One aspect of taking care of acne-prone skin many tend to overlook is moisturizing. The goal of acne treatment is usually to dry out the blemishes so they can heal. This can sometimes leave your skin in worse condition and susceptible to more breakouts. By using a quality moisturizer, you'll do much to keep your acne under control and your skin looking soft and supple.
Acne
Acne is a skin condition that results in a variety of blemishes on the skin. It can cover any part of the body that has oil glands, the most common being the face, chest, neck and back. Lesions vary from non-inflamed blackheads and whiteheads to inflamed pustules to large cysts. In all cases, moisturizing plays a role in conditioning the skin and treating the acne.
Clogged Pores
A major concern regarding using moisturizer on acne-prone skin is clogging the pores. After all, when oils mix with dead skin cells, it clogs pores and results in acne. The key is to use an oil-free formula of moisturizer to ensure clogged pores do not occur as a result of application.
Application
To get the most out of your moisturizer, you need to know when to apply it. After cleansing your face in the morning and in the evening and after applying any acne treatments, apply a small amount of moisturizer all over your face. According to Discovery Health, your skin is more receptive to the hydrating effects of the moisturizer immediately after cleansing. Focus on the areas that tend to dry out the most, like around the nose, the eyebrows and sides of the face.
Options
When nourishing your skin with a moisturizer, you have many options. Not only do you have numerous brands to choose from, you also have the choice of oil-free moisturizers infused with sunscreen. Choose a moisturizer that has at least SPF 15, which will ensure your skin remains protected from the sun. This is critical, because sun exposure may dry out your skin and worsen acne and some acne medications make your skin more sensitive to the sun.
Caution
According to Discovery Health, just because a moisturizer says its noncomedogenic on the label, meaning it won't clog the pores, doesn't mean it lives up to this claim. This label is not regulated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, so you will need to evaluate the ingredients list on each moisturizing product you consider. Sensitive skin formulations may be another category to consider to further protect your skin.
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