10 Effective Dermatologist Tips On How to Get Clear Skin

Have you ever noticed that your dermatologist always has a perfect complexion? The truth is that this is most often the case and that’s because they have the knowledge of how to get clear skin and keep it that way! We all have our own idea of what a good skin care routine looks like, but it’s the expertise that a dermatologist has that allows them to understand how to tackle any given skin issue.

So, if you’re having trouble with your skin and you just can't seem to tame those breakouts, then this article is for you. Here we look at ten dermatologist tips to help you in your struggle and hopefully, by reading right to the end, you’ll have a much better idea about taking care of your skin and how to get results more quickly. 

Never EVER Pop Those Pimples

When you get a breakout, it can be very tempting to deal with them there and then by popping them and while this might be mildly satisfying, it’s only going to cause you more problems. Why? It’s because when you remove the unpleasant head of a pimple, it will likely make your skin look a little better, but it could cause bacteria to be driven deeper into your skin - causing a bigger problem.

In addition to potentially causing new breakouts, popping zits and scratching can lead to long-lasting scars that will make your skin uneven. In this instance, if you’re looking at how to get clear skin, you only need to clean and dry the area before applying your topical acne cream as part of your daily routine. 

Ensure You Cleanse Your Skin Regularly

The next of our tips is to practice good skin care, which in this case includes a regular clean. Due to the fact that the neck, face, chest, and upper arm areas contain the highest amount of oil glands, this is where issues like acne tend to develop. And while it’s most common in teenagers, it can happen to anyone at any point in their lives.

By cleaning these areas of the body as part of your regular skincare regimen, you’ll remove the conditions that lead to breakouts and acne from developing in the first place. Of course, depending on the severity of the problem, stronger products may be required to get your spots under control, but having clean skin everyday is a great place to start from in your quest to get on top of things.

Don’t Over-Wash Your Skin

Proving that learning how to get clear skin can be a little confusing, our next tip relates to making sure that you don’t overly wash your skin. As we mentioned a moment ago in tip 2, you need to regularly clean your skin to keep it free of oil, dirt and pore-clogging grime, however, you shouldn’t overdo things or you’ll end up drying your skin out excessively. 

A good rule of thumb to follow in this regard is to wash your skin in the morning and again in the evening as part of your normal routine. Do it more often than this and you risk causing irritation and that’s not the path to a clear complexion. 

Include Pore-Friendly Skin Care Products in Your Routine

When you’re carrying out your twice-daily skin cleanse, it’s crucial that you aren’t using products that might clog your pores. For this reason, you should be looking for oil-free products that are usually advertised as non-comedogenic or non-acnegenic, which is basically an official term dermatologists use to denote products that aren’t prone to clogging those pores.

Being able to identify the right products for your needs is a key part of learning how to get clear skin, so it might be worth taking a note of this industry jargon, as well as ingredients like salicylic acid and benzoyl peroxide that are known to be effective at clearing up acne and preventing breakouts.

Opt for Gentle Products When You Can

Following on from tip 4, tip 5 doubles down on the need to choose your skin care products wisely and this info should be on page one of the how to get clear skin handbook. There are certain products on the market that are much harsher than others and they’re created because there are some people out there that need them to be strong to deal with their skin issues.

That said, the harsher products on the market can contain ingredients like alcohol that can lead to dry, irritated skin - which will ultimately exacerbate the condition. There are many alcohol-free cleansers available, so you shouldn't have any issue finding one that works for you. 

Protect Yourself from UV Rays

There’s something of a misconception out there that being out in the sun actually helps to clear your skin up, however, this notion is quite wide of the mark. In truth, being exposed to too much UV radiation can often cause inflammation, as well as prematurely aging the skin and increasing your chances of melanoma, whether it’s from the sun or from a tanning bed.

When you’re looking to learn how to clear skin naturally, you should ensure that you’re always wearing a good quality sunscreen as part of your normal regime. The fact is that you can get sun damage even when it’s not sunny outside, as UVA rays can penetrate through clouds and interestingly, also through water when you’re swimming. 

This is especially the case if you’re taking any kind of medication that makes you susceptible to being burnt by UV rays and you can back up your use of sunscreen with sunglasses, protective clothing and a nice wide-brimmed sun hat that can provide sufficient shading for your neck, shoulders and face. 

Exfoliate at Least Twice a Week

One of the cornerstones of any good skin care routine is exfoliation, which is something you need to be doing at least a couple of times a week to keep those pores clear. If you miss out this step, you’ll not be removing all that dirt and built-up dead skin cells like you need to and debris can find its way into your pores, block them and guess what…another breakout!

That said, you do need to be gentle to your skin and avoid any hard scrubbing, particularly if you have sensitive skin and to further ensure you don’t cause any irritation, be sure to use warm or lukewarm water when cleansing or exfoliating, rather than using water that’s either too hot or too cold. 

It’s a vital step when learning how to clear skin and its benefits extend beyond the elimination of dirt, oil and dead skin cells, as the process is also important for encouraging cell turnover - which allows all that new skin underneath to shine through. Just listen to your skin - if it feels like it’s getting irritated, try backing off a little.

Support Your Skin from the Inside Out

Another important aspect of skin health that you need to consider on your journey to knowing how to clear skin fast is what you put into your body as part of your diet. There is evidence to suggest that eating too much food that has a high glycemic index can contribute to a change in hormone levels, which in turn can cause more oil to be produced on the skin and increase inflammation.

When you consume high glycemic food - which includes things like potatoes, white bread, crisps and white rice - it results in a large change in blood sugar over a short time and it can be a contributing cause to issues like acne. Opting for low-glycemic foods like legumes, vegetables and lentils will prevent this from happening at all.

Hair Products May Clog Pores

Our penultimate tip on how to clear skin relates to the products that you put in your hair, as oily hair can greatly increase your chances of pimples appearing. Products like gel and hairspray can also result in clogged pores, so when you’re applying them, you should be sure to shield your face so that none of it ends up on your face.

Conditioners can also cause skin issues, so when you’re using products like this, you should make sure that you wash them all out fully after shampooing, paying particular attention to your face, chest and neck, so that none of the product lingers on your skin. Also try washing your hair daily and then pinning it back so that it’s not resting on your problem areas.

Don’t Touch Your Face

Lastly, we look at the need to avoid touching your face or neck with your hands, as they can harbor all sorts of dirt and bacteria. Many people have a habit of touching their face during the day and every time  you do, you potentially transfer any contaminants that exist there directly onto your face.

What this bad habit also does is spread bacteria from one part of your face to another, making your breakouts spread over a larger area. Additionally, washing your hands regularly is a good way of further preventing the problem. 

Here’s Wishing You All a Breakout-Free Future!

Everyone deserves a clear complexion and when you’ve committed how to get clear skin to memory, it’s a practice that will serve you well for the rest of your life. As we’ve seen, the methods we’ve mentioned aren’t complicated or expensive, which means that it’s accessible to everyone.

All that’s required is that you pay attention to the advice we’ve provided and make sure that you’re meticulous in your daily skin care routine - meaning no missed days - and you should see results pretty quickly. It’s got to be worth it when the prize is flawless skin, right?