How To Know If You Really Have Both Dry Skin And Acne
The first thing you should know is that your skin type can change. Just because you once had acne doesn’t mean that the hormones causing your breakouts can’t suddenly stop. And with this change, you may get a whole new type of skin. Don’t expose your skin to acne products unless you are certain that you have acne-prone skin.
One way to check skin is by doing a simple test with blotting paper. At night cleanse your face and do not apply moisturizer then in the morning reach for your blotting paper. Check to see for the following results:
Dry/Sensitive Skin:Your blotting paper has no oil on it and your skin feels tight.Normal skin:Your blotting paper has an average amount of oil on it but is not greasy.Combination skin:Some areas are oily in your T-zone but the rest is dry.Oily skin:Blotting paper shows signs of grease and oiliness in all regions.After doing this you should have a good gauge of your skin type. Perhaps your skin has been dry and flaky due to harsh products you apply as part of your skin care routine.
Treatment Of Dry Skin
As already discussed, the majority of the factors causing skin dryness are reversible. Here are some methods by which you can prevent your skin from turning scaly and itchy: Avoid soaps and shampoos that contain strong chemical formulas. Add a humidifier to your rooms if you live in a place with low humidity. Identify agents that irritate your skin and refrain from using them. Avoid clothing that is made of wool. Many skin types react adversely when exposed to wool. Use an appropriate moisturizer for your skin regularly. In case you have sensitive skin, consult a skin specialist. Cover your face and hands when out in the cold. Drink enough water. Ensure adequate hydration. Water of extreme temperatures can also de-moisturize your skin. Make sure that the temperature of water is normal when bathing. Protect your skin from the harmful UV rays of the sun. Wear appropriate sunblock when out on a sunny day.
Is Vaseline Good For Acne
The American Academy of Dermatology doesnt recommend petroleum jelly for people who are prone to acne breakouts. If you have oily or acne-prone skin, you can still use Vaseline around your eyes and on your eyelashes, but avoid using it on your face since its comedogenic, meaning it can clog pores.
Read Also: How To Clear Up Acne
What To Do If You Have Dry Skin And Acne
Most people think that oily skin and acne go hand in hand, but there are actually people who have acne that also have dry skin. If you have the both dry skin and acne, then your skin care routine may likely be the culprit. Often, in the quest to keep acne at bay, many people go overboard with products that dry out and can further irritate skin. If you want to find out if youre products are causing dryness and acne, and how you can tackle both of these issues were here to help! Find out how you can get to the bottom of your skin issues so you can emerge with healthy looking skin.
How To Reduce Breakouts When You Have Dry Skin
The bitter battle against blemishes. Is there an end in sight? Most of us thought the annoyance of acne would be long gone by now, but pimples, redness, and irritation can persist far beyond those good old glory days of our youth. While we may not be able to banish breakouts forever, we can definitely reduce the frequency and intensity. And if we create certain changes in our beauty routine, adjust our health choices, and address any deeper issues identified by a dermatologist, then we have hope of making quite an improvement in our skins appearance.
Those with dry skin might have a whole different set of concerns, including how to keep skin moisturized without getting excessively greasy. Maintaining balance is key, as we will discuss further, but first a little lesson on how acne occurs, and what conditions can be created to counteract them.
Pimples, blackheads, whiteheads, zits and a whole host of other fun terms are all slightly different ways to describe acne, which occurs when your hair follicles, or pores, become plugged with skin cells and oil. When sebaceous glands in the pores produce excess oil, or sebum, this can create the conditions for acne to flourish. Though sebum protects the skin with its waxy texture, if theres too much it can clog pores. The presence of bacteria, as well as irritations and inflammation may also exacerbate a breakout.
See Related: What is a Good, Natural Toner for Dry Skin?
Read Also: How To Get Rid Of Cystic Acne On Chin
Neem Oil For A Nightly Serum
NOW Foods Neem Oil, $7,
According to sources at Holistic Vanity, neem oil supports hormonal health and we know that cystic acne breakouts are more likely to occur during hormone imbalances or periods. Neem oil sooths breakouts by bringing down inflammation in those painful cysts, but its ability to hydrate and sooth dry skin is the reason why neem oil is great for cysts and dry skin. Loaded with vitamin E and antiseptic properties, using neem oil after you wash your face at night may help alleviate both dry skin and cystic acne.
Spot Treat Your Cyst Not Your Entire Face
There are some amazing natural remedies for cystic acne that I’ve fallen in love with: baking soda, tea tree oil, and apple cider vinegar all reach beyond the surface layer of the skin removing deeply rooted bacteria, but sometimes they can dry out the rest of your face especially in the winter months or with harsher OTC products. If my skin is feeling particularly dry, I spot treat my cysts and use a gentle cleanser to keep the rest of my skin free from acne.
Trader Joe’s Organic Raw Honey, $15,
Speaking of gentle cleansers, honey is a great pH balancer that cleans and hydrates skin. I’ve found it to be a great addition to my topical treatments to make sure I’m not drying out my skin while I’m treating my acne with a highly antiseptic ingredient that can be irritating.
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Extremely Dry Itchy Skin
Dry, itchy skin
If you have diabetes, youre more likely to have dry skin. High blood sugar can cause this. If you have a skin infection or poor circulation, these could also contribute to dry, itchy skin.
Take action
- Tell your doctor about your extremely dry skin. Gaining better control of diabetes can reduce dryness.
- If you continue to have dry skin after you gain better control of your diabetes, a dermatologist can help.
Can Not Washing Your Face Clear Acne
If not washed off, these can irritate skin, clog pores, cause acne and blemishes, and increase the appearance of aging. Our culture has us believing that cleansing morning and evening is best, but there is no consensus on how often a woman with healthy skin should wash her face with a cleanser, said Frey.
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How Do I Know If I Have Dry Skin
Rough texture, dehydrated appearance, and flakiness could signal that you’re suffering from dry skin. Being aware of these red flags can help you find the appropriate treatment and nip the problem in the bud.
If your skin is dry, its in your best interest to get rid of dry skin as soon as possible, as its presence can contribute to acne or more troublesome skin conditions such as eczema. But first, you need to determine what the underlying cause of your dry skin is.
Before You Reach For The Chemicals Reach For A Banana Peel
OK, so I know it sounds cray to ditch a topical treatment prescribed by a doctor for a single banana peel, but it has changed my life and the life span of my cysts. When my sis had her baby, we were all stressed AF and my face was no different, I had two big cysts on my chin and one on my back, during my 5 hour drive from Boston to NYC, I took a banana peel and rubbed it gently on my cysts while sitting in traffic. Not only did the banana peel provide instant relief of the painful bumps, but the inflammation went down and stayed down without drying out my face. Sure, I looked completely, well… bananas to anyone driving by me in traffic, but that banana peel was the start to healing my cysts.
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How To Treat Acne When You Have Dry Skin
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Although acne is commonly associated with oily skin, let it be known that dry skin can break out too. And while these breakouts on drier skin are certainly manageable, they can be a little harder to deal with because so many standard acne treatments are targeted specifically to oily skin types. But sometimes acne can occur on certain parts of the face, while other parts are unusually dry , explains New York Citybased, board-certified dermatologist Morgan Rabach, MD.
I like to compare the skin with brick and mortar, where the skin cells are bricks and the mortar is what holds the cells together: ceramides, lipids, and cholesterol. Dryness occurs when there is not enough mortar to keep the bricks together, explains New York City-based, board-certified dermatologist Dendy Engelman, MD. Moisture keeps the skin pliable and supple, whereas the lack of it causes skin to crack, flake, and peel. Cracked skin is more vulnerable to infection from microorganismssuch as bacteria and fungusbecause the skin barrier is not strong enough to protect itself, which can lead to increased breakouts, she explains.
So treating acne with dry skin can require a delicate balance. But first, a bit more on the basics from leading board-certified dermatologists.
Are You Causing Your Acne
A common misconception about oily skin is that it doesnt need moisturizer or exfoliation. Additionally, if youre avoiding exfoliation because you think it will cause your skin to flare up, you’re mistaken. The mixture of old skin cells , sebum, oil and dirt is making your skin impenetrable so whatever products you are using to fight oil and acne are probably not working on your skin. This in turn, may make your skin appear dry and flaky because your new surface cell layer is unable to emerge. Use a gentle cleanser on your skin and exfoliate at least once a week. Avoid products with potentially harsh beads made out of stone, sand or crystal material. Instead, opt for fruit acids, which will gently get rid of old skin cells. Then apply an oil-free moisturizer that will provide hydration. Your skin will be able to absorb products correctly and you will no longer have a breeding ground for acne.
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Dry Skin Like Oily Skin Is Also A Possible Culprit For Breakouts Of Acne
Its true that oily skin is the cause of bad breakouts, but so is the other extreme. Dry skin can have microscopic cracks and fissures in which bacteria can multiply and cause acne, Fusco says. Plus, dry skin flakes can clog pores.
Zit zapper Gently exfoliate your skin a few times a week and hydrate with a noncomedogenic moisturizer intended for dry skin.
Switch To A Gentler Formulation
Over-the-counter benzoyl peroxide products come in different strengths, from 2.5% to 10%. If you’re using a high percentage product and your skin is protesting, switch to a product with a lower amount of benzoyl peroxide.
Lower percentage benzoyl peroxide products won’t be as drying, but will still allow you to keep your acne treatments on track. As your skin gets used to benzoyl peroxide, you can bump up to a higher percentage if need be.
More is not always better. Studies have shown that benzoyl peroxide concentrations above 2.5% do not inherently increase the effectiveness of a product and may only end up causing irritation.
If you’re using a prescription medication, you can ask your dermatologist if it comes in a lower strength. If not, they can give you some ideas to tame the dryness. And you can always try scaling back.
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Open Sores And Wounds
Having high blood sugar for a long time can lead to poor circulation and nerve damage. You may have developed these if youve had uncontrolled diabetes for a long time.
Poor circulation and nerve damage can make it hard for your body to heal wounds. This is especially true on the feet. These open wounds are called diabetic ulcers.
Diabetes and feet
- Get immediate medical care for an open sore or wound.
- Work with your doctor to better control your diabetes.
Hidden Underlying Causes Of Dry Skin
Sometimes dry skin is merely a symptom of a larger underlying problem.
If you have any of the above-mentioned symptoms and they arent reacting to the recommended treatment solutions, its important to seek a professional diagnosis to ensure there arent any hidden health issues causing your dry skin including diabetes, psoriasis, kidney issues, thyroid problems, or other more serious skin conditions.
While some individuals simply experience seasonal dry skin or dryness due to one of the above-mentioned issues, it may be more than that.
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Using An Acne Treatment That’s Too Harsh
Problem: Those that deal with acne and dry skin must be particularly careful about acne treatment products. Many products use benzoyl peroxide as a key ingredient while this does have acne-fighting capabilities, it can also deplete the skin of moisture and irritate surrounding areas, which can exacerbate already dry skin and result in painful, red, unsightly patches.
Solution: Use acne treatments that avoid harsh ingredients. Our acne-fighting 3-step Clear Skin Routine contains salicylic acid, an effective acne fighter that penetrates pores without overly drying out the surrounding skin. This treatment is then followed up with gentle, restorative gel that soothes the skin and leaves your face looking clear and radiant.
What Causes Dry Skin
First, it helps to know what causes your dry skin, acne, and how one can feed into the other. Our skins outer layer, called the epidermis, is filled with natural components like ceramides, oils/fats, and other water-soluble compounds. The epidermis actually has a few layers, with the stratum corneum being the top layer. This top layer continually sheds dead skin cells, but its primary goal is to lock in moisture, electrolytes, and water-soluble compounds. These, in turn, protect your skin from outside pollutants. It also gives you that plump, dewy glow.
With dry skin, one or more factors strip the top layer:
- Harsh winter weather is the most common, as the low temperatures and low humidity can dry out your skin. When you add spending long periods of time indoors with the heat on, your skin is at risk of drying out.
- Soaps and laundry detergents contain surfactants. These are ingredients that help these products produce foam, remove dirt and oil, and even preserve cosmetics shelf life. Unfortunately, most soaps and detergents contain harsh surfactants that remove all the oil and strip away the moisture, causing dry skin.
- Hot showers, hot tubs, and spending long hours swimming can also cause dryness.
- Pre-existing skin conditions like eczema, keratosis pilaris, or psoriasis worsen dryness.
- Are you drinking enough water? If not, its probably not helping with dry skin issues.
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Tips To Prevent Acne On Dry Skin
- Use non-foaming cleansers as they are less drying.
- If you are taking treatments for acne, use non-medicated cleansers.
- Choose a non-comedogenic moisturizer that treats dry skin but does not clog your pores.
- Avoid using skincare products that contain harsh and drying ingredients like alcohol, menthol, and eucalyptus.
- Do not use comedogenic cosmetics.
Moisturize Daily With Tamanu Oil
There is a reason why this is my first tip for anyone that gets cystic outbreaks. For the most part, my cystic acne is under control, but I still find them creeping up on me particularly on my back and underneath my chin. I used tamanu oil with a few drops of lavender tea tree as my daily moisturizer and found that the healing time of my cysts improved remarkably. Not only was I not driven to the painful phase of trying to pop it to relieve the pressure, but the dark spot it usually leaves behind went away within 2 weeks. This oil means business.
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