When it comes to researching solutions for your acne, you are bound to come across various myths. Probably the most popular suggestion for combatting acne is to drink more water.
Chances are, somebody in your life has personally told you that drinking water cured their acne, and if not, you have likely read about it online.
So what is the truth? Does drinking water help acne?
No man wants to be walking around with acne on their face or body. Acne is uncomfortable and unattractive. To make the best first impression, whether it is at a job interview or on a first date, you must maintain a healthy and handsome complexion.
Pimples are simply not part of this equation. Today, we at MadeMan will be explaining acne, where it comes from, and how to treat it successfully.
Acne
Acne is an undesirable skin condition that has the potential to occur anywhere on your skin that has sebaceous glands. These glands secrete a natural oil called sebum that is meant to function as lubrication for the skin.
Sebum is released into the hair follicle and onto the skin’s surface. These hair follicles can often become clogged with oil, dirt, and dead skin cells combined with the sebum. Bacteria can feed on the substances clogging the follicles, multiply, and turn into acne.
There are several different types of acne blemishes, including whiteheads, blackheads, papules, pustules, and cysts.
One of the most common causes of acne is stress. After consistently experiencing stress, acne flare-ups will become consistent too. When you are stressed, your body will experience an increase in the release of stress-related hormones.
When cortisol is released into your body, it poses the threat of increasing the rate at which your sebaceous glands produce sebum. When this happens, and your body begins to produce sebum faster, this excess oil may start to mix with dead skin cells or dirt, clog your pores, and produce acne.
Treating Your Acne
When it comes to treating your acne, several different methods are available to you, ranging from natural remedies to professional treatments.
Managing Stress
For stress acne, the best way to prevent further breakouts and the surest way to give your skin the time it needs to heal is to learn to manage your stress.
One way to do this is to get enough rest. Getting a sufficient amount of sleep at night is vital for combatting acne. For one thing, sleeping will provide you with a temporary escape from the daily stresses of life.
On top of that, while you are sleeping, the blood flow in your skin increases and can assist your skin with rectifying past damage.
How Much Sleep Do You Need?
There is no one way to determine the correct amount of sleep for everybody, as everyone is different and has their own health needs. It is generally recommended, however, that adults sleep for an average of seven or eight hours.
To elevate the effects of this rest, you should sleep uninterrupted. Here are some easy ways to ensure that this happens:
- Avoid consuming caffeine in the hours leading up to your rest. Caffeine in your system causes your body to resist falling asleep.
- Shut off all of your electronic devices before going to bed. Watching television or scrolling through your phone may keep you distracted.
- Keep your bedroom dark. An absence of light will signal to the body that it is time for it to rest. Look into blackout curtains for some added protection against outside light.
- Try monitoring your sleep schedule. If you can train your body to fall asleep at the same time every night, you will have an easier time ensuring that you sleep for enough hours.
- If possible, set the temperature in your room to about 65ºF. When you sleep, your body temperature drops naturally. A cooler environment is better for rest than a hot one which is less complimentary for your body temperature and may disrupt your sleep.
Find Time To Exercise
In addition to getting enough rest, exercising every day can be helpful in learning to manage your stress. While there are obvious advantages to working out, like toning your figure, gaining strength, and staying healthy, there are also direct benefits for combatting stress.
When experiencing mental stress, your body may physically react by tensing up. While a visit to a masseuse can help release this tension, you can skip the drive and save your dollars by healing the tension yourself.
Exercise can offer your tensed-up muscles some immediate relief without even performing a full workout.
While a trip to the gym will surely be effective, taking a walk around the block, performing some pushups, or doing some stretches are enough for your body to release hormones like endorphins that can make you feel better.
Moisturizing
Another surefire way to improve your acne-ridden skin is to moisturize every morning and night using a quality face cream. Moisturizing daily is necessary for keeping your skin protected by strengthening its moisture barrier.
We recommend using MadeMan’s The Refresher.
Our moisturizer is capable of restoring and repairing your skin using complex nutrients and all-natural ingredients, including Indian Ginseng Extract, which protects your skin cells and relieves your skin of signs of fatigue, Castor Seed Oil, which helps to restore the skin's natural moisture balance and increases collagen production, and Chicory Root, which has lifting and tightening effects.
A full list of ingredients can be read here.
The Refresher is water-based making it safe for acne-prone skin. Other benefits include fixing fine lines, treating uneven skin texture, and fighting redness and hyperpigmentation.
Drink More Water
The rumors are true: Water does combat acne.
Dehydration can lead to the flaking of the skin, resulting in dead skin cells clogging up your pores and developing pimples. By increasing your water intake, you can avoid this from happening.
It is recommended that men consume on average 15.5 cups of fluids a day. If you struggle to drink this much water daily, or in the instance that you want to surpass this amount, you can look into implementing water-rich foods into your diet.
For your convenience, here is a list of foods that are good sources of water, as well as their water content range.
Following A Healthy Diet
When selecting which foods to incorporate more often into your diet, consider which foods will support your skin’s overall health. For example, prioritize foods rich in vitamins.
For example, vitamin A is essential for keeping you healthy.
One type of vitamin A is retinoids. Retinoids are involved in cell growth and differentiation. Retinol vitamin A can stimulate collagen production and the production of new cells, reduce the appearance of fine lines, and keep the skin from drying out.
The other type of vitamin A is carotenoids. Thanks to its high antioxidant content, carotenoids can prevent tissue damage and overall cell damage and resist skin aging. Antioxidants inhibit oxidation which means that it reduces the production of free radicals.
The overall benefits of vitamin A include preventing sun damage, protecting your skin’s collagen production, promoting natural moisturizing, and preventing breakouts.
Foods that are rich in vitamin A and have a high water content include:
- Spinach
- Carrots
- Yogurt
- Broccoli
- Fish
- Cheese
You can also try consuming foods with vitamin C.
Vitamin C is one of the most versatile vitamins on the market. Vitamin C repairs damaged tissue in the skin, fights free radicals, and helps collagen hold its twisted shape. This can help thicken and strengthen your skin, conceal discoloration, and treat blemishes like acne or acne scars.
If you lack vitamin C, your skin may develop an uneven skin texture, preventing your skin from appearing firm or supple and keeping your skin from being able to defend itself against ultraviolet radiation from the sun or pollutants.
Conclusion
In conclusion, adult acne in males is common, especially for those of us leading hectic — and sometimes stressful — lives.
The bad news is that, regardless of how common it is, we cannot tell when we’ll get acne next. The good news is that it is not impossible to help treat.
Even acne as complex as stress acne can be dealt with. Work on managing your stress levels on a daily basis, moisturize often using a safe and effective face cream, and make sure that you are consuming enough water.
By practicing self-discipline every day with these adjustments, your skin will begin to clear up in no time.
Sources:
Acne vulgaris: pathogenesis, treatment, and needs assessment | PubMed
[Skin hydration and hydrating products] | PubMed
