How to Deal with Summer Acne

Time to talk about what no one ever likes talking about: acne. As a teenager, those pesky spots are the very bane of your existence; as an adult, they’re basically your worst nightmare. Time to swap out your wrinkle creams for some zit cream?

The problem with acne is that it doesn’t just appear and go away: instead, it appears and stays. Even when it does choose to say au revoir to your skin, it leaves a mark: acne scars, discoloration, dark spots, and an uneven texture. Even if you were lucky enough to avoid adult acne, you might still be feeling its ripple effect. The good news, however, is that acne is curable, though it isn’t easy. While for some, a touch of salicylic acid and benzoyl peroxide might do the trick, others have to resort to the big guns: Accutane, laser treatments, and topical creams that you can only get through a prescription.

In the summer, I find that acne tends to flare up the most. It’s the time of year that your skin is at its oiliest, which is basically a recipe for spots galore. Mix that in with pore-clogging sunscreens, sweat, and hot weather, and you get a host of blemishes. Joy, right?

As a longtime spot sufferer, I’ve put together a list of skincare goodies that really help get my skin in check — even during particularly gnarly breakouts in the summer. Take a look, next!