Dealing with acne as a dancer

Acne and performing arts just do not go together-- poor skin can really damage your confidence.  Here are some steps you can take to improve your skin and deal with imperfections without sacrificing your dance!


Dealing with spots:

If you have a lot of acne marks on your face, you may want to conceal them with a light mineral makeup.  Always choose a makeup that is non-comedogenic, which means that it will not clog pores.  I like Bare Minerals powder foundation.  It is very lightweight and comes in a variety of colors to match most skin tones.

Your acne marks probably appear red on your face.  To draw attention away from them, wear cool colors like blue, green, and purple when you can.  

Taking good care of your hair and styling it neatly with a colorful accessory can also help draw the eye away from your acne marks.

If you have lots of spots on your back, try wearing a high backed leotard.  If you are allowed, wear a t-shirt over your dancewear to cover your back.

Healing the spots:

Try over-the-counter remedies like face wash containing salicylic acid.  Unless it is specifically recommended by a doctor, avoid using benzoyl peroxide products.  They dry the skin, and they stain cloth items.  If you put a benzoyl  peroxide product on your face and then go to dance class, you will notice that after you have been sweating in class and the sweat has run all over, there will be little bleach stains on your dancewear from where the benzoyl peroxide has touched.

I like using a gentle cleanser with 2% salicylic acid. To make the cleanser more effective, I put it on my Clarisonic Mia to scrub my face.  The Clarisonic Mia is a sort of like an electric toothbrush for the face. It vibrates very quickly to help kill bacteria in the pores.  Check out the Clarisonic products here: http://www.clarisonic.com/shop-our-products/clarisonic-mia-2-887242000124.html .

Go to your doctor.  Regular GPs can prescribe oral and topical medications for acne that are more effective than OTC products.  Taking an oral medication like an antibiotic and using a topical medication is a great way to fight acne from inside and outside.  Your GP may send you to a dermatologist, who can provide even more specialized treatment.

Take a look at your diet.  Although it's not always the cause, a diet high in sugar and dairy can contribute to acne.  Try munching on foods with a lower glycemic index.  Swap carrots and hummus for your granola bar when you need a protein snack.  The high sugar content in low fat and fat free dairy products can also make your skin angry.  Try rice milk or soy milk instead of dairy milk for your cereal, and try a pureed banana in place of yogurt.  (I'll do a whole post related to diet later.)

Wash your face (and any areas of your body where you have acne) regularly.  Always wash up before and after dance.  Sweating on clean skin that is only wearing light mineral makeup will make it less likely for pores to be clogged.  Wash away your sweat and makeup as soon as you get home after class, just to be sure.

Moisturize your skin, even if it seems oily.  I am a big fan of Blue Lagoon Iceland products (I am from Iceland).  They are a little hard to get because they must be ordered from overseas, but the mineral masks and mineral lotions have worked wonders for my skin.  The products are made from natural silica mud found in Iceland.  It has nearly magical properties that balance the composition of the skin and keep it from being too dry or too oily.  Silica mud is a proven treatment for psoriasis, and it can help clear all types of skin ailments.  You can look at the Blue Lagoon skincare shop here:  http://www.bluelagoon.com/shop/us/

If you have scars from old acne marks, use a natural clear lip gloss containing vitamin E oil like Burt's Bees or Yes To Carrots on the spots to help them fade.

Don't feel like you're the only dancer to suffer from acne.  Singer/dancers Julianne Hough and Lea Michelle both suffered from bad acne as teens, and I am just now starting to get my skin under control.

Share any other remedies you use in the comments!