Clearing Acne

After spending years suffering from severe acne, a teen said she was finally able to clear up her skin using cheap and mostly natural products.

After her striking before-and-after photos soon went viral, Karina Banuelos, 17, from Palmdale, California, shared her skincare regimen with Good Morning America.

How

Karina Banuelos, 17, shared this photo of her severe acne before she cleared it up with a skincare routine featuring four cheap products.

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The high school senior said she saw four different dermatologists and tried countless expensive creams, face washes, and even prescription medications, and nothing worked.

When you see her going through that, people making fun of her, you try to find a solution, the mother told ABC News. I would take her everywhere, just to try to find something for her.

Karina said she eventually decided to take matters into her own hands, and after doing extensive research online, she created her own skincare routine using just four products that she bought at Target, each for less than $10.

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Karina Banuelos, 17, shared these before-and-after photos of how she cleared up her acne using a skincare routine featuring four cheap products.

2. Next, Karina washes her face using Dr. Bronner's cleanser and a facial brush. She said some days she uses just Dove soap as a face wash instead.

3. After cleansing, Karina re-applies the witch hazel with a cotton ball and then applies an oil-free moisturizer for combination skin from Neutrogena.

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Karina said in addition to her topical skincare regimen, she also tried to cut down her consumption of junk food and dairy products, and increased her water intake to help her skin.

Ally Banuelos said she was happy her daughter was able find something that it's not that expensive to clear up her skin.

You don't have to go through, you know, hundreds of dollars of going to the dermatologist when you can find something at Target for $40, she added.

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I don't even complain when I have a pimple anymore, the teen said. Because when I would get a pimple I'd get, like, 100 all over my face.

Dermatologist Dr. Whitney Bowe emphasized on GMA today that acne is caused by a variety of things -- including diet, stress, hormones and genetics -- and what works for one person to treat acne may not work for other people.

Bowe added that if you are suffering from acne, she recommends taking three things into account when it comes to your skincare routine: cleansers, moisturizers and retinoids.

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Cleansing and moisturizing every day is important, she said, and adding an over-the-counter retinol to your skincare routine may be a good option to try if you are struggling with acne.Facebook Icon The letter F. Facebook Email icon An envelope. It indicates the ability to send an email. Email Twitter icon A stylized bird with an open mouth, tweeting. Twitter Snapchat icon A ghost. Snapchat Fliboard icon A stylized letter F. Flipboard Pinterest icon The letter P styled to look like a thumbtack pin. Pinterest Link icon An image of a chain link. It symobilizes a website link url. Copy Link

Various

Despite what movies and TV shows had you believe, acne doesn’t go away the day you celebrate your 20th birthday, the woes of teenage breakouts suddenly behind you. In fact, adult acne is incredibly common and can spring up even if you never battled zits in your younger years.

If you’re in your twenties, thirties, or beyond, still battling persistent acne, you've probably tried a lot of different methods to clear it, but you may not have tried everything.

Various Ways You Can Get Clear Skin

Spoke with Dr. Kenneth Mark , a board-certified cosmetic dermatologist and Peter Thomas Roth, the CEO and founder of Peter Thomas Roth Clinical Skin Care who fought acne and knows just how tricky it can be to treat. Both experts clued us in to the products, individual ingredients, and lifestyle adjustments that may help you clear your skin for good.

Whether you’re trying drugstore products or luxury beauty buys, both of our skincare gurus agree that there are a couple of go-to ingredients you should look out for, because they’re the best bang for your buck when it comes to treating pimples.

“Salicylic acid is the single most key ingredient, as it unclogs pores, exfoliates, and has an anti-inflammatory effect on the oil glands, ” said Dr. Mark. “The anti-inflammatory effect stems from salicylic acid being a derivative of aspirin, which is acetylsalicylic acid .”

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Roth explains how salicylic acid works on zits, saying, “As a chemical exfoliant, salicylic acid penetrates and cleans out pores to clear up acne and blackheads while helping reduce the appearance of pore size, fine lines, wrinkles, acne marks and residual discoloration. The other benefit to salicylic acid is that it does not have the potential to lighten clothes, skin, sheets or hair, and it is safe to use both day and night.”

He calls it “the most effective ingredient for preventing and treating acne, ” and it can be found in cleansers and other products designed for acne at a wide range of price points.

Clear

Aside from salicylic acid, both Roth and Dr. Mark recommend alpha hydroxy acids like glycolic acid, which, Roth says is a “chemical exfoliant that provides additional help with pores and breakouts while also reducing the look of dullness, uneven skin tone and texture, fine lines and wrinkles.”

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Both experts recommend avoiding products that are “comedogenic, ” like petroleum jelly, which can clog your pores. Dr. Mark suggested avoiding ointments and oils, which can often be too thick for sensitive skin, and Roth recommends “seeking out products that are oil-free, fragrance-free and alcohol-free and to stay away from creams with heavy textures.”

Skincare involves plenty of trial and error, so don’t be afraid to ask your dermatologist for recommendations or testing out samples before committing to a skincare routine that works for you.

It smells like rotten eggs, but Roth explains that one hidden gem skincare secret is none other than sulfur , noting that this “mineral ingredient is amazing for clearing up, treating and preventing acne and blackheads, ” adding that it’s great for “when a blemish arrives unexpectedly and you’re in need of urgent spot treating.”

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Every person’s skin is unique, so we all have different needs when it comes to skincare. But because those who suffer from acne

Both experts recommend using a gentle cleanser twice a day, with Roth recommending “a gentle foaming cleanser that also includes salicylic acid so you can treat while you cleanse.”

If your skin is on the oilier side, look for cleansers that contain salicylic acid, benzoyl peroxide , or glycolic acid, as our experts mentioned. For those with more sensitive skin that gets easily dried out or irritated, you’ll want to look for cleansers that contain lactic acid or glycerin, which is more hydrating. Dr. Mark recommends Neutrogena Oil Free Acne Wash ($6.49) as a gentle but effective affordable option.

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Tips To Combat Acne

You’ll want to be always sure to use a clean washcloth or face towel, while being sure to cleanse as quickly as you can before

Washing at night is especially important to help remove any toxins or pollutants your skin was exposed to in the air during your day, as well as with removing all traces of makeup or products. You might be exhausted, sure, but you’ve gotta take your makeup off every single night, no matter how tired you are.

You might think that you have to be aggressive to treat aggressive acne, but the opposite holds true — acne sufferers will want to be extra gentle with their skin.

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That said, as Roth told , “Exfoliation is key to treating and preventing acne, on both the face and body. However, you want to be careful not to over-exfoliate as this can dry out your skin, leading to new breakouts.”

Experts recommend exfoliating two or three times a week if your skin is normal to oily, and once a week if it’s more sensitive. But daily exfoliating can strip skin of its natural oils, which will only irritate it and lead to more breakouts — exactly the opposite of what you’re going for.

Your face comes into contact with a lot of things throughout the day, and some of them might unknowingly be contributing to breakouts. Be sure to regularly clean anything that comes into contact with your face, from your towels and sheets to your makeup brushes and your cell phone.

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Also, be sure you’re regularly cleaning any fitness equipment that might touch your face (that yoga mat or those gloves!) so you’re not unknowingly transferring any icky bacteria to your skin.

MD

Even though it’s tempting, you’ll want to avoid touching your face with your hands and fingers — this is a bad habit even those without acne-prone skin should avoid, even though we all do it without realizing dozens of times a day.

“Sometimes for a quick fix, a topical steroid is the key to shrink a blemish or zit overnight, ” says Dr. Mark said. Topical steroids are often prescribed for itching, skin irritation, rashes, and other skin conditions, but as Dr. Mark added, “However, it is important not to use these long-term,

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