Acne Skin Care

Anyone can develop acne. Though teenagers with oily skin are most commonly afflicted with acne, it occurs in people of any age with any skin type, including adults (adult acne).

The most important step to controlling acne is to follow your acne treatment as directed. In addition, there are several skin care tips that may help to reduce the severity of acne and frequency of acne flares (“breakouts”).

Things to do:

  • Limit face washing to once in the morning and once at night, as well as after sweating heavily. Perspiration, especially when wearing a hat or helmet, can make acne worse, so the skin should be gently cleansed soon after sweating.
  • Wash the face and other acne-prone areas with a gentle, non-abrasive skin cleanser that does not contain alcohol.
  • Never scrub your skin. Gently apply the cleanser and wash with your fingertips. This reduces the likelihood of the skin becoming irritated and inflamed. Using a washcloth, mesh sponge, or scrubbing device can irritate the skin and result in acne breakouts.
  • Rinse your face lukewarm water. Be sure to thoroughly rinse away the cleanser with lukewarm, not hot, water.
  • Shampoo regularly. Those with oily hair should consider washing their hair daily.
  • Choose a non-comedogenic skin cleanser.

Things to avoid:

  • Astringents, masks, toners, and exfoliators that contain scrubbing particles. Unless one of these products contains an ingredient used to treat acne, such as salicylic acid or benzoyl peroxide, these products do not help clear acne. In fact, these products tend to irritate the skin and make acne worse. These products also may make it more difficult to tolerate prescription acne medications.
  • Greasy hair-care products. These hair-care products, such as pomades and oil-containing gels, can drip onto the skin and clog pores. This can result in worsening acne.
  • Picking, popping, and squeezing acne. People pick and pop pimples to get rid of them quickly. The truth is doing any of these can irritate the skin and make acne worse. These also prolong healing time and increase the risk of scarring.
  • Skin care products that contain oil. Many skin care products from makeup to sunscreen contain oil. Oil can clog pores and lead to breakouts. Look for products that say “oil-free,” “will not clog pores” or “noncomedogenic.”
  • Rubbing alcohol. Some people apply rubbing alcohol in order to dry out the oily skin. This will not help clear acne nor prevent breakouts. In fact, it can irritate the skin and result in acne breakouts.
  • Tanning. Some people claim that their acne clears with sun exposure. The truth is tanning can be very damaging to the skin. In fact, if you are using a topical retinoid, you must protect your skin from the sun. These acne medications cause the top layer of your skin to become more sensitive to ultraviolet (UV) light from the sun and indoor tanning devices.
  • Touching the skin throughout the day. Avoid touching acne prone areas with your hands.