Healing Acne – Are You Cleansing Your Skin Correctly?

Posted on: July 28th, 2015 by California Skin Institute

Here at California Skin Institute we help many patients who are dealing with acne and would like to find effective solutions for clearing up their skin.* Although acne is a condition that affects adults and teenagers alike, our doctors tend to see an influx of younger patients toward the end of the summer. This is a time associated with going back to school or college, and many patients want help healing acne and any scarring, in order to feel more confident.

California Skin Institute doctors have seen thousands of acne patients over the years, and have noticed a recurring pattern; the vast majority of individuals are not properly cleansing their skin.* Of course, not all types of acne can be completely healed with proper cleansing and topical creams, but the vast majority of breakouts can be significantly reduced with a proper (and regular) skin cleansing regimen.*

How Acne Forms

Before we consider skin cleansing, lets briefly look at how acne forms. There are many different types of acne; whiteheads, blackheads, pustules, inflammatory acne, cystic acne, as well as various combinations of breakouts.

At the very core, acne is typically caused by bacteria and hormonal changes, such as the changes during puberty or pregnancy. These hormonal imbalances increase the production of oil by sebaceous glands in the skin, which expel the oil through the pores. However, if the pores are not cleansed properly, the higher amounts of oil will eventually block pores and provide the perfect environment for acne-causing bacteria to breed.

Proper Cleansing to Control Acne

The single most important factor in acne treatment is cleansing the skin, to remove dirt, oil and bacteria from pores. There are several ingredients that are quite effective for cleansing.*

• Salicylic Acid: This acid is very effective at breaking down the pore plugs so that they can be washed away more easily.* With regular use, a face wash with salicylic acid will keep the pores cleaner and healthier.*
• Benzoyl Peroxide: Another strong acne ingredient is benzoyl peroxide.* It helps keep acne under control by removing excess oil from the skin and by delivering oxygen to the treatment area.* Oxygen is important because it kills acne-causing bacteria.*
• Glycolic Acid: This ingredient is very helpful for gentle skin exfoliation.* It removes dead and damaged skin cells so that they’re less likely to clog pores, and has the ability to cleanse pores.* In fact, in addition to being used in facial cleansers, peels with glycolic acid can also be an effective solution for those suffering from acne.*

For best outcomes, cleansing should be done twice per day, in the morning and in the evening.* It’s important to keep the cleanser on the face for approximately two minutes, while gently massaging the solution into the skin.* This will give the ingredients time to exfoliate the skin and break down pore plugs.*

In addition, some patients will benefit from using acne cleansing pads that can deliver an extra dose of acne-fighting ingredients.*

Facials for Acne

In addition to cleansing, some patients will benefit from facials formulated for acne.* These treatments do not take the place of a regular skin care routine, but are meant as booster treatments to give the skin additional help in fighting acne.*

During you facial treatment at California Skin Institute, our expert Aestheticians can perform a variety of acne procedures.*

For example, some California Skin Institute patients choose acne extractions as a great way to unclog pores and help acne heal faster.* Others benefit significantly from exfoliation treatments, which lighten acne scars and remove dead skin cells to minimize pore clogging.*

Further, California Skin Institute providers can administer face masks that are full of acne healing ingredients; perform micro needling, to break down acne scars; and administer a variety of chemical peels (like the glycolic acid peel, for example) to further clean out pores.*

Don’t Wait to Start Treatment

Keep in mind that treating acne properly will take time, which makes it important to start a proper regimen well ahead of a big event, like going back to school or college, for example.* Therefore, if you’d like to speak to a California Skin Institute provider about the best ways to get rid of acne in your situation, schedule your appointment as soon as possible.*

To schedule your appointment, simply call a California Skin Institute practice near you, or fill out the Contact Form below!

*Individual results may vary and are not guaranteed.