How To Decrease Acne Inflammation

Avoid Skincare Products That Contain Oil

Skincare products contain oil can clog the pores. These products are often intended for use on dry or mature skin that may not have as much natural oil.

Products that do not contain oil are usually labeled non-comedogenic.

It may be a good idea to avoid touching household grease and cooking oils, which can also clog pores.

Time To Break Up With Your Cover

• EMAILSHARE

Stocksy / Design by Camden Dechert

Ive been really lucky when it comes to breakouts. Ive written about them, Ive had a few pop up from time to time, and Ive recommended products to zap them, but Ive never suffered from the frustrating woes of teenage or adult acne. That being said, something recently changed. Perhaps its because Ive recently ascended into my late-20s , but now, whenever I break out, no matter how small or inconsequential the actual pimple is, it leaves behind a red mark long after it clears up. It is so annoying. How are acne scars and discoloration problems only just starting to plague me now? Arent these years supposed to be zit-free?

Thats why I spoke with experts to get their opinions on why this is happening and advice for how to make it stop. Like, immediately.

Meet the Expert

• Renée Rouleau is a celebrity esthetician and the founder of Renée Rouleau Skin Care.
• Carl Thornfeldt, MD, is a dermatologist at CT Derm in Fruitland, Idaho.

Keep reading for their sage guidance on how to reduce redness from acne.

Home Remedies To Reduce Redness From A Pimple

Ever woken up to a red pimple on your face? Most people get unsightly zits or pimples that end up becoming a bother. Tissues recover through aggravation, which is part of the bodys mending process. Nonetheless, it can be annoying when that irritation is pasted on your face for the world to see. Luckily, there are ways to remedy this. Read on to find out how to get rid of pimple redness.

Also Check: Does Tretinoin Help With Acne

Why Do I Get Acne

Acne is an inflammatory skin problem caused by one or more of three things:

• Plugging of hair follicles
• Hormonal fluctuations that cause the body to secret excess oil
• Bacterial infection that causes inflammation

Acne severity can range from blackheads and whiteheads to cysts.

Nearly 85 percent of people between the ages of 12 and 24 experience acne. Why some people have severe breakouts while others barely have a pimple is not entirely clear. But genetics and environmental influences clearly play a role.

What Complications Can Come With Acne

If left untreated, severe acne can leave life-long scars on your skin. Taking care of your skin and treating your acne reduces the risk of this occurring. Treating infected pimples before the infection can spread to the skin around it is important since inflamed cysts caused by infected skin can often leave a scar.

Acne can also make you feel self-conscious because of your appearance and it may affect your self-esteem. Sometimes you may not want other people to see you, so you stop going out and spending time with friends and family. This can make you feel even worse, and lead to more emotional issues over time.

If you find yourself worrying about how you look, you avoid social situations, or you feel down or upset because of your acne, see your pharmacist or doctor and they can help you get the best possible treatment. Your doctor will also be able to advise you about body image and will support you, especially if you have stopped participating in the activities you usually enjoy.

Don’t Miss: When Will My Hormonal Acne Go Away

When Should I See My Doctor

You should see your doctor if your acne is not improving after using the treatment recommended by your pharmacist, or if your acne is severe and causing you concern. Untreated acne can leave you with skin scars, so it is important not to leave it too late before treating it.

Your GP may refer you to a dermatologist if your acne is severe and they can help you decide which treatment is best for you.

Who Might Get Inflammatory Acne

Acne is more common in people who:

• Consume a lot of milk, sugars and fats.
• Live in areas with high humidity.
• Overhydrate their skin or use the wrong moisturizer.
• Pick or squeeze their skin to pop whiteheads or blackheads.
• Smoke.

Inflammatory acne begins when pores or hair follicles get clogged with:

• Dead skin cells.
• Oil in products placed on your skin.
• Sebum, a natural oily substance your body produces.

Clogged pores or follicles cause whiteheads, blackheads and pimples. Eventually, if pimples put enough pressure on the walls of your pores, the walls break. The contents of the pustules can spread into your skin.

Your bodys immune system reacts by sending white blood cells. These cells cause redness, swelling, pus and tenderness common with pimples.

Read Also: How To Fight Chest Acne

Salt Water To Reduce Swelling From Acne

Rich in sulfur, salt water allows for the production of oxygen in the skin which reduces inflammation

Its antibiotic and germicidal nature allows for the production of more white blood cells that are able to fight off pimples and inflammation. This is due to the boosting of the immune system by elimination of all germs.

The presence of water helps to hydrate pores thus unblocking them eliminating pimples and swelling.

Contains calcium which supports the cell membranes thus preventing them from rupture that may affect surrounding tissue and cause inflammation. This also tightens the pores and removes all excess oil and dirt.

The presence of magnesium gives it its antioxidant properties that help in the elimination of all toxins that may cause oxidation.

Recipe: Bring to a boil a few cups of salt .If the pimples appear on the face, cover it with a blanket and inhale the steam. The steam water to open areas around the pores and drain excess debris.

How To Reduce Acne Inflammation: A Full Guide

Did you know that the skin makes up nearly 16% of your body weight? In fact, its the largest organ in the body.

At the same time, its also delicatethat is, it can be affected by various conditions.

Some examples include dermatitis, rosacea, and psoriasis.

Acne is also relatively common.

According to aad.org, in the United States alone, it affects up to 50 million individuals every year.

Are you dealing with the condition?

Want to know how to reduce acne inflammation?

If so, youre on the right page.

Well be sharing a few tips below.

Find out what they are by reading the rest of the post!

Also Check: What Causes Infant Acne On Face

Ii Do Not Use Harsh Products

Us the correct ratios when making pastes and masks to apply on the skin. Some products like vinegar may irritate if not used well. Alcohol-based products are not recommended for use on the skin because there is a chance they might irritate. Use purified water each time you are mixing the masks to encourage clearer skin and reduce further breakouts.

Dont Miss: How To Get Rid Of Bumpy Acne Scars

Professional Treatments For Acne Redness

If your acne redness, PIH or acne scarring are severe, consult with your dermatologist. Professional treatments such as chemical peels, light and laser therapies, dermabrasion and skin needling may help improve your skin texture and reduce redness.

Recommended Reading: Does Cetaphil Help With Acne

What Causes Acne Scarring

Affecting 30% of those with moderate or severe acne2, there is also acne scarring. While hyperpigmentation refers to flat areas of darkened skin usually red, brown or purple, acne scars are indented or raised.

Atrophic acne scars occur when damage to the pore causes a loss of tissue. Hypertrophic acne scars, on the other hand, involve an overgrowth of tissue. This type of keloid scarring is typically more common in those of Asian, Hispanic and African descent .

The deeper and more inflamed a pimple, the greater the chance of scarring. Its therefore essential to avoid squeezing acne, and to consult a dermatologist as soon as you experience severe or cystic acne.

For mild to moderate acne, a targeted anti-acne skincare regime can help minimise scarring and skin redness.

Remember Less Is More

Acne takes time to heal, and as it does, it’s important to remember less is more. “Stick to moisturizer and sunscreen. And once your acne is cleared, add an antioxidant serum. That’s all most people need for optimized skin,” says Dr. Campbell. “Dont buy into all the hype and you’ll save your time and money.”

Everything you need to know about adult acne:

Also Check: What Is The Best Face Mask For Acne

Don’t Ignore Your Hair

If you have oily hair, you may need to wash it more often than people who have dry hair. Keeping your hair clean and off of your face will help prevent breakouts on the forehead and face.

Some hair products, including pomades and gels, may worsen acne. So if you have acne on your forehead and tend to use a lot of hair product, consider avoiding it.

Headbands that cover your forehead can encourage acne, too, by keeping sweat in place.

Ask Your Doctor About Prescription Meds

If you have regularly occurring blind cysts or regular cysts, internal prescription treatment is the best treatment option, although its more of a long-term solution than a quick fix. There are four categories of internal treatments: antibiotics, birth control pills, Accutane, and spironolactone, Dr. Schultz says. The root cause is excess oil stimulated by hormones, and all of these treatments in some way reduce the production of oil or the effect bacteria has on that oil.

Read Also: How To Get Rid Of Baby Acne

Recommended Reading: What Causes Acne On Face

How Inflamed Acne Develops

To understand how inflamed acne develops, its important to understand the basics of how acne breakouts occur.

All acne, whether its inflammatory or non-inflammatory, forms when your hair follicles, or pores, become clogged due to a mix of sebum and dead skin cells.

Sebum is an oily substance thats secreted by your sebaceous glands. It helps to keep your skin hydrated and provides protection against bacteria, fungi and other pathogens that can infect and damage your skin.

Your skin needs sebum in order to function. However, when your sebaceous glands secrete too much sebum, it can build up inside your hair follicles and cause them to become clogged.

Every day, your skin renews and repairs itself by creating new skin cells to replace old ones. As theyre replaced by new cells, your old, dead skin cells detach from your skin through a process called exfoliation.

Sometimes, dead skin cells dont exfoliate properly. Just like sebum, these old, leftover cells can build up inside your hair follicles and contribute to blockages.

When a hair follicle is clogged, it becomes an acne lesion. Many acne lesions are comedonal, or non-inflammatory. These are the classic whiteheads and blackheads that you may get near your nose, chin and elsewhere on your face.

Inflamed acne develops when bacteria grows inside a clogged hair follicle. As the bacteria starts to multiply, the wall of the hair follicle may break and the acne lesion may become red, inflamed and tender.

Improve Your Gut Microbiome

Your gut health is connected to the rest of your body. Poor gut health will not only lead to digestive issues but all kinds of other symptoms. Gut-related chronic inflammation can cause fatigue, headaches, acne, brain fog, joint pain, anxiety, and so on. In short, microbiome imbalance is a recipe for chronic inflammation and related health issues.

So how can you improve your gut microbiome to reduce inflammation in your body? Two words: probiotics. Probiotics are beneficial bacteria that support your gut health and help to reduce inflammation in your body. Prebiotics feed probiotics in your gut and are non-negotiable for microbiome balance.

Consume plenty of probiotic-rich fermented foods, such as sauerkraut, kimchi, fermented vegetables, yogurt, kefir, and kombucha. Add prebiotic-rich foods to your diet, such as apples, bananas, leeks, Jerusalem artichokes, asparagus, garlic, onion, and jicama. Take a daily dose of high-quality probiotics. You can also find probiotic supplements with prebiotics.

Recommended Reading: How To Get Rid Of Leg Acne

Key Points About Acne

• Acne is a disorder of the hair follicles and sebaceous glands that become clogged. This leads to pimples and cysts.

• Acne is a common condition that usually begins during puberty because of hormonal changes.

• Acne can be either superficial or deep.

• If untreated, acne can cause scaring that can last a lifetime.

• Avoiding substances that make acne worse, and early treatment of acne, can reduce or prevent acne scars.

Clean Eating For Clear Skin

If youve tried everything to clear up your skin, it makes sense to look more closely at your diet. Although your diet shouldnt replace your daily skin care routine, eating cleaner can potentially help you reduce your acne and achieve a better complexion.

Keep in mind that these acne-fighting foods cant work their magic overnight. Give it a month or two before you call it quits.

If your breakouts continue, you may need to switch to a better acne system for men. Our acne system is designed to clear up your skin and enhance your handsome with a simple, but revolutionary routine.

Check out how weve helped regular guys finally eliminate their acne and achieve the clearer, brighter skin theyve always wanted. If you have any questions, were ready to help in any way we can!

Recommended Reading: Does Light Therapy Work For Acne

Wash Your Hands Before Touching Your Face

Since your hands come into contact with so many different surfaces throughout the day, theyre a major breeding ground for bacteria.

When you touch your face, its easy to transfer this bacteria onto your skin and, in many cases, to the inside of papules, pustules and other acne lesions.

Touching your face can also result in the transfer of dirt, oil and other substances that can worsen acne.

If you need to touch your face , make sure that you wash your hands first.

Research in medical professionals shows that washing your hands for 30 seconds can reduce the amount of bacteria by almost 60 percent.

What Are Other Cystic Acne Treatments

Other treatments for cystic acne include:

• Corticosteroid injections: Used to quickly shrink large, painful acne cysts.
• Incision and draining: Helps to open up an acne cyst and drain the pus.
• Birth control pill or spironolactone: Used by women to lower hormone levels that cause cystic acne.
• Isotretinoin: An oral retinoid .

Recommended Reading: How To Get Rid Of Nose Acne

What Is Inflammatory Acne

Have you ever experienced a blemish that looked more plump and bulbous than others? If so, it was probably a type of inflammatory acne, which, just like it sounds, is a type of pimple that appears swollen and inflamed. Inflammatory acne develops when bacteria comes into the picture with other typical acne-causing culprits, like dead skin cells and sebum, which clog your pores.¹ In addition to your face, it can also appear elsewhere on your body, like your back. While it can be incredibly annoying to deal with, inflammatory acne is also very common.

It was previously thought that lesions of acne vulgaris were clearly split into two groups, noninflammatory and inflammatory. Whiteheads and blackheads were considered noninflammatory, and papules, pustules, nodules, and cysts were considered inflammatory. In recent decades, however, research has revealed that inflammation likely plays a role in all stages in the development of acne vulgaris lesions.² As many people still split the lesions into noninflammatory and inflammatory, we will be doing so in this post.

Final Thoughts On How To Reduce Inflammation In The Body

It may sound simple, but this is how you can reduce inflammation in your body. A healthy diet, probiotics, exercise, low stress, and better sleep and thats it. Follow these steps to reduce inflammation in your body and watch your symptoms improve.

The best start to treating your acute or chronic inflammation is to schedule an appointment with Progressive Medical Center. We make it our goal to provide our patients with the tools and treatments they need to feel better and live better. Visit www.ProgressiveMedicalCenter.com/contact or give us a call at 676-6000 to schedule your appointment today!

You Might Also Enjoy…

• 5/5

Also Check: How To Reduce Back Acne

Apply Toothpaste To Reduce Pimple Swelling Overnight

Cream non-whitening toothpaste is best for reducing pimple reduction as it has antibacterial properties. The presence of triclosan an anti-bacterial helps to eliminate the bacteria responsible for pimple formation and swelling.

It also contains baking soda which works by drawing out moisture from the pus in pimple and eliminates the swelling.

Toothpaste contains silica which acts as an abrasive that work on the inflammation by removing the toxins and dirt in the pores without damaging the skin.

Recipe: Apply on pimple some cream toothpaste and leave overnight.

Read more on how to use toothpaste for pimples.

Sebaceous Gland Activity Is A Driver Of Inflammation In Acne

Cytokines and inflammation in the pilosebaceous unit. IL-1 plays a central role in regulation of inflammatory and immune responses in general, and several studies have implicated a role for this cytokine in the pathogenesis of acne vulgaris. IL-1 is produced in and secreted by noninflamed skin, has been implicated in cutaneous homeostasis, and may serve as an initial reservoir for release under conditions of environmental challenge.55,56 There appears to be production of IL-1α and IL-1β in the sebaceous gland, reflected by the presence of both transcribed IL-1α and IL-1β mRNA and translated IL-1α and IL-1β immunoreactivity.55,56 Furthermore, cultured normal human keratinocytes maintain a constitutive release of IL-1α, suggesting an ongoing cycle of low-level expression and secretion.57 There is also evidence that IL-1 expression and secretion is dramatically increased during the early stages of acne lesion development. Bioactive IL-1α-like material has been detected and identified during comedogenesis in up to 76 percent of noninflamed open comedones.5 Furthermore, in 58 percent of these comedones, the levels of IL-1α-like material exceeded 100pg/mg, a level that surpasses that known to be capable of generating a visible proinflammatory response.5

Proinflammatory neuropep-tides in the sebaceous gland.

Also Check: Does Dairy Cause Acne Breakouts