Great Tips And Products To Care For Acne Prone Skin

Dealing with acne is very frustrating and overwhelming. It’s something I’ve struggled with from my teenage years all throughout adulthood. For so long I tried to control my acne with the latest over the counter product said to clear acne. After years of that not working I went to a dermatologist where I was given topical cream Retin-A, and birth control. I went off birth control and switched to spironolactone. These cleared my acne about 70%. For the remainder I began to realize I needed to work from the inside out, but healing my gut and fixing my diet. These are some great tips and products to care for acne prone skin. (post includes affiliate links; full disclosure statement available {here})

Use the right products for you 

The best thing I could do for my skin was to pay attention to what works and what doesn’t. When it comes to acne there are so many products that it becomes overwhelming to choose which ones will be best for your skin. For me the more simple the better. For face wash acne reacts well to gentle ingredients that are free of sulfates. We want to avoid sulfates as they overdry the skin making acne worse. Cerave foaming facial cleanser is a great cleanser that removes excess oil while still maintaining the skin’s moisture. Neutrogena’s alcohol-free toner is gentle on the skin while removing impurities and reconditions the skin. A good moisturizer is Neutrogena’s hydro boost hydrating water gel, it has hyaluronic acid which is moisturizing to the skin without clogging your pores.

Heal your gut

When the skin is out of control that usually means the gut is also. An unhealthy gut influences the immune system which can lead to inflammation in the skin causing acne. Having a healthy diet high in fiber to remove all the toxins is necessary to have clear skin. Things like antibiotics can disrupt the healthy gut bacteria. Adding a daily probiotic can help rebalance the gut bacteria and aid in digestion. 

Have a good dermatologist 

It’s not always possible to get acne under control on your own. Having a dermatologist that understands your skin can help. There are prescriptions such as spironolactone that can be really helpful for acne. Also topical creams, retin-a have been proven to work well against acne. 

Take vitamins and supplements for skin health

To have healthy skin we need all the right vitamins. Vitamins for healthy skin are vitamin A,C,and Zinc. Vitamin A works best for acne as a topical cream such as retin-A. Vitamin C acts as an antioxidant that treats acne by protecting, healing and producing new skin. Zinc can decrease oil production in the skin and protect against bacterial infection and inflammation. 

Sunscreen 

Sunscreen is an important step to make sure you’re including in your everyday skincare routine. When using acne creams and prescription your skin is more sensitive to the sun and it can make acne scars worse. Sunscreen can help prevent darkening of acne scars and protects the skin from premature aging. Supergoop is a lightweight protectant that won’t clog your pores. 

Retinol 

Using a retinol topical cream works great for both acne and it helps with lines and wrinkles. It works by getting under the skin removing dead skin cells and oil from pores. They have been shown to be one of the most effective treatments for acne in their ability to heal the skin fast. It’s best to apply retinol at night as it increases the skins sensitivity to the sun. The prescription strength Retin-A works best for acne compared to over the counter products.