Although it may appear to be a fairly straightforward task, choosing
the Best acne face wash for your skin is anything but easy. You see,
there are lots of links you’ll want to think about and get to know
before you can choose a face wash that might work well for you.
Here is a brief overview of stuff you’ll want to know before you
can make a buying decision.
Your skin type …
The kind of face wash you should use will depend on the type of skin
you have.
Normal skin: if your skin is not oily and if you do not experience dryness, it’s very possible that you have normal skin. People with normal skin are lucky. They have a small pores and so there are face does not get excessively oily. And it doesn’t get dry or tight either.
People with normal skin almost never have acne. In case you think you have normal skin but occasionally experience breakouts, it’s possible that you have combination skin and not normal skin.
People with normal skin may never have to use acne face wash. They do not need to. Aren’t they lucky!
Combination skin: if your nose and forehead tend to get oily, and your cheeks stay normal then you most likely have combination skin.
If you have combination skin, chances are you do not experience frequent breakouts. And treating breakouts – if they do occur – should be fairly easy. When you do experience breakouts, consult your dermatologist and they should be able to help you.
Most acne face washes may be too harsh even for people with combination skin because they have chemicals like benzoyl peroxide or salicylic acid. And these tend to dry out skin. Especially if you use them on your cheeks – because the skin there are is normal.
Instead of using a face wash for acne, you might want to consult a dermatologist first.
Dry skin: if you have dry skin, chances are acne is not something you’re worried about.
People with dry or excessively dry skin rarely, if ever, develop acne. Then have issues like itchiness especially during winter, but in general they are mostly free of acne.
If you have dry skin, and you do experience breakouts once in a while, you still would not want to use any kind of acne face wash.
You see, most acne face wash as are designed for people oily or excessively oily skin types. So there are designed to soak up the excess oil and make skin more dry.
If people with dry your excessively dry skin use a acne face wash, they may end up causing even more dryness and discomfort.
You would need to use a product that’s a lot more gentle and soothing than acne face wash. Which is why if you have dry skin and are experiencing a breakout right now, you would want to see a dermatologist right away. Do not use just about any over-the-counter product. Your doctor or a qualified dermatologist is the one person that can help you in your situation.
Sensitive skin: if your skin feels tight, very dry and is also easily irritated or inflamed, you have sensitive skin. Sensitive skin is very dry skin.
People with sensitive skin may develop itchiness, develop scaly and reddish areas and may even break into spots.
Sensitive skin is very delicate skin. And it needs a lot of care.
Fortunately, acne is usually not a problem people with sensitive skin have to deal with.
In the very rare event that someone with sensitive skin also has a breakout, they should see a dermatologist right away.
If you have sensitive skin, you would do well not to ever use an acne face wash on your skin. Almost every acne face wash tends to cause dryness. And this is something you would want to avoid.
Oily skin: normally, it’s people with oily skin who have to endure acne. This type of skin appears to have been soaked in oil in extreme cases.
Oily skin appears greasy and shiny. The pores are enlarged.
Acne is believed to occur when the pores get clogged with excess oil and dirt. Blackheads, blemishes, pimples and whiteheads are normally formed this way.
Almost every acne face wash on the market is designed for people with oily skin. And almost every one of them tend to cause dryness.
While people with excessively oily skin may be helped with just about any good face wash, you would still need to consult a dermatologist to help choose the right product for you.
If you’re currently using a face wash and it is causing excessive dryness and discomfort, you may be using too much of it. All you need to do is just dab it on.
If you are someone with excessively oily skin, do not despair. Oily skin does come with a share of advantages. Basically, oily skin is very healthy skin. This type of skin tends not to wrinkle or age. And you do not have to deal with itchiness or flakiness that people with sensitive skin have to endure.
Changes in skin conditions: one thing you would also want to know is that the condition of your skin may change with the seasons. Many people notice that there are skin feels more dry during winter and oilier in summer. And some types of medication can also lead to excess oil production by the oil glands. If you have normal or combination skin and due to a combination of factors your oil glands start producing more oil, you might experience increased breakouts during such periods. But these are generally temporary conditions and things should get better when the underlying causes change.
If you have normal skin and wash your face too many times a day, it may tend to feel dry, tight and even a bit uncomfortable.
Regardless of what might be causing your breakouts, you definitely would want to see your dermatologist right away. If neglected, acne can lead to unsightly scars. And this is something you definitely would want to avoid.
Once you know your skin type, the next thing you would want to get to know is the severity of your acne.
Depending on the severity, acne is classified into 4 grades. A dermatologist makes a visual inspection of the condition of your facial skin and determines the grade.
The type of treatment you will be prescribed depends largely on the severity of your condition.
And when selecting a face wash for acne, you would want to take this into consideration.
Since only a dermatologist or your doctor is best suited to determine a course of treatment – which may or may not include using a acne face wash – you would want to consult with them before you choose a acne product.
Picking a over the counter product at random and hoping it will help you get rid of your acne is not a good thing to do. Not only may that not be effective, it may even lead to acne scarring too. And acne scars are a zillion times harder to treat than acne.
That said, here is what you will want to know about the grades of acne.
Grade 1 or Mild Acne
This is what acne looks like when it starts. This is the mildest kind. You will notice very small pimples that appear once in a while. Milia and blackheads may also be found in certain cases. There will be no pustules or inflamation at this stage.
This kind of acne is typically seen during the early teens. Since the nose and forehead areas tend to be oilier in most individuals, these are where grade 1 acne makes its appearance.
If you or someone you know has grade 1 acne, you would want to consult with a dermatologist right away. At this stage, the condition may be very easily treated. It’s easy to get rid of grade 1 acne.
Using a acne face wash that’s right for your skin type at this stage can lead to dramatic and very fast improvement in the condition.
If left untreated, it becomes more severe and turns to grade II acne.
Grade II Acne or Moderate Acne
If you haven’t treated grade I acne, it becomes more severe grade II acne. At this stage, milia and blackheads start appearing in greater numbers. Pustules and papules also start forming on your face.
While grade I acne typically affects only the nose and forehead areas, grade II acne may affect your shoulders, back, chin, the jaw line area and of course your cheeks.
While you may be able to treat grade II acne with a good face wash and even with some home remedies, you would definitely want to consult a dermatologist.
If you neglect acne at this stage or squeeze and pop the zits, it may progress to grade III.
Grade III or Severe Acne
At this stage, your skin will be red and inflammed. Pustules and papules will be seen in great numbers and nodules will start developing.
Acne at this stage will most likely be seen on the chest, upper back, neck as well as on the face.
If you continue to neglect acne, it is very likely that scarring will occur.
At this stage, you wouldn’t want to be messing around with it at home. Only your dermatologist or your doctor should treat the acne. You wouldn’t want to be trying to treat acne at home with a face wash or just about any over the counter product.
A face wash by itself may not be sufficient at this stage. Your dermatologist will most likely prescribe other medications too.
If left untreated, acne progresses to grade IV.
Grade IV Acne – The Most Severe Kind
Also called cystic or nodulocystic acne, this is the most sever kind of acne. At this stage, you will see lots of pustules, nodules, cysts and papules. Almost the whole face is red and inflammed. This may also be painful.
In addition to the face, acne will now have spread to the chest, upper back, upper arms and the shoulders.
Scarring is almost certain to occur when acne reaches this stage.
A face wash by itself – no matter how good it is – may be ineffective at this stage. You cannot expect to get rid of grade IV acne using a face wash alone. Acne has progressed well beyond the stage at which such steps may have been sufficient.
Trying to deal with grade IV acne with home remedies or over the counter products can only lead to frustration and even hopelessness. Not to mention scarring. So do not try such remedies. Instead, see a dermatologist or your doctor at the earlist.
Only a dermatologist can help you at this stage. No over the counter product or home remedy may be good enough.
You should not neglect this kind of acne. Go to a dermatologist right away.
So in summary, the kind of acne face wash you should be using depends on what type of skin you have and also on the severity of your condition.
Many people attempt to get rid of acne using untested and unproven home remedies or over the counter products. While these may be effective in certain cases – especially when you do not have oily skin and acne is mild, for the more severe forms of acne, there is simply no alternative to consulting with a qualified dermatologist.
Acne is definitely not something you can neglect. And home remedies are usually not effective for people with excessively oily skin or having grade II or more severe acne. There’s simply no alternative to modern medical science.
The best time to treat acne is when it is at its mildest. Right when it makes its appearance. And the best course of action you have is not dabbling in untested home remedies but to see a dermatologist without wasting anymore time. The earlier you treat it, the better your chances will be of stopping its progression to its more severe forms. And also of avoiding acne scars and their social consequences.
That’s definitely not to say do not use over the counter products or a good acne face wash. Of course not. Using a good face wash for acne is one of the best things you could do, but you have to use it early, when acne is still grade I.