Hi, Tracy O'Connor here, your skin care expert. It's an awful moment, and it happens to all of us at one time or another. You look in the mirror and there it is, a zit. The immediate thought is, oh no! What am I supposed to do now? First, let's talk about how to prevent a breakout. We never know how our skin will react to factors like hormones, food, the stress over a new job. But I have some easy steps for you that are proven to help prevent a breakout. Always wash your face when you wake up, and before you go to sleep, using a cleanser that is right for your skin type. If you're prone to acne, use water-based gentle cleansers. Avoid cold creams and products with heavy oils. Wash your pillow cases at least once a week. Oils from your hair and face can cause acne. Drink at least eight cups of water each day. Hydrating with water flushes the body of toxins and oils that clog up your pores, harbor bacteria, and promote breakouts. Greasy foods equal greasy skin, it's just the way it goes. Try to eat fresh foods daily to keep your skin clear. Extra bonus -- if you eat something with a lot of vitamin C, it's like an internal exfoliant. Oranges, kiwi, raw red peppers, and broccoli all have great amounts of this essential antioxidant. And like with most things we don't want, prevention is key. But even the most vigilant among us will have a breakout now and then. Here's some ways to treat a zit so that it heals faster. First, what not to do. Don't pick at it, poke at it, or pop it with your fingers. I understand the impulse, but it usually makes it much worse. If you see it's formed a whitehead on the tip, wash your hands, wrap your middle fingertips with tissues, and then gently, gently press the pimple until it expresses. There's some really great over-the-counter products to treat zits. Benzoyl peroxide unplugs pores, which is important for maintenance and prevention. If you have a pimple, look for products with alphahydroxy or salicylic acid. These ingredients dry up blemishes swiftly and exfoliate the skin. I swear by tea tree oil for its treatment of pimple-causing bacteria, a factor in how long the zit lasts. And it also soothes the skin. Okay, say you failed at preventing a zit, and you have to go out in public before these terrific products can take effect. What's the only solution? Cover it. But we know that can actually draw more attention to the pimple if it's not done absolutely correctly. Coverage is crucial, except the fact that while you can minimize redness of the inflammation to match your skin tone, you won't be able to lose the bump. Because breakouts happen unexpectedly, make sure to have a great cover-up in your makeup toolbox. Pick a heavier weight cover-up, one shade lighter than your usual foundation. Dab a very small amount directly onto the pimple with a Q-tip, or the tip of a slender makeup brush. Matte products are best to avoid any shine. You won't get rid of the blemish but it will conceal it for the time being. Breakouts can be a real nightmare, but the good news is that you can help prevent them, treat them, and if all else fails, cover them up. I'm Tracy O'Connor. See ya next time.