A good Acne skincare routine is a must when you have acne-prone skin. Acne can be super frustrating and  If you have had Acne you already know the struggle is real!! It can deeply sabotage one’s self-esteem.  Although, it usually starts troubling with puberty but can hit at any age until you reach menopause.  It exists on a spectrum from mild to moderate to severe resulting in a small zit to comedones to severe pus-filled red bumps on the skin. All synonyms to acne.

To clear up your Acne you need a dedicated and well-thought-out skincare routine for your skin type. For that you need to understand the what, the why, and how. So, Let’s Dive in

What is Acne?

You are already aware of what is acne, but just for the record, Acne Vulgaris is a common skin condition that occurs when a hair follicle under the skin gets clogged with oil or dead skin cells. Our skin has millions of sebaceous glands which are connected to the hair follicles. These sebaceous glands produce sebum(oil) to protect our skin barrier and keep it soft and supple. However, when oil and cellular debris plug the pores it results in an outbreak of lesions commonly known as Acne.

What Causes Acne?

As mentioned  above, clogging of hair follicles results in acne, there are certain factors responsible that can mess things up

• Excess Oil (Sebum) Production: The Overproduction of sebum by the Hair Follicles can be one of the major reasons for Acne. That is why Oily skin is Most Prone to Acne.
• Cellular Debris: Dead skin cells when accumulated can clog your hair follicles and prevent oil production. These can also result in Bacterial Infection resulting in cystic acne.
• Hormones and Genetics: If your parents had acne you are more likely to suffer from acne. Moreover, the changes in hormonal levels of estrogen and progesterone can also influence oil production.
• Diet: Have you ever noticed changes in your skin when you hog more on junk, fried, and greasy food. It can not only make your skin look dull and tired but also fuel up ur acne. Several Dairy products and highly processed food can also trigger Acne.
• Stress: most certainly, Stress is also one of the factors responsible for acne, as our body produces cortisol( a stress hormone)  which stimulates Oil glands leading to breakouts.

Which Acne do I have?

Although, acne can be characterized depending on the severity of your condition. The clogged pores can cause different variations of acne such as Comedones, Pustules, Papules, Cystic Acne, and Hormonal Acne.

Closed Comedones aka Whiteheads

These look like tiny bumps across the skin surface. They are Neither red nor inflamed and they don’t hurt. It develops when a plug of skin cells and oil becomes trapped within the hair follicles. Commonly known as whiteheads, the hair follicles are completely blocked and oil is not exposed to the air in this type of acne forming a flesh-colored head that appears whitish. Hence, the name.

Open Comedones aka Blackheads

Commonly found in the T-zone area(Nose Tip and Chin) they start similar by clogging the pores. However, they turn Black because of oxidation as the hair follicle is exposed to air forming a black spec on the skin.

Pustules

Pus-filled pores usually appear as white dots surrounded by inflamed red skin that shells into a bump.

Papules

These start solid raised lesions but fill with pus after a few days only to dorm a pus-filled pustule.

Cystic Acne

This is the most extreme and severe form of acne, Cystic Acne appears as a swollen lump or cysts under the skin. These form because of the oil and cellular debris clogging the pores causing a bacterial infection that results in painful inflammation or swelling. Cystic acne can be super painful and it takes a lot of time to clear that up.

Acne Treatment

When you are building a skincare routine for acne-prone skin, look for the label and ingredients at the back of the products. You should be looking for labels like “oil-free”, “Non- Comedogenic”, non-greasy. Here you will find a few treatments that you can follow religiously and clear up your acne with time. Look for the type of treatment you want to follow for your acne concern.

• Benzoyl Peroxide
• Salicylic Acid
• Glycolic Acid
• Azelaic Acid
• Retinols
• Sulfur

Why you should add Benzoyl Peroxide to your Acne skincare routine?

Benzoyl Peroxide is an antibacterial ingredient that works well for fighting acne. As an antibacterial agent benzoyl peroxide can effectively batter the bacteria, oil, and dead skin cells that clog the pores.   It helps fight the bacteria responsible for inflammation of pores. 2.5% to 10% concentration works best for fighting acne. Moreover, it works particularly well for pustules, papules, cystic and nodular acne all the inflammatory acne that are filled with pus. It might not be very helpful in the case of open and closed comedones.

How does Salicylic acid help with acne?

It’s a BHA, a Beta Hydroxy Acid which exfoliates the skin, keeps pores free of any dirt and sebum. This one works well for noninflammatory such as open and closed Comedones.

What does Glycolic acid do?

Glycolic acid is an AHA, alpha hydroxy acid derived from sugarcane. Its colorless, odorless, and highly crystalline solution. Its low molecular weight makes it easier to penetrate the skin. When applied it breaks the outer dead layer of skin, creating a peeling effect revealing much smoother skin underneath.

How Does Azelaic acid help?

It’s an acid found in grains, has anti-microbial and anti-inflammatory properties. Helps in skin renewal reduces pimples and blackhead formation by killing the acne-causing bacteria. It has been approved by FDA to treat acne and rosacea.

Note: Do not mix this treatment with Salicylic Acid 

Why do You need Retinol in your Acne Skincare Routine ??

Retinol (Vit A) is the most potent skincare ingredient that is there on the market. Retinol not only helps in treating severe acne but also helps fade stubborn acne scars and fix hyperpigmentation. Adapalene is the best Retinoid for Beginners with acne problems. As it slows down the process of excessive growth of sebum inline of pores and desensitizes the skin to inflammation making it ideal for acne. Not only does it remove dead skin cells, but its anti-aging properties are also well known.

If you Haven’t read this already, check out this Complete guide on Retinol and how it helps with acne here. 

How does Sulfur help?

Sulfur dries out the excess oil and dead skin cells.

What Your Acne Skincare Routine be like?

Now that you know what you need to add to your Acne skincare routine. Let’s Build up a routine that aims to clear up the acne-prone congested skin.

Daytime Acne Skincare Routine 

1. Cleanser

         First and foremost off cleanse your face with a gentle Foaming cleanser if you have Oily skin, Cerave foaming cleanser is your perfect bid here as it is formulated with ceramides, Niacinamides, and Hyaluronic acid, a cream-based cleanser that has benzoyl peroxide for sensitive skin and a cream-based cleanser with salicylic acid for dry skin. Cerave SA Cleanser is perfect for treating black and whitehead acne.

 

 

CeraVe Acne Foaming Cream Cleanser

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PanOxyl Acne Foaming Wash Benzoyl Peroxide 10% 

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La Roche Posay Effaclar Medicated Gel Facial Cleanser

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Cerave Foaming Facial Cleanser

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Differin Cleanser with Benzoyl Peroxide

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Neutrogena Daily Oil-Free Acne Fighting Facial Cleanser 

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       2. Treatment

 

 

 

Neutrogena acne benzoyl peroxide Treatment

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Cerave Acne control gel 

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Murad Acne Control Spot Treatment

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Mario Badescu Anti-Acne Serum

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3. Moisturizer

Moisturizer is extremely important to keep skin healthy and supple. If you have oily skin you might wonder  Oh! I already have oily skin !! Why would I need a moisturizer?  However, that is not the case moisturizer is very important even if you have oily skin. As it will help your skin to replenish making it smooth and supple. Wait for the treatment to sink in, let it dry, and then put on the moisturizer, you don’t want to remove the treatment before it can work its magic, do u ??

 

 

Nuetragena Hydroboost Water Gel

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Cetaphil Daily Moisturizer

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Toleraine la Roche posay Moisturizer

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First Aid Beauty Ultra Repair Moisturizer

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Cerave Skin renewal Night cream

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Nuetragena Oil Free Moisturizer

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4. Sunscreen

 

 

Neutrogena Oil-free Sunscreen

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Supergoop mineral sunscreen

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Cerave Mineral Sunscreen

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Biore aqua rich sunscreen

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Nighttime Acne Skincare Routine 

Your nighttime skin care should start with Double Cleansing with micellar water and gentle cleanser again, next up treat your skin with Retinol. Just keep in mind not to use retinol treatment on days when you exfoliate or use any of the exfoliating acids like glycolic acids and salicylic acids. All the stripping can make the skin more irritating. Retinol is undoubtedly a skin saver. You must read what you need to be aware of when starting with retinol. Check out this detailed guide here. It has all you need to know about Retinol. Subsequently, Moisturize as usual.

 

 

Vanicream Gentle Facial Cleanser

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Differin acne treatment

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Cerave Retinol Resurfacing Serum

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Drunk Elephant Retinol Cream

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I hope you get the idea. Now, A few pointers to take into consideration while building up the skincare routine.

Know your skin type

Everyone has a diff skin, you know this right? You must be are aware that some of us have oily, some have dry, likewise, some have a combination and some are sensitive to certain ingredients or fragrances. That is why what works for one might not work for others.

Choose the Products wisely

Therefore you got to read your skin, look for the sensitivities and observe how your skin behaves. Sort out your concern and look for its specific solution such as if you are struggling with comedogenic acne you need to add Salicylic acid treatment.  Likewise use a mineral sunscreen if you have sensitive skin.

Consistency is the key

Moreover, Consistency is very important when you are trying to clear or maintain your skin. Start simple with basic products, give the skin time to adapt to the new routine, and layer products slowly over time.

No to Too many Actives

Furthermore, it’s of utmost importance that you never mix too many active ingredients. It can do more damage rather than heal your skin. Always rotate your products and start with a low concentration.

Be Patient

Besides, I can’t stress this enough but you can only see changes in your skin after you follow your routine consistently. Always remember  Skincare is a Marathon, Not a Sprint.  Seek help from a dermatologist if your acne is very severe. He or she can prescribe stronger medication to clear your acne.

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