If you have dry or sensitive skin and you also have acne you’ll need to take care to, not only treat your acne, but to look after your skin. Most acne treatments will be very drying to the skin as they are designed to check the production of too much oil and if your skin is already very dry this will only increase your problems . Your skin will become irritated and flaky. If you have very sensitive skin the chemicals in some acne treatments may increase irritation and redness so you should be especially careful which treatments you use.
Dry and Sensitive Skin Treatment
As we get older our skin has a tendency to become drier as the cells begin to secrete a reduced amount of sebum. Elastin and collagen in the skin are damaged and are not so easily repaired, leading to less elastic, drier skin. Also as women get closer to the menopause the production of estrogen drops which also causes drying of the skin. Dry skin is also caused by cold weather and if you have sensitive skin it can easily be irritated by harsh ingredients in skin care products and cosmetics as well as fragrances or rough fabrics.
Acne Treatments For Dry and Sensitive Skin
1. Cleansing Products
A skin care routine that includes gentle cleansing with a mild cleanser and moisturizing is needed if you have dry or sensitive skin. Cleansers that can be purchased especially for those with acne aren’t very suitable for these types of skin. They contain very harsh chemicals for curing the acne but will probably result in irritation and redness on sensitive skin. You need to select a gentler cleanser instead that contains only mild ingredients and won’t irritate your skin any further. Do not clean your face too often and on no account scrub vigorously or use a harsh washcloth in an attempt to get rid of the dirt that is thought to be a cause of acne. This will simply result in increased irritation and spread the bacteria that cause acne all over your skin which will inevitably give rise to more flare ups. Washing twice a day is sufficient using a gentle soap. Either use your hands or a freshly boiled soft washcloth or preferably use disposable cotton pads.
2. Moisturizing For Dry or Sensitive Skin
You should use a very good moisturizer on dry skin but ensure you use a preparation that is very light and that won’t increase the oil on the skin which will only worsen your acne. Heavy lotions and creams are not suitable as they will clog the pores and cause further irritation.
3. Acne Treatments For Dry or Sensitive Skin
Some of the chemicals that may be used in acne treatments include vitamin A derivatives, benzoyl peroxide or salicylic acid, salicylic acid, vitamin A derivatives such as retinol or benzoyl peroxide. For sensitive or dry skin choose one with a very low concentration initially so that you can see your skin reacts. If it does not result in irritation and redness you could increase the concentration. be careful not to use all over the face but use a small amount directly where you have pimples and use only once a day until your skin becomes more used to it. You could also consider using a natural cure for acne such as tea tree oil, either in a ready made lotion or cream that contains tea tree oil, or by making a solution of pure tea tree oil diluted in water and applying it to your problem areas. Tea tree oil has proved to be virtually as effective as benzoyl peroxide but does not dry out the skin.
In Conclusion
Sensitive and dry skins may suffer from acne and require particular looking after so that you do not make your skin condition much worse while you are treating your acne. Always use acne remedies with as mild ingredients as you can and think about trying acne home remedies as a replacement for the strong over the counter preparations available.
