How to Care for Dry Skin That’s Acne Prone
Caring for acne prone skin is tricky enough, but when your skin is also dry, it makes using traditional acne treatments more difficult. Many acne medications, particularly over the counter formulations and topical retinoids, can be drying to the skin. Dr. Schweiger explains that, “There are many options available for the treatment of acne in patients with dry skin. For these patients, we often utilize in-office treatments, such as LED Light or the Isolaz acne treatment, which do not cause dryness, and recommend topical medications and skin care products that will not cause excessive dryness. Additionally, we can often offer tips for skin care and use of new products that helps to prevent and treat dry skin in the first place.”
Here are a few tips for caring for dry skin that’s acne prone:
- Don’t be afraid of laser treatments – Treatments, such as the Isolaz, can be extremely beneficial in clearing up your acne and preventing future acne flares without causing any dryness.
- Moisturize in the morning and evening – Choose a moisturizer labeled “non-comedogenic” or “non-acnegenic” and use it even when your skin is not feeling dry.
- When applying topical acne medications, use only the size of a pea to treat the entire face. Applying moisturizer before and after applying the acne medication will help to prevent excessive dryness.
- Use a cleansing brush – A cleansing brush, like the Clarisonic Pro, will exfoliate dry skin gently and clean out your pores, without causing irritation to dry, sensitive skin, like harsher exfoliating cleansers can do.
