What Is Congested Skin? Here's How You Can Prevent And Treat It

Congested skin means clogged pores, blackheads and whiteheads on the skin. Read this article to know how you can prevent and treat it.

Navya Kharbanda
Written by: Navya KharbandaUpdated at: Feb 23, 2021 11:46 IST
What Is Congested Skin? Here's How You Can Prevent And Treat It

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There are several environmental factors such as humidity, sweat and winds that might affect your skin pores easily. The substances in clogged pores vary from blackheads to even acne breakouts, but persistent and recurring clogging can also be an indication towards congested skin. What is congested skin and how can you find your way out of it? Congested skin can be identified by its appearance which is rough and has a number of open as well as blocked pores. The first thing that you might try will be cleansing it enough to completely remove the skin of oil and dirt. It might look like a short term solution but  but the lack of oil on the skin and over exfoliation might make the skin to combat, leaving it with even more acne breakouts and redness than what you had before.

These skin problems are caused by dead skin cell blockage, which further gets added up with difficult drainage. Congested skin is a conclusion of a lot of things altogether. If your skin is congested, you might notice bumpiness underneath the skin, blackheads, whiteheads, acne breakouts and a full, inactive face. The easiest way to see if you have congested skin is to rub your hand on your face. If your skin texture is bumpy, uneven and harsh to touch, then it is congested. There might also be blackheads and whiteheads, particularly on the T-zone and cheeks. Read on to know about ways to treat and prevent congested skin.

How to treat congested skin?

Congested skin types usually have clogged pores, blackheads and whiteheads. But, congested skin mainly points out towards the skin conditions where there is an impaction within a skin pore (follicle). This impaction is a combination of oil, dead skin cells, dirt and small hair on the surface of your skin. In fact, this might even have bacteria at times. Here are some ways to treat congested skin:

1. Exfoliation

exfoliation

Exfoliation can effectively help in getting rid of skin pores and dead skin cells, that combines and makes congested skin. Exfoliation helps in removing dead skin cells from your skin, but if you overexfoliate your skin, then it will go smooth but can be dry and flaky as well. A sugar and honey scrub can act as an exfoliator for your skin. Sugar granules are useful for scrubbing thus making it a natural remedy at home. Sugar and honey scrub is beneficial to remove dead cells and extra toxins on the skin. Just take some honey and add a little sugar into it. Mix and apply it on your face. Massage gently for around 15-20 minutes and repeat this process everyday. Your congested skin will improve within a week.

Also read: What Is Photofacial Skin Treatment? Know The Types, Benefits And Side Effects

2. Cleansing

Cleanse your skin atleast twice a day and especially after exercise or excessive sweating. After removing dirt and oil from the skin’s surface, you can ensure the reduction of them clogging in your skin. So, cleansing is one of the best ways to prevent and treat congested skin. Wash your skin using a face wash and water, and do not forget to pat with a dry towel. You can even use various face packs and masks for this purpose so that it gets cleansed from deep within.

3. Hydrating

You should add water rich foods such as watermelons, grapes and strawberries to your diet in order to ensure hydrated and healthy skin. Hydrating also means that you have to drink as much water as possible. You should drink atleast 8-10 glasses of water everyday. Keeping your body and skin hydrated is an important part of life. The skin will feel and look the best if it is hydrated.

How to prevent congested skin?

A healthy lifestyle, which comprises of balanced diet and regular physical workout are one of the best ways to prevent congested skin. You should try using oil free moisturizers and face wash on a regular basis. Get routine facials and cleanups to exfoliate the dead cells and maintain the hydration of your skin, thus reducing congestion on the skin. The T-zone will require more time and attention in your skin care routine. You can apply a mud pack on that area and also use a natural fruit based pack to hydrate the rest of the face. Rubbing ice on the T-zone can also help in tightening the skin pores. You should eat vitamin C and other antioxidant rich foods or supplements to prevent your skin from looking dull. For prevention, you have to get into a habit of exfoliating and cleansing your skin on a regular basis. So, here are some ways to prevent congested skin:

1. Balanced diet

clogged skin

Balanced diet plays a major role in maintaining your skin. It helps in preventing several skin conditions, including congested skin. You should include healthy foods such as fruits and vegetables in your diet. An unbalanced and unhealthy diet is also one of the causes behind many skin carel problems. Avoid having too much fried and sugary foods.

2. Regular exercise

A balanced and healthy diet, regular exercise and good sleep combine to result in healthy and glowy skin. You should also get into a habit of exercising regularly to prevent congested skin. Exercise leads to sweating, and it can help in cleansing your skin from within. It will keep your skin hydrated and will also maintain your overall health. You can get into any type of physical workout like cycling, aerobic exercises and running.

Also read: Blackheads On The Face? Here Are The Causes, Home Remedies And Tips To Prevent Them

3. Removing makeup

Removing makeup completely from your face at the end of the day also contributes towards the maintainence of good skin health. If you have a habit of removing the makeup, then you can prevent pores from becoming clogged overnight. It is important to wash your face properly before going to bed at night. This will not only prevent congested skin, but also help in combating many other skin problems.

4. Avoid touching your face

Take care not to touch your face too much throughout the day as this can become a major cause behind the blockage of dirt, oil and toxins on your face. These impurities and unwanted substances lead to congested skin. Therefore, it is also important not to touch your face overtly.

Causes of congested skin

unhealthy diet

Congested skin can develop because of overactive glands, hormonal changes, unhealthy diet, using the wrong beauty products, lack of regular exercise and less effort for a skincare routine. Congested skin has bumps and also has visible whiteheads and blackheads, especially on the cheeks and the T-zone. There are several factors that cause congestion that include poor skin care, incorrect or less skin cleansing routine, insufficient exfoliation and harmful beauty products. Your skin might also get affected from external environmental factors. Congested skin might also be caused due to over-active oil glands, which is the result of hormones and poor gut health.

Also read: How To Get Rid Of Clogged Pores On Face Naturally?

Treating and preventing congested skin might feel like a very long and tiring process and it might also work differently on every skin. However, you can surely rely on the above mentioned ways to treat and prevent this skin problem. You also have to follow the basic instructions of proper cleansing, exfoliation and hydration, to have that smooth and glowy skin back. In order to have an even skin tone, it is important to get to the root cause of your skin problem, which ultimately means  clearing out your clogged pores. The best way to clean the surface of your skin is a regular skin care routine that includes exfoliation.

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