Sometimes it can be hard to look at the pages of a fashion magazine or watch the latest television show without feeling like one giant blemish. But if you're smart like you me (kidding), you'll do neither (not kidding), and you'll remember that beauty isn't about looking like a piece of airbrushed plastic -- it's about being the healthiest, most radiant human being you can be.
And yes, sometimes this does mean getting rid of skin blemishes, which can be caused by acne, allergic reactions, overexposure to the elements, or further irritation of the skin. The most important thing to remember when getting rid of blemishes is that your skin is a delicate membrane, and going overboard to get rid of blemishes can cause further, harder to fix, damage. So be gentle.
Removing Blemishes
Getting rid of blemishes is all about a healthy skin-care routine. Wash your face once a day (at night if you wear makeup) with a perfume-free face-wash or soap. This cleanses away daily impurities without drying out your skin and leaving your pores open and vulnerable to more blemishes.
Use a toner or astringent right after you wash to tighten your (clean) pores and wash away any dirt, grease, or dead skin that might be left. A good toner will feel rejuvenating (tingly) as you use it and leave your sking feeling smooth, not dry.
After you wash and tone, moisturize your skin with a oil and scent-free moisturizer. Skin that is too oily or too dry will have more blemishes (pimples and peeling), so using a gentle moisturizer to balance out your skin can help get rid of blemishes.
Use a gentle exfoliating scrub to remove dead skin, dirt, and other impurities that can clog pores and cause blemishes. Don't scrub too hard or too often, though -- that can leave skin damaged and dry and lead to more blemishes. Scrub once a week to every other day, depending on how severe and frequent your blemishes are, and you should see a gradual decrease in blemishes.
Professionally-done chemical peels or dermabrasion to remove the top layer(s) of dead and damaged skin with harsh chemicals and physical scraping. If daily care and home treatment don't get rid of your blemishes you can try a stronger chemical peel or dermabrasion to literally peel away your blemished skin. Use these procedures sparingly, however, as they are pretty harsh on your skin. Blemish Treatments
If you've tried every single tube and bottle of blemish remover from the Target cosmetic aisle and are still fighting skin blemishes, it might be time to try a higher-end acne and blemish treatment, such as proactiv, which you can't find in drugstores. These treatments will use a multi-step cleansing regimine (similar to suggestions 1-3 above) and contain prescription-strength amounts of the benzoyl peroxide found in most drugstore facial cleansers.
