Are your breakouts so intolerable that you'd want to plunge your face on your pillow all day just to hide your face? Or, are you the type who'd scrub your face hoping the acne would wear off and go down the drain? If only acne were that easy to get rid of? Having acne is a natural thing, but it is one of the natural phenomena that bring disaster upon you. That's right, sad but true.

You should know that acne are not caused by bacteria alone. It begins at the root of the hair follicle where dead skin cells accumulate, which gets inflamed when clogged and acted upon by bacteria. The best way to avoid and eliminate acne is to maintain a clean skin everyday. But does that put the need to wash your face frequently? The answer is "N-O". Gentle washing should be part of your acne skin care. And please, use only a mild cleanser, that is ? once in the morning and before going to sleep. Other cleansers may contain harsh ingredients abrasive to your acne, worsening your skin's condition.

Acne skin care should ensure that the pores are well penetrated by cleansing agents. Dermatologists also warn us about the use of bars soaps as they strip important lipids away.

I guess you are probably so concerned about your acne that you want to feel them often (like checking if it's still there? duh!). Squeezing, picking or popping zits is a no-no in acne skin care.

Ultraviolet rays from the sun are also damaging to your skin and aggravate acne because it triggers a virulent production of sebum, not to mention that skin cancer is also attributed to UV rays. Having sun exposure is not ultra bad at all; just avoid the rays from 10AM ? 4PM to save you from the risks.

Also, in case you can't do without your daily makeup, make sure you choose products that are oil-free or noncomedogenic.

Another way to treat your acne is exfoliating. This process removes the top layer of dead skin cells that contribute to flare ups. Do this only once a week to avoid tearing your skin and choose a gentle scrub with microdermabrasion (the ones with tiny grains).

Finally, do moisturize but select products that are water based and oil-free. For acne-prone skins, moisturize lightly ? your skin deserves it.