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If it touches your skin, keep it clean.
Wash and change your clothes before
they start to smell bad. Don't wear the
same undershirt over and over just because
you can. That's not smart hygiene. Your body
is always sweating, but this advice is
doubly important if you
exercise or do
anything during the day to work up a sweat.
Afterwards, don't sit around with sweaty
clothes clinging to your skin. Take them off
(and take a shower)!
Let
your skin breathe
Damp or sweaty fabrics are a problem because
they both attract bacteria and stick to the
surface of your skin, clogging your pores
and exposing you to the perfect conditions
for acne. You need to let your skin skin
breathe! But some fabrics are more of a
problem than others.
Cotton is fairly easy on your skin, but
watch out for most nylon and silk blends.
These fabrics tend to breathe poorly,
trapping sweat and condensation against your
skin. Of course, this also applies to the
fit of your clothing. If you've got body
acne, you may want to avoid tight-fitting
clothes and opt instead for looser-fitting
apparel that allows your pores to breathe.
And don't forget that your behavior can make
these factors worse. For instance, if you've
got back acne, there's an evil piece of
furniture that may be playing a role. I'm
talking about chairs. Do you
sit behind a desk at school or work all day
with your back planted firmly against the
back of a chair? Regardless of what type of
fabric you're wearing, your skin won't be
able to breathe if you keep it smothered
against a surface like that. Sweat and
bacteria can build up, leading to acne. So
remember to switch up your sitting position,
stretch those legs and get out of that chair
when you have the opportunity.
It's
not just your clothes
When it comes to fabrics and acne, we often
make the mistake of thinking only about our
clothes and ignoring one of the biggest
other factors: our bed sheets. Every
night when we go to sleep, we expose our
skin to these fabrics, and most of us wash
them far less frequently than our clothing.
You sweat while you are asleep. To
keep your bedding from becoming a nesting
ground for unwanted bacteria, you need to
wash those sheets regularly. And don't
forget your pillowcase! How many of us wash
our face before going to bed, only to press
your skin against a dirty pillowcase that we
haven't cleaned for weeks? Not smart.
Towels and washcloths can also accumulate
dirt and bacteria that we reapply to our
skin right after washing or showering,
undoing some of the good we accomplish. So
keep those clean as well.
Think outside the box and don't ignore
problem fabrics in your fight against acne.
It only makes sense, as your skin is
touching them every day.
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