Treating acne doesn’t just involve trying product after product. It encompasses careful cleansing and some simple lifestyle changes. Oh, and try not to pick at it.

Wash twice a day and after sweating

Washing your face when you wake up and before you go to bed is recommended.

Doing it more than twice a day, unless you’re particularly sweaty, can irritate the skin.

Be gentle; don’t scrub or use harsh exfoliants

“Acne is not a ‘dirt’ problem,” she says, “so scrubbing harder and using hard exfoliants don’t help and can only lead to more redness and irritation.”

No picking or popping!

It’s super tempting to pop that pimple. But doing so can lead to scarring.

It can also transfer bacteria into other pores and make what was a small pimple turn into deep, inflamed acne.

But if you must… do it safely

There’s a proper popping method, officially known as extraction.

Apply a warm compress to open the pores, and use clean Q-tips to gently push down on either side of the blackhead or whitehead.

It’s best not to attempt this with deeper acne types like pustules.

Routinely wash anything that comes into contact with your skin

Bedding, makeup brushes, and even phone screens can all harbor debris that can clog your pores.

To avoid clogging your pores, the American Academy of Dermatology advises changing sheets weekly and pillowcases two or three times a week.

Ideally, you should clean makeup tools every day. But if that’s not feasible, try washing them once a week instead.

Phones can be wiped with a special cleanser once or twice a day.