While acne doesn’t cause serious physical health issues, it can tank your confidence. You might need the boost cosmetics provide by minimizing the appearance of acne blemishes, even when you may fear that makeup is making your acne worse.
Dermatologist Dr. Clement Banda of MD Vein & Skin Specialists is no stranger to acne, treating teen and adult patients alike when they face this common but often frustrating skin condition. Many misconceptions and myths about acne exist, particularly regarding cosmetics and makeup. Here’s what you need to know.
Many of the myths surrounding acne focus on food and hygiene, but the truth is that too much chocolate or fried food doesn’t cause acne outbreaks.
Poor hygiene won’t cause acne, either. Instead, it’s a combination of normal skin exfoliation and an overproduction of skin oil called sebum that forms a sticky paste that clogs pores and triggers infection for some people.
Similarly, cosmetics won’t cause conventional acne, nor do they always make it worse. However, a few guidelines can improve your makeup routine and ensure that it has an adversative effect on an acne condition.
There is one exception, a condition called acne cosmetica, which isn’t true acne but is a bumpy skin reaction to makeup. These bumps are usually tiny compared to regular acne, though they can still develop into whiteheads and pimples.
Acne cosmetica usually appears only in places where you apply the makeup. It’s sometimes hard to make the connection, because skin reactions usually take time to develop.
When you have acne, you have an abundance of sebum, a natural skin oil that protects the outer layer of your skin under normal circumstances. Adding additional oils in the form of moisturizing cosmetics could lead to increased clogging. Products containing wax or petrolatum create similar conditions.
Watch out for products with heavy moisturizers, such as coconut or mineral oil. Excess sebum means you’ve got plenty of natural moisturizing taking place.
On the flip side of that condition, products with alcohol can over-dry your skin, which can cause inflammation in acne blemishes. Aggressive cleaning can aggravate acne, and alcohol products can strip away too much natural oil.
Perfumes and dyes can irritate sensitive skin, boosting inflammation and altering your skin’s pH levels. Light-reflecting particles, typically mica, silica, and talc, can dehydrate and irritate skin.
Acrylics, silicone, and bismuth oxychloride are other makeup ingredients to avoid, given their acne-encouraging nature.
It’s easy to locate makeup products from various manufacturers with non-comedogenic formulas. These formulations don’t clog pores and generally don’t cause inflammation and skin irritation.
Adding acne-fighting products to your makeup routine can also help. Benzoyl peroxide, salicylic acid, adapalene, and topical sulfur are good compounds to include in skin care, and you may find makeup with some of these ingredients in their formula, particularly salicylic acid.
Other acne-safe ingredients to screen for in your makeup choices include:
Many major cosmetic manufacturers include non-comedogenic formulations in their product lines.
Be diligent about daily makeup removal. Use gentle cleansers with your fingers to avoid skin irritation from washcloths or cleaning pads. You never want to lose the protection provided by reasonable levels of natural sebum.
If you’re still struggling with acne, contact us at MD Vein & Skin Specialists for expert care. Call or click to book an appointment today.
