How To Treat
Acne-Prone Skin
What Is Acne-Prone Skin?
Acne is a common skin condition that is usually characterized by papules, nodules, pustules and cysts on the upper dermal layer, not to mention inflammation and the emergence of blackheads and whiteheads.
What Causes Acne-Prone Skin?
The causes of acne can vary from person to person. However, it is commonly triggered by one or more of the following factors: genetics, hormones, bacteria, dermal congestion (i.e. clogged pores caused by dead skin cells, excess sebum production and hair follicles), stress, a poor diet and certain types of medication.
Treating This Skin Type
When treating acne-prone skin, many dermatologists recommend a ‘velvet glove, iron fist’ approach, meaning that you should be choosing products that won’t cause unnecessary aggravation, but will pack a significant punch. If you can, choose formulas that rely on more natural ingredients rather than chemical-driven formulas. Harsh, drying ingredients are often employed to subdue acne, especially in more severe cases, which can lead to irritation, dryness and flaking. Avoid alcohol and fragrance as these can further add to your discomfort.
Geranium
Geranium essential oil is naturally anti-inflammatory, antibacterial and antiseptic. It helps to fight breakouts and promote the healing of scars and other wound-centric issues. It can also aid in reducing redness, its soothing qualities making it ideal for oily and acne-prone skin.
Cider Vinegar
Apple cider vinegar may not have a particularly pleasant scent, but it is a well-known natural remedy for acne as well as being beneficial for your overall health. It’s effective at reducing sebum production, inflammation, bacteria and the visibility of scars.
Oatmeal
Oatmeal is not just for breakfast. In fact, it’s actually very soothing, containing anti-inflammatory properties such as zinc, which is reported to impede the bacteria that triggers acne flare-ups. It’s good for sebum control as well, acting as a gentle, natural cleanser without stripping the skin of its natural oils.
Products To Use:
Cleanser
Find a gentle cleanser, preferably one that’s non-medicated. Remember not to scrub your face too rigorously while cleansing – this is unnecessary and can negatively impact your skin by causing irritation. Salicylic acid is a common ingredient in cleansers for acne since it’s a notorious pore purifier, sebum and inflammation reducer, bacteria killer and dead skin cell loosener.
Toner
Using a toner can help to combat excess sebum, blemishes and blackheads while hydrating and tightening pores. Some of the best natural toner ingredients to look out for are: witch hazel, tea tree, aloe vera and rose water.
Moisturizer
The benefits to moisturizing acne-prone skin is two-fold – it helps to reduce sebum production and combats flaking. By using a moisturizing product on your skin, you’re deceiving it into thinking that it’s adequately hydrated, and therefore doesn’t produce any excess sebum to lubricate itself. Contrastingly, if you’ve been using any drying products to treat your acne, a moisturizer can double up to help soothe any resulting irritation and prevent flaking caused by this lack of hydration. For this skin type, choose a moisturizer with a lighter consistency (gel and water based formulas are preferable) and avoid those that rely on oils, unless they’re classed as non-comedogenic.
Tips For Acne-Prone Skin
Use Natural Oils
This might initially sound counter-intuitive, but natural oils are one of the best ways to go about helping acne-prone skin, so long as they’re non-comedogenic. This is because they are often rich in nutrients like amino and essential fatty acids, vitamins and antioxidants that are able to soothe, hydrate, rebalance and even protect irritated or inflamed skin. Choose oils like jojoba, camellia seed, evening primrose, rosehip and tamanu. Essential oils like geranium, ylang ylang, tea tree, carrot seed, myrrh, frankincense, lavender, Roman chamomile, oregano, rosemary and rose are also favorable for this skin type. Although they all offer different healing properties, essential oils such as these have been reported to help fade the scarring commonly associated with acne and boost cell turnover, leading to an improved complexion.
Don't Over-Exfoliate
Especially if you have dry patches of skin, it can be tempting to exfoliate a lot more than is actually necessary. As any dermatologist will tell you – don’t. Over-exfoliation is infamous for triggering inflammation. Exfoliating twice weekly is often enough to reduce congestion while still allowing time for your skin to recover after each session.
Evaluate Your Dietary Choices
To reiterate what we’ve said previously, minimizing or eradicating your consumption of inflammatory dietary choices like processed foods, dairy and sugar can greatly improve your complexion, as well as your overall health. Though there is not one cure-all when it comes to conditions like acne due to the fact that so many variables contribute to its formation, your diet should be one of the first aspects of your life that you should evaluate when seeking to manage acne flare-ups. Even if your acne isn’t caused by your dietary choices, it can be worsened by them. Processed foods and those high in sugar and dairy are renowned for being the root cause of many people’s dermal issues due to the inflammation that they have been found to cause at varying degrees. To read a more in-depth analysis about the effects of processed food, dairy and sugar, visit our Oily Skin page.
Wash Your Bedding And Your Face
Though these steps may not cure acne, they can contribute more than you think when trying to control it. Even when you sleep, your face continues to secrete sebum. Regardless of whether or not you apply products as part of your bedtime routine, the concoction of sebum and/or skincare products that builds up night after night on your pillowcase is a recipe for breakouts. The same goes for not washing your face properly. Aim to wash your bedding at least once per week, and your face twice per day. This way, you’re minimizing your exposure to excess sebum and daily dirt, helping your pores to stay unclogged and your complexion to remain clear.
Additional Information
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