Acne is an unsightly skin disease that many people get during or after their teenage years. One of the worst habits you can have when you have acne is constantly touching your face, or worse, scratching your skin. The oils on your hands are totally different from those on your face, and they can make your skin conditions worse, even when you wash your hands. It’s best to avoid this and it’s easy to do.
Steps
Step 1. Do your research
- Read up on acne scars. Forums like forum.doctissimo.fr are an excellent starting point. Mike Walden’s More Never Acne is also a great source of information on the harmful effects of popping pimples. It also offers practical tips for treating acne.
- Most forms of acne do not leave scars when left untouched. Scars are caused by scratching the skin, piercing pimples and irritating the skin.
- Type acne scars into the Google search bar and look for the images provided to understand what you are exposing yourself to if you keep pinching your skin.
Step 2. Identify the way you scratch the most often
- Pinch you unconsciously: you touch or pinch your face while reading a book, sitting in front of your computer or watching television. This is very dangerous, as you could pinch yourself without even realizing it.
- Pinch yourself in front of the bathroom mirror You walk into the shower to floss and end up spending a quarter of an hour in front of the mirror, pinching your face and popping pimples.
- Pinch yourself during a moment of inactivity: you pinch your face while you're on the phone, waiting for the bus and when you're stuck in traffic.
Step 3. Choose the methods and tips that will help you
This step comes after you determine the circumstances in which you pinch yourself.
- Always keep your hands busy. Play video games or crossword puzzles while you wait for the bus. Give yourself a hand massage while watching TV. Start by knitting to occupy your hands during the night.
- Glue small posters with the message DO NOT PINCH on the remote, on your bathroom mirror, on your pocket mirror, or anywhere you are likely to see them whenever you start to pinch your skin.
- Put on gloves. It might sound silly, but you won't be able to pinch your face if you're wearing gloves. You can also wear them at night, if you are used to sleeping with your face in your hands. Just be sure to wash the gloves in question regularly.
- If wearing gloves is not an option, consider putting narrow adhesive strips or bandages around your fingers. This is a bit more subdued and will really make it harder for you if you want to pinch yourself.
- Involve people around you. A relative, close friend or even a roommate can be of great help. Ask him to gently scold you whenever he catches you touching your face.
- Do not abandon. Like all bad habits, you won't be able to stop pinching yourself overnight. So try not to give up.
Step 4. Reap the rewards
Now that you don't touch or pinch your face, your skin will heal faster and there will be less oil and dirt to cause acne again. Congratulation
Step 5. Check your nails
Make sure they are always well cut and clean. Make sure there is no dirt under your fingernails, as most bacteria reside in your hands. Hygiene is essential because, as you know, hands and fingers are among the most unsuitable areas of the human body.
Step 6. Wash your hands well with antibacterial soap
Don't pinch your nose! This organ is dirty and contains a large number of bacteria. You sure don't want all these germs on your face, do you?
Step 7. Avoid touching your face with your hands
To do this, stop using your hands, for example when you are at the table. Do not cover your face with your hands. Do not use them for support either.
Step 8. Put your hands in your pocket when you walk
When you are seated at the table, extend your hands or hold them on the table or rest them on your knees. Put your hands under your thighs and sit on them. It might sound silly, but this technique can help overcome the urge to touch your face. You may behave this way during a job interview or in places like a restaurant.
Step 9. Relax
Don't think about touching your face. Learn how to break this bad habit.
Advice
- If you have to touch your face, then wash your hands with antibacterial soap before and after contact. Never use your fingernails to pinch yourself.
- When washing your face, be careful not to scrub too hard. This will cause irritation and you may be tempted to rub your face to make the pain go away.
- Learn to stay calm. Avoid covering your face with your hands or touching your forehead.
- Concentrate. Don't think much about your hands.
- Use gloves made entirely of cotton. Wool will cause irritation (if you try to touch your face) and nylon can still cause more damage.
- You actually have the option of pinching your face even while wearing gloves. Wear mittens while in front of the ice.
- If you like to fiddle with things, opt for things that keep your hands busy like lead bags, skeins or beaded bracelets. Whenever you notice your hands moving towards your face, stop and grab one of these toys instead.
- To prevent yourself from pinching part of your face, put an antibacterial cream, such as acne gel, on it. Then cover it with a bandage. This will make acne go away faster and you will no longer be prone to break through it.
Warnings
- Never use your fingernails to pierce pimples. Fingernails can damage the skin and cause scarring.
- Touching the face with the hands can cause pore clogging due to the presence of sweat on the forehead or on the hands. People with sensitive skin may have an abnormal appearance or oily skin.
- Touching the face with the hands can cause a rash which in turn can cause pimples, acne, blackheads, oily skin and more from bacteria or dirt.