Acne products: Find a solution for your acne flare-ups

Countless acne products line store shelves, offering you a wide array of choices. Not only must you pick among brands and regular strength or maximum strength, but you also have to decide whether a gel, lotion or cleansing bar would best suit your needs. Sorting through all these options can be confusing.
So before you grab whatever package is closest, find out how acne products differ, what main ingredients to look for and how to use these products for best results.

Acne products target causes

To choose the acne product that's most likely to work for you, it helps to understand the cause of acne.
Your hair follicles are connected to sebaceous glands, which secrete an oily substance known as sebum to lubricate the hair and skin. Sebum normally travels up along the hair shafts and then out through the opening of the hair follicle onto the surface of your skin.
When your body produces an excess amount of sebum and dead skin cells, they accumulate in the hair follicle and form a soft plug. As the plug enlarges, the follicle wall can rupture, allowing more oil and skin cells to accumulate. Bacteria can trigger inflammation and infection resulting in acne.
Some over-the-counter (OTC) acne products work by killing Propionibacterium acnes (P. acnes), the bacteria that cause acne inflammation. Other products remove excess oils from the skin or speed up the growth of new skin cells and the removal of dead skin cells. And in some cases, an acne product works by doing several of these things.

Acne develops when sebum (an oily substance that lubricates your hair and skin) and dead skin cells plug the hair follicles and become infected.

Active ingredients in acne products

Acne products work in different ways, depending on their active ingredient. Here are common active ingredients found in acne products and how they work to treat acne.

Benzoyl peroxide. Probably the most effective active ingredient, benzoyl peroxide kills P. acnes, helps remove excess oils from the skin and removes dead skin cells that clog pores. Available in strengths from 2.5 percent to 10 percent, benzoyl peroxide can cause excessive dryness, scaling, redness and minor swelling. It can also make your skin more sensitive to ultraviolet (UV) exposure.

Salicylic acid. This ingredient slows shedding of cells inside the hair follicles, which prevents the pores from clogging. It may also break down whiteheads (clogged pores that have no opening) and blackheads (pores that are open and have a dark surface). Salicylic acid can cause mild stinging and skin irritation. OTC acne products are available with 0.5 percent to 2 percent salicylic acid.

Sulfur and resorcinol. Rarely used alone, sulfur and resorcinol are often found together in products. These ingredients remove dead skin cells that clog pores and help remove excess oil. They may also break down whiteheads and blackheads. Sulfur and resorcinol can cause redness and peeling, which may occur several days after using the product.
Alcohol and acetone. Often available in astringents and other cleansing washes, alcohol and acetone remove dirt and oils from the skin. Products that contain these ingredients can cause a mild burning or stinging sensation.

Using acne products for best results

To minimize redness, excessive dryness and other skin problems, start out with lower strength acne products. If needed, gradually increase the strength and frequency of your applications so that your skin can adjust to the treatments. In addition, don't combine products with different active ingredients. For example, don't use both a lotion containing benzoyl peroxide and a gel containing salicylic acid. This can cause serious skin irritations.

Acne products are just one step in your skin care regimen. For best control of acne:
Avoid oily cosmetics, suncreens and hair products. Instead use products labeled "oil-free" or "noncomedogenic," which means it won't clog pores.

Wash problem areas twice daily with a nonmedicated soap or mild cleanser. But don't overdo it. Excessive washing and scrubbing can worsen acne.

Apply just enough acne product to cover the problem areas.

Use an oil-free, water-based moisturizer to help alleviate dry, peeling skin.

Don't pick or squeeze blemishes. Infection or scarring may result.

It may take four to six weeks of daily use of acne products to see results, and acne may look worse before it gets better. If your acne doesn't improve after two months of treatment, you may want to see your doctor or dermatologist for a prescription lotion or medication.

Dry Skin Care Products Can Cause Adult Acne

It is estimated that 50 percent of adult women and 25 percent of adult men have acne. Although there are a number of reasons behind this – hormonal changes, stress, ingrown hairs from shaving, and so on – an often overlooked source of the problem is the moisturizers used to remedy dry skin. Substituting a shielding lotion for moisturizers provides the dry skin care treatment needed without causing acne and other skin problems.How do moisturizers lead to acne? The usual problem is the addition of mineral oil or its derivatives. Mineral oil coats the skin and clogs the pores, which then become a breeding ground for bacteria. Because the pores are clogged, there’s no way for that bacteria to get out. This then results in inflammation and infection - acne.So, if you have acne, or would like to avoid it, one of the first things to do is get rid of your moisturizers. Theoretically, this will lead to another problem – how do you handle your dry skin? The truth is that moisturizers are not only not effective dry skin care treatment; many of their chemical ingredients actually make the condition worse. It is not immediately obvious because the addition of mineral oil makes the skin feel soft and smooth. However, what you’re feeling is not your skin, it’s the mineral oil. Anything coated with oil is going to feel that way. Underneath the oil is the same dry skin. In fact, it’s probably getting worse because the pores are clogged with oil, bacteria is getting trapped, and dead skin cells are accumulating rather than sloughed off so your skin is fresh.The best solution for both dry skin care and acne is a shielding lotion. A good shielding lotion bonds with the outer layer of the skin to form a protective layer that locks in natural moisture and keeps harmful chemicals out. However, it does not clog the pores in the process. The skin is free to breathe, dead skin cells are exfoliated and bacteria and other toxins are released.Switching from moisturizers to a good shielding lotion could kill two birds with one stone. It provides dry skin care treatment that really alleviates the problem instead of hiding it, and unclogs the pores to relieve acne. Give it a try!