It can take years — and dozens of trips to the dermatologist — to discover how to get rid ofacne on your unique skin. Everyone has unique skin types, skin tones, lifestyles, and genetichistories that make it impossible to have a single piece of one-size-fits-all advice. But here atTeen Vogue, we've pretty much made it our life mission to figure out the best tips from the prosto point you in the right direction. We've seen it all and won't recommend skincare products oracne treatments unless they're backed up by experience and science.

We've rounded up the best advice on how to get clear skin from top dermatologists. Read on forour favorite ways to get your skin to look and feel its best.

Get Rid of Acne Fast

1. Wash Your Face DailyThe first and most important rule isn't groundbreaking: Remember to wash your face! Cleansingand treating your skin twice a day is the best way to keep breakouts away. For thoseemergencies when you're just too tired to wash your face, keep a stash of face wipes in thedrawer of your nightstand. This way if you get home super late and don’t feel like going all theway to the sink, you can still go to bed with clean skin!

2. Use the Right Face CleanserBuying a generic face wash won’t necessarily improve your complexion. For a cleanser to bemost effective, you have to pay attention to your skin’s needs and pick the ingredientsaccordingly. If your skin tends to be oily, choose products with salicylic acid, benzoyl peroxide,or glycolic acid. For sensitive skin, look for gentle cleansers with lactic acid or hydratingingredients like glycerin, which aren’t as drying as those made for oilier types.

3. Don't Over-Exfoliate Your SkinScrubbing your face daily with grainy cleansers and exfoliating products can do more harm thangood. When done too often, it can cause redness, inflammation, and irritation. “Exfoliating apimple can pull away healthy skin cells and create an open wound and higher risk for scarring,”says Jessica Weiser, MD, from New York Dermatology Group. “Exfoliation should be done withcaution, and not more than 2-3 times a week maximum.”

4. Regularly Change Your Face TowelWhen you think about it, consistently reaching for your go-to face towel every day is like reusinga dinner napkin over and over again. Using dirty towels can harbor bacteria, and they can evenintroduce new bacteria to your skin, which may lead to more pimples. Thankfully, this doesn'tmean you need to reach for a new towel every single time you wash your face, according to Dr.Melissa Kanchanapoomi Levin, board-certified NYC dermatologist and clinical instructor at NYULangone and Mount Sinai Hospital. As long as you're truly washing off all of your makeup, youcan stick to switching out your towels on a weekly basis.

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5. MoisturizeWorried moisturizer will make your acne worse? Think again — it can actually help improve yourskin. “If the skin surface is dry and dehydrated, the oil glands tend to overproduce oil and thiscan make acne worse,” Dr. Weiser says. “Hydrating the skin surface can re-balance oil glandsand help control acne and improve healing.” When buying a moisturizer, she recommendslooking for a lightweight, oil-based product that won’t clog your pores. Dr. Levin likes DifferinSoothing Moisturizer because it's "a great lightweight pH balanced moisturizer you can use incombination with acne topical treatments."

6. Use Sunscreen that Doesn't Clog PoresWhile SPF is a must, some sunscreens can trigger breakouts. You want to look for oil-free andnon-comedogenic formulas that won't clog pores,” says Karen Hammerman, MD, fromSchweiger Dermatology. Options from brands like Elta MD and Peter Thomas Roth, which arerecommended by the pros, are specifically tested on acneic skin so you can get your dose ofSPF without having to worry about clogged pores.

7. Skip Makeup When You're Working OutTake an extra five minutes before hopping on the treadmill to completely wash your face andremove your makeup to minimize the risk of breakouts. "Sweat is released through visible poresin the skin," says dermatologist Dr. Janelle Vega. "When makeup covers those pores, thatbarrier doesn't allow the sweat to make it to the surface of the skin, which can lead to cloggedpores. The trapped debris and bacteria are a perfect breeding ground for acne bumps and zits."

8. Wash Your Face Post-Workout“After sweating, immediately use an exfoliating cleanser to help keep your pores clear andremove excess oil,” says Dr. Zein Obagi of ZO Skin Health. Try keeping Neutrogena RapidClear Treatment Pads in your gym bag or locker for those times you need an on-the-go cleanse.These will remove any leftover dirt while treating your skin with acne-fighting salicylic acid.

If you have body acne, taking a shower as soon as possible after working out is also key. It turnsout that standing around in tight, sweaty workout clothes puts you at the greatest risk for bacneand rashes. “The whole idea is that the bacteria that live on the skin can get trapped in the hairfollicles and cause inflammation,” says dermatologist Dr. Elizabeth Hale. “The more you workout in the heat the more likely this is.” Dr. Levin agrees that showering right after a workout isyour best defense against body acne. But in a pinch, body wipes like the Yuni Shower Sheetswill do the trick.

9. Tailor Your DietSad but true: Any foods that cause a spike in insulin can lead to inflammation and an acne flare,explains Dr. Kally Papantoniou with Advanced Dermatology PC.

"Leafy green vegetables and other brightly-colored fruit and vegetables which are rich inantioxidants and nutrients dampen inflammation and improve skin quality (studies have shown

acne patients have higher oil production and lower antioxidant levels)," says Dr. Weiser. "Limitintake of dairy products, which can contain hormones and antibiotics that can worsen acne

breakouts." Other skin-boosting superfoods include eggs, nuts, legumes, and quinoa.

10. Drink Plenty of WaterOkay, so drinking your eight glasses isn't going to magically clear your skin, but Dr. Levin doespoint out that "drinking water improves your overall health." Plus, it won't contribute to your acnestruggles like the sugar and caffeine found in sodas and coffee.

11. Have a Cup of TeaTry sipping spearmint tea. According to Dr. Carl Thornfeldt, dermatologist and founder ofEpionce Skincare, having two cups a day could reduce acne by 25%! Dr. Levin explains this isbecause spearmint tea has been shown to have anti-inflammatory and reduction in testosteronelevels in some limited studies. "While it's unclear how it works, and it's important to note thatthere are no standardized studies, it is encouraging data that spearmint may have potential as anatural adjunct treatment for hormonal acne," she says.

Get Rid of Acne Fast

12. Change Your PillowcasesUnwashed sheets and pillowcases lead to cross-contamination which leads to pimples. Aim towash your bedding once or twice a week to prevent bacteria from building up and affecting yourcomplexion, suggests Dr. Papantoniou. If that seems overboard, at least aim to wash yourpillowcase once a week since that's where your face rests while you snooze (and dream offlawless skin).

13. Keep Your Phone Screen CleanThink of how many times a day you touch your phone — that thing gets pretty germy. To stay inthe clear, clean your screen daily with an alcohol wipe. And when possible, Dr. Papantoniourecommends using the speaker option or headphones so your phone isn't resting on your faceas often.

14. Wipe Down Your HeadphonesSneaky everyday habits could secretly be doing a number on your skin. Even something asseemingly harmless as wearing over-the-ear headphones could be the culprit to breakoutsaround your temples and jawline. "This is especially the case when you wear them during andafter a workout, or if you keep them on for long periods of time," says dermatologist Dr. DebraLuftman. "Sweat and moisture collect on and around the headphones, compressing the skin andtherefore encouraging bacteria and yeast to multiply," she says. Gross, but true. Use anantibacterial wipe to quickly disinfect your headphones.

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15. Stash a Heal + Conceal Stick in Your LockerIf a midday zit pops up, swipe it with a concealer loaded with blemish-shrinking ingredients. Thisway you can cover it up and treat it in one step. ZO Skin Health Offects Correct & Conceal AcneConcealer Stick will do the trick.

16. Try to Keep Your Hands Off Your FaceOne of the most basic tips for how to get rid of acne is simply to keep your hands to yourself.Your hands aren’t always clean, and dirt under your fingernails and improper squeezing cancause acne to spread or lead to further infection, Dr. Hammerman says. Plus, popping can leadto pitted scars, which stick around much longer than that pimple would.

17. But If You Must Pop a Pimple, Do It the Right WayEven though every dermatologist will tell you not to pop, we get it: sometimes you just can'tresist squeezing it, especially when it's ready to blow. So, if you are determined to take mattersinto your own hands, these are the doctor's orders on how to go about it: Start with clean hands,use cotton tipped applicators or a comedone extractor, and apply antibiotic ointmentpost-popping. (Get more tips on how to pop a pimple properly.)

18. Ice Your Acne to Bring the Swelling DownIf you really must do something about your pimple beyond washing your face and spot treating,ice or a cold compress can help reduce inflammation. Wrap an ice cube or the compress in asoft tissue or cloth and apply it to your zit for 20-30 seconds at a time, a few times a day. In caseof an emergency (like, prom), you can also see a dermatologist for a cortisone injection, whichcan help shrink the cyst down quickly in a day or two.

19. Don't Irritate Your Acne with Toothpaste or Rubbing AlcoholSure, we’ve all heard that toothpaste or rubbing alcohol can help dry out a zit, but many DIYtreatments aren't solutions for how to treat acne. In fact, applying toothpaste or rubbing alcoholare more likely to cause irritation and dryness than treat the actual pimple. Instead, stick withtopical over-the-counter and prescription spot treatments with salicylic acid or benzoyl peroxidethat are specially made to target pimples, says Dr. Hammerman. For an all-natural spottreatment, she suggests dabbing tea tree oil on the area a few times a day with a cotton ball.

20. Combat Hormonal Acne with Birth ControlSometimes, your gynecologist can share insight into your acne, especially when it comes todeciding if birth control could help your breakouts. The FDA approves of Estrostep, OrthoTri-Cyclen and Yaz to combat acne, but the trick is to be patient, as it can take up to four monthsto start seeing results. "This plan of attack works best when paired with whatever topicaltreatments you’re already using to treat your acne, like Proactiv, benzoyl peroxide, salicylic acid,etc," advises dermatologist Dr. Elizabeth Tanzi.

Get Rid of Acne Fast

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21. Don't Overlook Amazing New Technology in the Drugstore AisleIf saving babysitting money for a year still won't make a dent in the funds you need to get afancy laser treatment that will blast away acne scars, don't be discouraged. Thanks to thegeniuses behind drugstore brands like La Roche-Posay, there's a new class of products thatfeature smart technology and better-than-ever ingredients to help treat dark marks and acnescarring — at an affordable price. “La-Roche Posay’s Pigmentclar line is unique in the way itcombines exfoliating lipohydroxy acid (LHA), phe-resorcinol, and ferulic acid, which are bothstrong brightening ingredients, all together to form a topical product that’s seriously effective,"says dermatologist Dr. Mona Gohara.

22. Manage Your Stress and Get Enough SleepThe side effects of too much stress and not enough sleep most definitely include acne. Stresscan wreak havoc on your skin, as can sleep deprivation (since sleep deprivation, of course,additional stress to the body). That being said, obviously becoming "less stressed" is easier saidthan done. Nonetheless, dermatologists advise to do whatever you can to bring some relaxationinto your life and lower stress, whether that be by listening to music, taking a bubble bath,exercising, or heading to bed earlier.

23. Rethink Your Hair Care RegimenIf you're getting a lot of forehead acne, it might be that your hair products are to blame. Hair oils,dry shampoo, and other spray-on products can wreak havoc on your skin if they're notthoroughly washed off. Make sure to wash your hair properly and rinse away all the product thatjust may be clogging the pores near your hairline.

24. Keep Your Hats and Headbands CleanAnother common culprit of forehead acne specifically? Hats and headbands. Think about it: Ifyou wear a hat for an entire afternoon, that's hours worth of sweat, makeup, and bacteria andbacteria buildup trapped on your skin. Headbands and headscarves can do the same thing ifthey're resting on the top of your forehead instead of pushed back into your hair. This doesn'tmean you should top wearing hats and headbands, of course—but if you are experiencing a lotof forehead acne, make sure to regularly take off these accessories and give your skin a break.Also, make sure to wash them. You can throw most headbands right into the wash, or you canhand-clean the inside of hats with warm water and hand or dish soap.

25. Talk to a Doctor About Prescription MedicationIf you've tried all the over-the-counter options and you're still getting acne, talk to yourdermatologist about prescription acne medicine. Dermatologists can help troubleshoot your skinconditions and create a treatment regimen to help prevent pimples and clear your skin. Someacne (especially cystic acne) needs that next-level approach.

Get Rid of Acne Fast

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