Cleansing and treating your skin twice a day is the best way to keep breakouts away, but you need to find products with the right ingredients. Not all over-the-counter acne medications contain ingredients that target acne. Creams and lotions that offer acne help may be reversed if your combination skin breaks out with extra oils. Avoid mistakes such as exfoliating too often, and pamper your skin with acne masks that help heal. Here are tips that will have your skin looking and feeling better fast.
Use the right cleanser
Start by finding the cleanser treatment that’s right for you. Don’t let impatience goad you into trying to speed things up by applying more than the instructed amount. Your skin needs to adjust to treatment gradually. Applying too much product can aggravate your skin and cause redness, irritation and dry skin.
Benzoyl peroxide is the fastest cure with a high success rate for a wide range of people, especially those with oily skin. Benzoyl peroxide kills acne-causing bacteria while removing dead skin cells that can clog pores. Dermatologists say you can expect to see improvement in three to five days with benzoyl peroxide cream.
Many people respond best to a 2.5 percent strength benzoyl peroxide cream, although creams come in strengths ranging up to 10 percent. Start with a low dose and see how your skin reacts. Reaction to treatment can make acne worse and trigger other side effects such as rashes.
Try alpha hydroxy acids
Other products for a fast cure are those containing glycolic acid and lactic acid. Glycolic acid and lactic acid, sometimes called alpha hydroxy acids, reduce inflammation and remove dead skin cells. If your skin is oily, try cleansers with glycolic acid. For sensitive skin, look for products with lactic acid. Those with sensitive skin should also check out hydrating ingredients like glycerin, which isn’t as drying as products made for more oily types.
Another a good ingredient for a fast cure is sulfur, which dries out your skin and removes dead skin cells that cause acne.
Salicylic acid works mostly to prevent pores from becoming plugged and is not a fast cure to end breakouts. However, many people combine benzoyl peroxide with salicylic acid to cure existing breakouts while stopping future problems. Try a salicylic acid face wash and a benzoyl peroxide gel. A word of caution, however. There is a slight chance this combination can make acne worse for the first few weeks while your skin adjusts.
Treat and pamper with a face mask
Face masks for acne can help remove excess oil, reduce the size of pores, and draw out impurities within the skin. They treat your skin while also providing a dose of pampering.
If your skin is oily and congested, find a face mask that removes acne by drawing out impurities. Clay masks are best for oily and acne-prone skin. Those with sensitive skin that appears red or inflamed should look for a mask to calm and soothe. Look for a mask containing rose hips to speed up healing.
If your skin is dry, use a moisturizing mask that’s rich in hydration and avoid products containing mud or clay.
Exfoliation
Exfoliate with caution, and do not exfoliate more than two or three times a week. Scrubbing your face daily with grainy cleansers and exfoliating products risks creating overly sensitive skin and scarring. Exfoliating too often can cause redness, inflammation and irritation.
Dry your face
Use a fresh part of the towel to pat your face dry. Using a dirty towel that harbors bacteria can be transferred back to your skin and cause more breakouts.
Moisturize
Oil glands tend to overproduce oil if the skin surface is dry and dehydrated. Moisturizing the skin with an appropriate moisturizer for your skin type can improve healing by re-balancing oil glands and helping control acne. For oily skin, look for a lightweight, oil-free product that won’t clog your pores. Those with dry skin can use an oil based cream, but start with something light if you are prone to breakouts.
