Skin Care Tips for College Students

You’re out of the adolescence stage and you’re about to become a young adult. This means the skin problems that plagued you during high school should disappear by now right? Sometimes, the skin problems persist throughout college because of lifestyle choices you make. The stress of studying and sleeping late may also bring about new skin conditions like pimples and acne. Here are some tips to better skin care while in college.

Dealing With Pimples

Most skin problems are caused by inflammation of the pores. One tiny pimple could lead to a breakout, which in turn irritates the healthy skin around the area. Unfortunately, the irregular sleeping habits you tend to develop in college because of stress and study schedule are bad for your skin. But you can do something about this. Avoid foods containing too much fat and sugar. Instead of munching on junk foods while studying, have soda crackers around to ward off midnight hunger. Avoid caffeine if possible. Drink cold water or splash on your face to keep yourself awake if you still have many subjects to cover.

Pimple treatment should be careful and gradual. Consult a dermatologist if your pimple problem turns chronic. Never prick your pimples to get the pus out. DIY pimple treatment will damage your skin further. Continue cleaning your skin using anti-acne soap but avoid exfoliation products until after the inflamed areas are completely gone. Also, avoid using facial scrubs with small granules to avoid irritating the sensitive pores.

Quick Remedies for Dry or Flaking Skin

Never let your skin become too dry and flaky, especially in extreme weather. Very dry skin may crack and produce blisters, which can be very painful and difficult to hide. While shaving occasionally can help exfoliate the dead skin cells, the frequently shaved area may lose its soft texture after some time.

Avoid rough, flaky skin development on these areas by applying moisturizers. If you don’t have these around, you can use petroleum jelly, which is a good and inexpensive protectant for all skin types. Apply a layer of sunscreen to avoid the damaging effects of UV rays, which could aggravate the flaky areas. The sun may be unusually harsh in your current location, which could be causing the flakiness and drying of your skin.

Control Your Oily Skin

If your skin has always been oily, the stress of college may aggravate this condition. Clean your face in the morning and evening using a very mild cleanser. Rub the cleanser harder along your T-area, or the area right above your brows. Always keep a pack of tissues in your pocket so that you can mop the oil from your face no matter where you are. Fine oil paper such as those sold in small packets along the cosmetic aisle can be expensive. Fortunately, paper napkins like those used in the kitchen are also good for dabbing your face when it becomes too oily.

Other Skin Issues

Premature aging could happen even in college because of excess sugar in your diet, lack of exercise, exposure to intense sunlight and pollutants, and stress. Hormonal imbalance is also one of the causes of breakouts. Always make sure that no one else uses the stuff you use on your skin like your towels and bath sponges. No matter how thoroughly you wash them afterwards, some viral elements like those that cause warts may remain. Don’t lend out underwear, and always soak the clothing that your friend borrowed before using it again.

Some of the factors that are causing your skin problems can be controlled, like your diet. For the factors that cannot be controlled, there are remedies and salves around that you don’t have to spend too much money on.

Photo Courtesy of BIGSTOCK

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