Facial Cleansers For Acne

What’s the worst four letter word you can think of? For some people, that would be A-C-N-E. Whether it is one pimple or many, when faced with acne, people would rather hide than show their faces.

Don’t let acne ruin your life. By following some basic, simple skin care, such as using an acne facial cleanser and acne-medicated products, you can help control acne and make your skin look a lot better.

People make the mistake of scrubbing their faces too hard when they have acne. Perhaps they think they can scrub off their acne. Instead, this can exacerbate your complexion and lead to permanent scarring. The truth is, acne forms below the skin. For whatever reason, excess dirt or sebum clogs your pores. The sebum, which normally moves to the surface, gets trapped. That “gunk” inside acne is a mixture of the bacteria, pus, dead cells, and white blood cells that have come to clear out the infection. So as you see, acne is not like a spec of dirt you can wipe off your face. You need a different game plan that starts with washing your face properly.

A lot of people feel that they should constantly wash their face to get rid of acne. While it is true that people with oily skin might need to wash their face more often than someone with dry skin, that does not mean you need to wash your face each and every hour of the day. In fact, constant face washing might make acne problems appear worse. Instead, wash 2-3 times a day with a facial cleanser specially formulated for acne.

Some common ingredients in acne facial cleansers are salicylic acid and benzoyl peroxide. Salicylic acid is effective because it helps get rid of the dead skin cells that are clogging the surface. This process is called exfoliation. It is important to clear off the surface because for one thing, dead skin cells might be one of the components clogging pores and causing breakouts; for another thing, exfoliating the top layer of skin might help acne clear faster. However, as you may have guessed, salicylic acid can cause excessive skin dryness. Over the counter facial cleansers contain 1-2% salicylic acid, but even those concentrations are known to dry out skin.

The other key ingredient in acne facial cleansers, benzoyl peroxide, is said to be less irritating than salicylic acid. It works differently in that it enters pores and kills the bacteria that causes acne. It does not help exfoliate surface cells, though. Products can contain anywhere from 2.5 to 10% benzoyl peroxide. Experts recommend you start at the lowest concentration and slowly work up to higher concentrations in case you experience irritation.

For some people, the “less is more” approach works best. I personally know of several people who switched to using a gentle facial cleanser that was soap-free and fragrance-free. The cleanser was non-drying and helped acne clear up on its own. The use of gentle cleansers for acne-prone skin has been recommended by dermatologists for years.

Beware of products that contain alcohol, menthol, peppermint, or anything that promotes a “tingling experience.” These so-called acne facial cleansers might give you a cool-feeling, but that is just the alcohol evaporating off your skin. As you might guess, the alcohol can cause excessive dryness of your skin, so try to avoid these products.

The cure for acne lies in a combination of things. Try incorporating an acne facial cleanser in your skincare routine, but take it slowly. Sometimes less is more. But if you have serious acne concerns, consult a dermatologist. Some forms of acne are cystic and require special attention. But for everyday acne, follow the above steps, keep your hands away from your face (don’t pick at acne!), and follow a healthy lifestyle. Good luck on your acne-free journey.

Sabrina writes about facial cleansers and other skin care products. She offers opinions and insight into which cleansers work best, and which should be avoided.

Article Source:http://www.articlesbase.com/skin-care-articles/facial-cleansers-for-acne-1086812.html