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Acne does not have a definite cure; only treatments are available in the market. However, even if the treatments work well, the best strategy is still prevention. It takes a lot less to prevent than to treat acne infection. The primary target of preventive measures is hygiene. Here are the steps to follow:

1. Avoid washing too much. Acne is not caused by dirt all the time. Therefore, there is no point in washing the face too much. What excessive washing does is leaving the skin dry and more prone to acne. This is because dry skin will stimulate the sebaceous glands to produce more sebum that will cause more plugs in the follicle. Scrubbing too much has the same effect as washing too much. It is safe to stick with washing at most twice a day and using small grains as scrubs.

2. Avoid squeezing the pimple. This will aggravate the infection. Squeezing or similar actions pushes the bacteria deeply inside the skin. This causes more infection and added inflammatory response from the immune system. This will make acne treatment much harder and longer since the infection has reached the deeper portion of the skin. The action also damages the skin and increases the likelihood of having acne scars.

3. Avoid beauty products with alcohol. Astringents or toners with high amounts of alcohol of any type should be avoided. Although alcohol is a potent chemical for eliminating bacteria on the skin, alcohol evaporates very fast, thus leaving the skin drier than normal. Dry skin stimulates more production of sebum and makes it more pimple-prone.

4. Avoid rubbing the face. Touching the face too much or rubbing it against something else causes the skin bacteria, Propionibacterium acnes to enter the pores thus mixing with the produced sebum inside. Too much touching helps the bacteria get to the site faster than should be.

5. After exercise, shower. Exercise movements produce heat, sweat and moisture. Moisture plus heat is the ideal environment for Propionibacterium acnes to multiply. Therefore, a shower after exercise eliminates the possibility of bacteria reproducing.

6. Be careful with cosmetic choices. Cosmetics that are used on the face should be oil-free and hypo-allergenic. This prevents the development of blemishes and the clogging of pores. Removal of make-up is important since they usually block the pores of the face.

7. Be careful of the sun. Although small amounts of sunlight can improve the acne condition for a short period of time, prolonged exposures can result in drier skin and faster skin shedding. More dead cells have higher chances of clogging the pores and resulting to pimples. It is best to go out on the sun with sunblock having SPF (sun protection factor) of 15 or higher.

8. Have enough sleep. Sleep strengthens the immune system. A stronger immune system can easily fight off bacteria in the infected site. And this may help hasten the disappearance of acne.

9. Treat early. If the acne is still in the early stages of development, it is also good to treat it before the condition worsens. This will help minimize reddening and swelling of the infected area.