How to steam your face from acne and blackheads: before a scrub, to cleanse pores, rejuvenate

Perhaps every girl dreams of perfect facial skin. Clean, smooth, radiant with health. And often it seems to us that achieving this is unrealistic. But, fortunately, this is not the case! Ideal skin requires effort: changing your diet, lifestyle, using the right cosmetics for care and many other conditions. However, the result is worth the time and effort! We have put together a few simple rules for facial care that will help you get noticeably closer to the skin of your dreams:

Execution Rules

Before starting the procedure, you must wash your hands thoroughly.

Next, you should prepare the necessary equipment:

• cup;
• towel;
• mixture of herbs or essential oils;
• hot water;
• facial care products after the procedure.

The face also needs to be prepared for steaming:

• wash your face with warm or cool water;

• carry out the procedure of exfoliating dead skin particles, for which use a special product - a soft, delicate scrub.

It is advisable to steam the face no more than once every 7 days, just like exfoliation. The time during which steam exposure is beneficial ranges from 3 to 10 minutes.

Before starting the procedure, you must examine your face and make sure that there are no contraindications. Any damage to the skin or the presence of wounds is a signal that steam treatments will have to be postponed until they are completely healed.

Steaming is also contraindicated for people who have:

• cardiovascular diseases;
• asthma;
• hypertension;

• spider veins on the face;
• manifestations of dermatosis.

You cannot combine other thermal procedures with facial steaming, as this can cause overheating of the tissues, and in more severe forms, even burns. If you want to use a product with new components, it would be correct to test for an allergic reaction by applying a little of the composition to the elbow joint. You should wait 2 hours, if there is no reaction, you can safely use the product.

Only the subcision method can effectively remove acne scars on the face.

Maxim Vasiliev’s method against acne scars is based on the subcision method - a special microtechnique for cutting scars. This method was first used in 1995 and works great even against the most old and deep atrophic scars.

Subcision is a painstaking method of correcting atrophic post-acne scars.

Subcision is performed under local anesthesia using a powerful microscope. Using a sterile syringe needle, the surgeon carefully and quickly cuts the so-called “strands” - separating the scar tissue from neighboring structures. The skin, which is no longer held in place, rises and straightens.

Steaming with herbs

The method is considered traditional and is used not only for steaming the face, but also in the complex treatment of bronchopulmonary diseases.

In this way you can not only steam your face, but also cure a runny nose and bronchitis.

Stages of the procedure:

• it is necessary to bring the water to a boil (it is better to take filtered or spring water);
• you need to throw the plant mixture into hot water;
• wait 15 minutes for the mixture to infuse (be sure to cover the bowl with a lid);
• the bowl should be glass, ceramic, but not metal, otherwise you can burn your face during steaming;
• after 15 minutes, add the selected essential oil to the resulting solution;
• the steaming solution is ready - you need to bend over the bowl, covering your head with a towel (you can’t bend too low - it will be difficult for the respiratory tract to pass air through);
• it is necessary to maintain in this position for several minutes while steam flows;
• then you should quickly wipe your face with a cotton pad moistened with any tonic;
• steaming can be completed with peeling or mask;
• At the end of the procedure, you need to apply a nourishing cream to your face.

Effective sauna-inhaler products

Steaming your face at home with an inhaler sauna is a relatively new concept in procedures.

Rules:

• preparing the face for the procedure is no different from the traditional one;
• a solution must be poured into a special container: it can be either ordinary or mineral water, or a decoction of herbs;
• the sauna with liquid poured into it must be turned on and wait until the steam comes out;
• as soon as the steam has started, you can tilt your face into the special shape that comes with the sauna;
• the procedure can be completed in a few minutes.
• Then the face needs care according to the classical scheme: light peeling or mask, caring cream.

You can use different herbal decoctions in the inhaler for refilling.

Add 3-5 drops of essential oil to the water.

You can choose one oil, or you can make a mix depending on the desired effect:

• basil - removes acne, makes the skin younger, eliminates signs of fatigue and gives the face radiance;
• bergamot - refreshes and cleanses the skin, tightens pores;
• ylang-ylang is a universal remedy and is suitable for any skin type;
• lavender is also a universal oil, excellent for treating problem skin, and can be used for the skin around the eyes;
• lemon – for those with oily and combination skin, against oily shine, whitens freckles and age spots on the face;
• lemon balm - fights acne and allergic rashes, tightens pores, restores lips' brilliance and smoothness.

The main causes of acne

Causes of rashes on different parts of the face.

Acne can be caused by anything. They are divided into hormonal, that is, those that arise when there is a malfunction in the body. And also for non-hormonal ones: poor hygiene, poor diet, bad habits, adolescence, exposure to warm, humid environmental conditions.

If everything is clear with the treatment of the latter and you should simply avoid all of the above while maintaining hygiene, then hormonal imbalances can lead to the most severe consequences. Their treatment requires professional medical intervention.

Heredity may also be a cause. Then you should try traditional methods of treatment, and if they do not help, then you should consult a doctor. There are often cases when you have to put up with something like this, because you can’t just take antibiotics, it’s not a disease, but getting rid of the problem requires expensive operations.

Masks with steaming effect

Steaming masks are a great way for those who do not want to waste time on a long traditional facial steaming procedure.

It's quite simple to use:

• going to a cosmetic store to choose a suitable steaming mask;
• if you have doubts about the correct choice, you can seek advice from a store specialist - he will help you decide;
• you need to carefully study the composition and choose the most suitable one;
• next - prepare your face for steaming;
• apply the mask to the surface of the face, avoiding the area around the eyes;
• wait 5 to 10 minutes, unless another time is written on the package with the mask;
• Wash your face with warm running water, after which you can exfoliate. If steaming was intended as a separate procedure, you need to apply a facial cream.

Steaming masks can also be prepared at home. First you need to decide on the choice of ingredients.

Here are some recipes:

• zinc based: 2 tbsp. add 2 tsp of zinc ointment. white clay and dilute the sour cream with cucumber juice until thick;
• honey – 3 tbsp. Grind honey with 2 yolks and heat in a water bath;
• oatmeal - 2 tbsp. oatmeal add 0.5 tsp. soda, dilute with milk.

Don't miss the most popular article in the section: Face fitness for facelift, rejuvenation, muscle tone. Master class from Elena Karkukli

Compresses for steaming the face

A facial steaming compress is another wonderful procedure.

They do it like this:

• take a cloth napkin (cotton is best), put it in hot water;
• then wring out the napkin and place it on your face, being careful not to burn your skin;
• Remove the cooled napkin from your face and dip it in hot water again;
• repeat the procedure three or four times.
• At the end of the process, lubricate your face with cream.

A prepared herbal decoction for steaming the face will help with various problems:

• chamomile, sage, coltsfoot will help against wrinkles;
• dandelion and parsley will get rid of pigmentation;
• for acne you should use calendula, aloe, string, lavender;
• dry skin will be nourished by thyme, calendula, and oregano.

Compresses for steaming the face:

• for oily skin, a combination of lemon or mint with thyme is good;
• for dry skin, you can mix rose or grape essential oil with chamomile or linden flowers;
• for normal skin - a decoction of a mixture of sage and nettle or lavender.

Added rosemary oil will enhance the effect.

conclusions

1. Acne can be caused by many factors.
2. Homemade masks offer an all-around advantage when compared to their factory-made competitors when it comes to treating low to moderate levels of inflammation.
3. There are an impressive number of powerful ingredients, such as sea buckthorn oil for sea buckthorn masks, that help with such problems.
4. Among the best masks, according to most people, you can find good options for almost any type of dermis.
5. Compliance with the rules of use will help to avoid unpleasant consequences and also increase the effect of therapy.
6. If you always take into account the list of contraindications for each product, then care will become easy and will not result in side effects.

Recipes for oily skin that cleanse pores

To cleanse the skin of oily sebaceous shine, enlarge and narrow pores, you can use the following recipe with zinc ointment:

• to 2 tbsp. add 2 tsp of zinc ointment. white clay;
• dilute the mixture with cucumber juice until the consistency of sour cream;

• apply to face for 20 minutes, no more;
• rinse off the mass with warm water and use the cream.

Steaming with decoctions of:

• chamomile;
• calendula;
• St. John's wort;
• nettle;
• sage

For steaming and cleansing the skin:

1. 1 tsp mix soda with 1 tbsp. honey, add lemon juice (5-10 drops);
2. heat the mixture in a water bath;
3. apply warm mass to face for 5-7 minutes;
4. rinse with warm water and apply face cream.

If for some reason the sebaceous glands on your face work intensively, you need to remember a few “don’ts”:

• You should not overdry your skin; you should apply a moisturizer to your face twice a day;
• you should not touch your face so as not to leave dirt on it from your hands;
• Do not overuse cosmetics - due to the desire to hide skin imperfections with cosmetics, pores become clogged and inflammatory processes are initiated.

Products for such skin should have the following properties:

• antiseptic, anti-inflammatory: a decoction of chamomile will help here, which will gently cleanse and soften the skin, giving it smoothness and elasticity;
• bactericidal, regenerating, soothing: sage has them;
• healing the skin: calendula can handle this;
• cleansing, improving metabolic processes: a decoction of tricolor violet extract will save the day.

At home, using these compositions of decoctions, you can gradually select the most suitable for a specific type of face for steaming.

Diagnosis of acne: symptoms and types

Acne, also known as acne, is one of the most common skin diseases. It is an inflammation of the skin. The appearance of acne is caused by increased work of the sebaceous glands, increased proliferation of pathogenic bacteria and an increase in the number of keratinized cells in the epidermal layer. As a result, unsightly pimples called acne appear on the skin.

Acne can be localized on any part of the body, but most often it affects the face. One of the most unpleasant consequences that acne causes is post-acne (scars or spots that appear on the skin due to improper care or treatment, as well as subsequent squeezing of pimples).

There are several stages of acne, each of which is characterized by a certain degree of manifestation:

Comedonal is the most initial and mildest degree of acne. There is no inflammation, there are closed or open comedones on the skin, as well as reddish pimples without purulent contents. The number of comedones and acne on the skin at the initial stage does not exceed ten pieces.

Papulopustular is a moderate stage of acne, in which the number of comedones and papules increases. Inflamed pimples with purulent contents appear. You may feel discomfort when touching the skin.

Nodular is a more severe stage of acne, in which the number of pimples can reach seventy. Inflammatory areas grow, purulent papules can connect with each other, forming nodes. This form requires long-term and complex treatment.

Acne is the most severe form of acne, in which the number of papules, comedones and pustules increases significantly. Acne can affect the entire face, and painful boils appear under the skin. There is severe pain in the skin. The acne stage requires qualified help and competent treatment.

Recipes for dry skin

Dry skin also needs special care.

The following steaming will help moisturize, cleanse and smooth out wrinkles:

• make juice from several plantain leaves;
• add to it a paste of 3 strawberries;
• pour all 2 tbsp. cream and any essential oil suitable for dry skin (mint, chamomile, nettle, string);
• Heat the resulting mixture in a water bath for 15 minutes;
• apply a warm mixture to your face;
• cover your face with a double layer of gauze and keep the mask until it cools completely;
• after cooling, shake off the remaining dried mass and wash your face with warm water;
• apply cream to your face.

The most popular skin care product for dry skin is aloe vera.

From the means that are in every home you can use:

• honey;
• oatmeal;
• carrot;
• apple;
• raspberries;
• green tea;
• kefir and others.

Rosemary, linden, calendula, parsley are not a complete list of medicinal herbs for this skin type. It is useful for dry skin to rub it with ice cubes from herbal decoctions in the morning. The condition for this should be low skin sensitivity.

After steaming, you can make a mask on your face:

1. Herbal mask: take 0.5 tsp. chamomile, strawberries, St. John's wort, pour a glass of boiling water over them. Keep the infusion covered for 20 minutes. Then add 1 tbsp. natural apple juice, egg yolk and 1 tsp. honey Apply to face for 15 minutes, then rinse with warm water.
2. Mask with a refreshing effect: pour boiling water over 2 tbsp. mint leaves, boil for 3 minutes, then let cool and strain. Apply the warm mass to your face for 15 minutes. Remove with damp cotton pads.

3. Moisturizing nourishing mask: mix warm milk, carrot juice, cottage cheese and olive oil (all 1 tablespoon each) into a homogeneous mass, apply to the face for 15 minutes, then rinse with warm water, wipe with an ice cube. This mask also has a whitening effect.

Don't miss the most popular article in the section: Facial massage according to the system of the Japanese doctor Asahi Zogan.

Fractional RF lifting –

At the beginning of the article, we already said that such devices are effective against red spots after acne. But at the same time they are very effective against atrophic scars after acne or chickenpox. We recommend 2 devices for this. Firstly, the Venus Viva device (made in Canada/Israel), which must be equipped with a NanoFractional RF tip. Secondly, eTwo™ and Elos Plus™ devices from , which must be equipped with a Sublative RF fractional tip.

The fractional tips of these devices are supplied with disposable applicators with microneedles (electrodes up to 1 mm in size), with the help of which thermal damage is produced in the epidermis and dermis. The damage is fractional in nature, i.e. they are surrounded by intact tissue for rapid re-epithelialization of damage. Damage to the epidermis is microscopic and not noticeable; the main effect is realized in the dermis.

Thus, this is an ablative technique (with damage to the stratum corneum of the epidermis), but unlike laser resurfacing procedures, fractional radiofrequency lifting has a very short rehabilitation period and no side effects. The method is effective not only for atrophic scars, but also for the treatment of post-inflammatory erythema and hyperpigmentation. Below you can see photos before and after a course of 3 fractional RF lifting procedures.

Steaming for combination skin types

This type of skin is characterized by features where there are many sebaceous glands in the T-zone, and almost none in the cheek area. It is characteristic mainly of girls and young women. How to steam your face correctly in this case?

The best procedure is the following:

1. Make a mixture of 1/2 lemon and 100 g cranberries. Both ingredients can be minced.
2. Add 2 liters of boiling water to the bowl with the lemon-cranberry mixture.
3. Lightly lubricate the skin of your temples, eyelids and cheeks with a rich cream.
4. Cover yourself with a towel and lean over the steam for 10-15 minutes.
5. Carry out further cleaning procedures.

Homemade facial skin care products are, of course, good. But what if you don’t have the right ingredients on hand? If you don’t have time to search for them, prepare decoctions? Ready-made cosmetics will always come to a woman’s aid.

Their selection is wide and varied. Leading manufacturers of care products that respect themselves and their customers ensure the quality of their products through research laboratories and clinical testing, guaranteeing safety and effectiveness.

TCA chemical peel –

Ice pick scars can be corrected well with trichloroacetic acid (TCA) peels, but this method should be avoided in patients with dark skin due to the high risk of hyperpigmentation. Conducting a medium peel will mean a TCA concentration of 40-50% (only in this case does damage to the papillary dermis occur), and anything below 40% is only a superficial peeling to the depth of the epidermis. Accordingly, we need a TCA of at least 40%.

It should be noted that such a high concentration means certain risks. Therefore, such peeling should only be done by a very experienced dermato-cosmetologist. Below you can see the result after 3 TCA 50% peeling procedures, where the intervals between procedures were 4 weeks. As you can see, a significant improvement has been achieved, and other methods can then be used (for example, laser resurfacing, or the method of perforation removal of individual scars).

TCA chemical peel (before and after photos)

Ready-made cosmetics with a steaming effect

A brief overview of ready-made steaming masks:

1. Garnier: Garnier Skin Active steaming facial mask. Professional help at home. The abrasive particles of volcanic rock included in its composition perfectly remove blackheads. Natural clay helps dry out rashes and relieve inflammation. It is made to care for oily problem skin. The mask is designed for one-time use.
2. Hydro-gel with aloe vera from Pleyana. The composition includes an aloe vera component, which, in addition to moisturizing, also removes dead skin. Allantoin helps fight acne as it kills harmful bacteria. The gel is great for use in the cold season. Herbal extracts vitaminize the skin and relieve it from flaking. Hydro-gel with Aloe Vera PLEYANA
3. Echoice Aloevera Soothing Gel. Another steaming product in gel form. Its advantage is considered to be the fixation and preservation of moisture in the deep layers of the epidermis, which leads to a long-lasting effect after use. Plant components of aloe vera, mint, grapefruit, chamomile, white mulberry, wormwood and others increase skin tone, relieve inflammation, regenerate its integument, and nourish it with vitamins.

1. Lioele Blackhead Clear massage warming gel opens pores and fights blackheads. It contains honey, mistletoe, and black sugar powder. The gel effectively opens pores, loosening the top layer of skin. This is an excellent procedure if hot steaming of the face is contraindicated.
2. Alpika - Gel for cold steaming of the skin. It contains clover, papaya, pineapple, acacia, geranium and various vegetable oils that moisturize and soothe the skin, preparing it for further procedures. Sebum dissolves as much as possible and pores open.

Steaming your face with these products can be done both in salons and at home.

Tips from cosmetologists

Before starting facial care, you need to understand what type of skin you have. Procedures should begin with thorough cleansing of the face from decorative cosmetics. All items used when steaming your face must also be clean.

At home, the optimal frequency of facial steaming is once a week. There are contraindications for steaming. The cold method is suitable for this.

Facial steaming at home is an excellent alternative to going to the salon. The most important thing is to always take care of yourself. Only with constant care of your face will the result please you and give you a good mood. It must be remembered that a beautiful, clean face is also the result of a healthy lifestyle.

What is a gel cleanser?

Shower gel

is a gentle facial cleanser that dissolves and gently removes all types of impurities from the skin. Effective cleansing occurs due to the presence of surfactants in the formula - surfactants.

In addition to the surfactant itself, manufacturers include components and microelements with exfoliating, anti-inflammatory, moisturizing and sebum-regulating effects in the gel wash formula. Such components improve the condition of the surface layer of the skin and correct existing imperfections. Facial gels most often have a hypoallergenic composition and can be used to gently cleanse sensitive skin prone to allergic reactions.

Facial cleansing gels effectively remove impurities from the surface of the skin (excess sebum, dust, makeup residues), preparing it for the application of corrective care - serum, cream, mask.