Problem Skin: Mild to Severe Acne

Problem Skin, Mild to Severe Acne.

Key Ingredients to look for when treating Problem Skin

1) Salicylic Acid: Sensitive Problem Skin – Mild Acne

2) Benzoyl Peroxide: For Moderate Acne and Less Sensitive Skin

WARNING:

1) Both can cause the skin to irritate, dry and peal.  

2) Always consult a dermatologist to determine the best regimen for your skin.

3) Sometimes the skin gets 'used' to salicylic acid, and becomes 'resistant' to it after a while, whereas that might not happen with benzoyl peroxide. Most 'over the counter' acne products have salicylic acid. Proactiv has no salicylic acid, but both the repairing lotion and (unusually) the face wash have benzoyl peroxide.

Salicylic Acid: Sensitive Problem Skin – Mild Acne

Benefits: exfoliation and cleansing

It works as a bacteriocide (bacteria killer) agent by causing the cells of the outer skin layer to shed more readily, opening clogged pores and neutralizing bacteria within, preventing pores from clogging up again by constricting pore diameter, and allowing room for new cell growth.

Salicylic acid (Beta hydroxy acid) works by exfoliating the pore from within and getting out all the debris and reducing blackheads and whiteheads, which are the beginning of a zit if it gets infected with bacteria.

Salicylic acid is used to shed the top layer of skin cells faster, preventing them from clogging pores

Products (Oxy pad, Aveeno Bar, Neutrogena anti-acne wash, Neutrogena Rapid Clear Acne Moisturizer)

Benzoyl Peroxide: For Moderate Acne and Less Sensitive Skin

Benefits: bacteria killing and cleansing

Is the stronger of the two, usually very good at reducing inflammation and a good short term (sometimes long-term) solution to acne. However, everything that is stronger is always more irritating to sensitive skin. This is usually used in Proactiv.

Benzoyl Peroxide is a topical antibiotic that kills the bacteria that is causing the infected pore to be red and inflamed. Benzoyl peroxide is used to kill the bacteria that causes acne.

Products (Proactiv, Clearacil Acne Bar)

Recommended read

“The Acne Cure”, By Dr. Dubrow

Explains in detail what to do and how to use these products, it teaches the different stages of acne and how to treat them separately.

WARNING: As with any new products, it is best to consult a dermatologist and his/her recommendations for your skin type

1) One “prescription”/suggestion from the book

Cleanse with Neutrogena anti-acne wash (with 2% salicyclic acid) in the evenings and then after run an ice-cube over your face.   Apply the BP to pimples if you have any and if not, still put a little bit on the areas that you used to get pimples. It took about 6 weeks to get major improvement using the acne cure system and also a big part of it for one user was using glycolic acid products. Some believe that the glycolic acid products have given the most improvement, in terms of maintenance.

2) Another suggestion from the book

Using BP and SA both, they separately treat a different stage of acne. Never use more than 2% SA or 2.5% BP, higher % will just irritate your skin.  At night wash with a gentle SA product, then use glycolic acid (can get online or at Rite Aid $16 AHA Alphy Hydroxy Acid 13%) leave on a minute then rinse off, this will unclog your pores to let the BP in. Next apply 2.5% BP, cool the skin with ice first which will make your pores open to the medication, leave skin cool & wet and apply a thin layer of BP, then put an ice pack on your face where your broke out for 10 minutes before you go to sleep - leave the BP on. The ice calms the inflammation, and the glycolic acid also has anti-inflammatory benefits. Make sure you use an oil free moisturizer try Purpose by Johnson & Johnson w/15SPF to keep you skin calm and protected. Good luck.

3) BP is STROGER than SA, but they best WORK together.... use BP at bedtime, and SA (ie Neutrogena Rapid Clear Acne Moisturizer) in the morning.