Good basic skin care should be the first step in any acne treatment. Wash your face twice daily with a gentle soap or facial cleanser, making sure not to scrub too hard, use abrasive products, or wash too often, as these may aggravate the skin and worsen acne.

Daily showering and shampooing is also important for the upper torso and areas around the hairline. Keeping acne–affected areas clean is the best start for successful treatment. However, keep in mind acne is not a disease caused by dirt, and so rather than a cure, washing is something to be maintained while using the treatments your doctor prescribes.

Tight clothing, thick padding, or hats or Wear loose clothes helmets that cause friction or trap sweat close to acne–affected areas will likely worsen acne. Sweat will not cause acne, but it may have a negative effect on pre–existing lesions. If the acne is in one particular part of your face, consider what touches your face on a daily basis. Do you cradle the phone with your chin? Do you rest your head on your hands?

When choosing make–up, women should be sure to choose water–based, lipstick oil–free cosmetics and look for the term “Non–comedogenic” on the packaging, which indicates that the make–up should not clog pores.Oily cosmetics may plug up pores and cause acne. Similarly, sometimes patients develop acne because they have jobs around deep fryers or work with industrial oils. Grease rising through the air can cause or worsen acne. And workers who touch their faces with greasy hands may find themselves suffering from acne.

One of the biggest myths about acne is that certain greasy foods cause outbreaks of pimples. In fact, there is very little correlation at all between diet and acne. Chocolate or french fries may affect your weight, but they won’t affect your acne. However, on occasion, an individual may find a certain food aggravates their acne, in which case that food should be avoided.

It is also critical that acne patients resist the temptation to squeeze or pick at their pimples. Bacteria from your hands can worsen acne, and squeezing puts the skin at a risk for scarring.