin shedding and P. acnes. When you touch your face, you contaminate it with germs, dirt and oil, making you more susceptible to breakouts. Also, be sure to wash your face twice a day, every day and immediately follow with moisturizing. Be sure not to overwash—this can dry out your skin and cause your pores to produce more oils. Even if your skin is oily, moisturizing is essential. This will reduce oil production and improve your skin texture, leading to fewer breakouts.

It's also important to drink a lot of water. Along with various emotional and physical health benefits, water is an important part of  keeping your body's largest organ healthy. That's right, your skin is an organ. A large part of maintaining healthy skin is staying hydrated, so be sure to drink up to 2 liters of water a day.

Do you have acne prone skin? How do you deal with breakouts? Let us know in the comments!

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We want to hear from you! Send us your weirdest body questions here (seriously, we'll answer anything!) and it just might get featured.

by Julia Bonney | 4/14/2017