What is Acne?
There are different concepts and thoughts regarding acne, so let us first clear all doubts about acne. Acne is a medical condition in which your hair follicles get clogged with oil or dead skin cells, causing whiteheads, blackheads, or pimples.
Certain factors responsible for acne production are excessive oil or sebum production by your sebaceous glands, hair follicles clogging, bacteria, or inflammation. Your hormone levels or lifestyle factors may also be responsible. Some women experience acne during their menstruation because of the hormonal changes that occur during this period.
When your skin is acne-prone, you should be extremely careful about your skin hygiene. The selection of skincare products as well as cosmetics needs vigilance. Though difficult, taking proper care of your acne-prone skin is not impossible. Be gentle to your skin as it represents you.
What to Look For When Buying Acne Creams?
Now that all the concepts have been cleared, let us get started with the steps essential before buying an acne cream or other product:
1. Being Aware of Your Skin Type
You cannot just blindly opt for any product by having a glance at its packing or just being impressed by the salesperson’s persuasion. Selecting a product that suits your skin type is essential for keeping it fresh and healthy. If you are not being kind to your skin, you will see the negative effect popping out in the form of acne. So, be humane to what you’ve got now. You are not going to get this skin replaced; thus, be nice to it.
Different acne creams are available for different skin types – be it oily, dry, or complex. Go with the one that best suits yours.
2. If You Have Oily Skin
Having oily skin means that you are likely to have open pores. So, you need something that will help shrink them as well as remove excess oil from your skin. There are some acne creams and toners available on the market that suck all the necessary oils from the skin, which causes dryness. This is something that we don’t want. You need to remove just the excessive oil while keeping the skin hydrated and rejuvenated.
A supple moisturization is always needed, no matter how oily your skin is. So go for the product that doesn’t overdo what is needed. Products like hyaluronic acid, salicylic acid, and benzoyl peroxide are of great help for oily skin.
3. If You Have Dry Skin
People with dry skin are not likely to get acne, but this skin type is sensitive. This means you can have a bad reaction to the environmental pollutant. For dry skin, dermatologists recommend using products containing lactic acid or shea butter. They help in moisturization as well as exfoliation of your skin. Having sensitive skin is not easy – you have to tackle it the way it deserves.
4. Know the Product’s Information
After seeing the skin type you have been blessed with, you should be aware of the products that it requires. So, the next step before finally purchasing yourself a skin product is to read the label of the product carefully. If the composition matches your demand, go for it. If not, opt for the better option.
Selecting an organic product is better than the one loaded with chemicals. But that doesn’t mean that all organic substances are good for your skin condition. Some organic skin products do more harm than good, so you got to be careful again in this aspect. Just be focused on your skin requirements. Don’t let yourself be distracted by the label data. Be selective and specific about what you need before buying your acne creams so that you don’t have to regret it later.
Some chemical substances are considered good for acne-prone skin, such as salicylic acid. It helps exfoliate the outermost layer of your skin to clean and remove the trapped sebum as well as dead skin cells. Along with being an exfoliator, salicylic acid is gentle enough to be used for sensitive skin types, so you need not worry.
Benzoyl peroxide is another dermatologist-recommended skin exfoliator. Hyaluronic acid helps tighten the pores, so you can opt for the product having this as a component if you have an oily skin type. Dermatologists also favor the use of essential oils, such as tea tree oil, for acne.
5. Consult your Dermatologist
If you are still confused about the suitability of a product for your skin type, you should better consult your dermatologist. Let your skin be completely and keenly examined, and then ask for the specific products it needs.
We may even misdiagnose our skin condition in some cases by opting for products that are not meant for us. This results in further deterioration of skin health. So, prefer to go slow and with caution than to harm your skin. A dermatologist will facilitate you in selecting your skincare, especially acne creams.
What Type of Moisturizer Should You Opt For?
Most of the acne-prone skins are oily in nature. Therefore, many people wonder if they should go for moisturizers in their daily routine or not. Moisturizing your skin is important, but only when you are using the right product. It is a common misconception among people that moisturizers help increasing the oil content. The reality is far from that. Skin moisturizers are used to help hydrate your skin. They help prevent the water loss from the epidermis, preventing it from being damaged.
To select the right moisturizer, you should be concerned with the ingredients it contains. It should be a hypoallergic, fragrance-free formula with adequate quantities of exfoliating agent and SPF.
Most moisturizers recommended and preferred for acne-prone oily skins are those that are transparent, such as aloe vera gel.
Be Concerned About Results, Not Price
Buying a product that is cheap but doesn’t suit your skin is like further damaging your skin. After that, you would have to spend even double and triple the amount of money needed to buy a good skincare product. So, prefer to spend once for a good cause rather than spending again and again. Your skin is your representative. Don’t be stingy for spending on a good cause. Nobody’s going to be benefitted but you. Go for the right product and make your skin healthier.
Conclusion
Acne is a medical condition that is not easy to handle. One has to be extremely cautious while dealing with it. Care must be taken when selecting any skincare product so as not to worsen it. Some people do not bother before buying these products and end up further damaging the already deteriorated skin.
Overusing products like foundation and other cosmetics causes further clogging of widened pores. You all should follow “prevention is better than cure” and not overload your sensitive skin with makeup all day long. Be gentle to your skin. Prefer skincare products over makeup and let it breathe openly. Healthy skin makes you shine brighter with confidence.