Published: September 30, 2024
Acne doesn’t only affect the skin. Each new breakout can chip away at a person’s self-esteem, impacting their mental health along with other aspects of their lives. Acne sufferers have been found to be more susceptible to everything from anxiety and depression to lower body satisfaction and a poor quality of life.
These are just the effects of regular breakouts, but when a major breakout hits? The impact on a person’s confidence can be devastating. If you can relate, keep reading as CBGärdN shares some tips on how to bounce back from this and fully restore your sense of self-esteem.
Stop Scrutinizing Your Skin
First things first…stop obsessing over your skin. We know how difficult this can be when you spend so much time dreading your next breakout. However, it’s not doing your confidence any favors.
The more you scrutinize your skin, the more critical you’ll be over even the tiniest of flaws. More often than not, these ‘flaws’ aren’t even noticed by other people. After all, they’re not scrutinizing your skin in the same way! You need to get into a more positive mindset so cut yourself some slack and step away from the mirror.
Come Up With a Multi-Pronged Skincare Plan
Sometimes, that daunting feeling of helplessness that accompanies acne is exacerbated by how people tend to pin all of their hopes on skincare products that promise to instantly clear up the skin…only to be left disappointed when those products don’t work. However, there’s a reason for this…
Acne is caused by a combination of different factors. If you want to take control of your skin, you need a multi-pronged skincare approach that will encompass all of the various acne triggers. This in itself will be a huge confidence booster. Not only will your skin start to look better but you also won’t need to worry so much about when your next breakout is going to hit.
So, what does this multi-pronged skincare plan need to look like? Here are the main acne triggers to consider when building your new skincare routine:
Acne-Causing Bacteria
Acne is caused by a specific type of bacteria. This bacterium is actually relatively slow-growing. It digests the sebum on the skin, of which there is plenty if you have oily, acne-prone skin. This then enables it to grow and spread.
One of the easiest ways to stop this spread is to keep your skin clean. A good foaming cleanser, like the CB Silk Facial Foaming Purifier, will remove a large amount of acne-causing bacteria from your skin, greatly cutting down your chances of experiencing a breakout.
If a regular cleanse doesn’t seem to be enough for your skin, consider double cleansing in the evenings. Use an oil-based cleanser to start with and then follow up with a water-based cleanser. This provides a much more thorough cleanse and can be game-changing for acne-prone skin.
Clogged Pores
Even if your face is invaded by acne-causing bacteria, it won’t actually trigger a breakout until it mixes in with the blockages in your pores. Therefore, keeping your pores clear can go a long way in preventing the appearance of acne.
How do you keep your pores clear? You have a few options. Firstly, a good cleansing regimen will help to keep your skin free of impurities, meaning that there’ll be less gunk on your skin to clog your pores in the first place.
Regularly exfoliating is important too. This is one of the best ways to clear out any blockages from within your pores. The CB Microexfoliant Peel does this beautifully.
Clay-based face masks are also great for pulling excess sebum out of the pores. The CB Purifying Heating Mask does this particularly well thanks to its thermal properties. By gently heating up on the skin, it leaves the pores feeling more elastic, enabling even more sebum to be removed.
Inflammation
Even with clogged pores and acne-causing bacteria, a breakout still won’t occur unless inflammation is involved too. So, to keep your complexion acne-free for the foreseeable future, make sure that your skincare routine is geared toward lowering the feeling of inflammation.
How? By incorporating ingredients that have been proven to do just that. Numerous studies have been done on niacinamide, for example, that back up how it’s able to reduce the look and feel of inflammation. Sodium hyaluronate has similar effects while also being exceptionally hydrating. With the CB Facial Toner, you’ll be able to soak up the benefits of both, along with the powerful antioxidant compounds provided by nettle leaf extract.
Excess Sebum Production
Although acne can affect all skin types, those who have naturally oily skin are particularly prone to it. The excess oil produced by the skin not only feeds acne-causing bacteria but also makes you far more susceptible to clogged pores. After all, all of that oil needs to go somewhere!
What can you do about this? Make sure that you’re not encouraging your skin to produce excess sebum. Over-cleansing and over-exfoliating, for example, lead to exactly that. Both disrupt the skin’s protective barrier in a way that stimulates the skin to produce more oil. While both cleansing and exfoliating are key in preventing a breakout, don’t go overboard with your efforts.
Dehydration is something else that causes the skin to ramp up its oil production. A deeply hydrating serum, like the CB Replenishing Serum, will help to quench your skin without clogging pores.
Work on Stress Management
Did you know that stress is a big acne trigger? Not only that but stress can also inhibit your confidence and self-esteem. Therefore, learning how to manage your stress will not only be a big boost to your mental health but it will help your complexion too!
The key to stress management is to step in before your stress levels start to soar too much. Fortunately, there are plenty of stress-busting techniques out there that you can turn to, such as:
- Listening to uplifting music
- Taking a walk outdoors
- Practicing deep breathing exercises
- Spending time in the sun (but make sure you’re wearing sunscreen as UV rays can trigger inflammation and, therefore, an acne breakout)
- Meditation
- Indulging in an enjoyable hobby
- Talking to someone about your worries
- Spending time with animals
Improve Your Diet
Just like stress, your dietary choices not only directly impact your skin but affect your mental health too.
A low-glycemic diet, meaning one that doesn’t contain many processed foods, is the way to go. This will allow you to reduce inflammation in your body while also giving your skin the nutrients that it needs to really thrive. It will also give your brain a boost, improving your mood and self-esteem.
Of course, there are also certain foods out there that contain specific nutrients that can help to prevent the appearance of acne, such as:
- Oily fish
- Nuts and seeds
- Leafy green vegetables, like spinach and kale
- Red grapes
Curate an Uplifting Social Media Feed
Do you spend a lot of time on social media? If so, the constant exposure to photos of influencers and celebrities with clear and flawless skin isn’t going to do much for your confidence. Plus, it’s not realistic either – the majority of people out there don’t have skin like that!
Don’t worry, this doesn’t require a self-imposed social media ban. Instead, re-curate your social media feeds so that you start to see more ‘real-life’ posts. Follow other acne sufferers and share in their struggles. You’ll be able to relate to those posts in a motivating way, leaving you feeling less alone. Who knows – you may even pick up a few game-changing tips when it comes to dealing with your next breakout!
Get Active
Want to get your confidence levels soaring? If so, try working on your fitness. Exercise has been proven to boost self-esteem, as well as cognitive function. It also reduces feelings of depression and anxiety while helping to keep stress levels low.
If you want to experience all of those benefits, experts recommend a minimum of 150 minutes of exercise a week. This may seem like a lot but it works out to just over 20 minutes of moderate exercise a day – much more doable! Find some physical activities that you genuinely enjoy and your workouts won’t feel like such a chore.
Seek Professional Help When Needed
While all of the tips that we’ve shared so far will help with both your acne and your confidence, those with severe acne may still struggle to put a stop to their breakouts. It’s important to remember that this isn’t your fault. You could be doing all of the right things for your skin but still be inundated with new breakouts. When this happens, it’s time to seek professional help.
What’s a professional going to do for your confidence? They’ll be able to help you deal with your breakouts, giving you the tools and prescription products that you need to achieve a clearer complexion. This, as you can imagine, will do wonders for your self-esteem.
Be Patient
As much as you may hope to wake up to a clear and pimple-free complexion, you need to remember that acne can’t be treated overnight. Expecting miracles is only going to further dash your confidence when you’re left disappointed.
Instead, you need to be patient. Recognize that it can take a while to see improvements in your skin. Even if you’re using all of the right products, your skin will likely need to go through a full cycle, which can take a month or so, before any changes are noticed. Being impatient will only lead to stress and, as you know, this will only make your skin worse.
Summary
If a major acne breakout has left your confidence shaky, it’s crucial to remember that you’re not alone. 50 million Americans are affected by acne each year, meaning that a large portion of the population will be experiencing similar feelings. Although your self-esteem may have taken a big knock, make an effort to follow the tips that we’ve shared above and not only will you be able to rebuild your confidence but your skin will soon start to look healthier and happier too!
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