Dry skin with acne: how to treat it and what products to use

Generally, acne appears in the skin, but it is caused by an excessive release of sebum by the sebaceous glands, causing a proliferation of bacteria that generates inflammation of the follicles.

Although it is unusual, some people who have acne and skin greasy may feel their skin dry, making it difficult to find products that satisfy their need for hydration and grain treatment.

There are even cases of people who have dry or dehydrated skin, but suffer from acne, probably because they have a sensitive skin, whose skin barrier is insufficient to protect it, making it more susceptible.

Dry skin with acne

Is it normal to have acne with dry skin?

Certain people who feel the skin dry can also have acne, because they have the skin sensitive and a skin barrier that is insufficient to protect it adequately. Asimism, these cases can also be treated with oily skins but dehydrated; They can have an agreeable and shiny appearance, but there is a lack of water.

dehydrated skin

The skin fats can be dehydrated due to the loss of water through the enlarged pores, which are very characteristic of this type of skin. Asimismo, the people with skins grasas use products that are too abrasive that eliminate the natural acceptances of protection.

Dehydration is often confused with dry skin because it causes similar symptoms. However, even though a dry skin produces an insufficient amount of natural oils, the skin is poorly nourished; A dehydrated skin has an insufficient amount of water, but it can produce excess fat, which leads to acne development.

In this way, when people who have acne feel dry skin, generally, this means that they have dehydrated skin, with a lack of water, which is confused with a skin that is poorly nourished where the skin lacks fat, the so-called dry skin.

dry skin

In any way, if the skin dries it is sensible or not well treated and if it is used very aggressive jabones, it can become fragile and susceptible to the entry of bacteria and chemicals that cause a change in the skin barrier function and activation of the immune response, arising inflammation and the formation of grains.

Asimism can also appear due to the obstruction of pores, which can be caused by the excessive use of cosmetic products.

mixed skin

A dry skin can also be greasy, which is known as mixed skin. Generally, this type of skin is greasy in the T area, which is in the front region, the nose and the mentón, and is dry in the rest of the face. In this way, a mixed skin can have acne in the T zone due to excess sebum production, but keep dry in the beans, for example.

Find out more about skin types.

How to treat this problem

The ideal is to evaluate each case, what can be done with the help of a dermatologist, the treatment will vary depending on the type of skin:

1. Dehydrated skin with acne

Before choosing the appropriate products for this situation, it is important to know that the dehydrated skin is a skin that requires water and ingredients that it retains. However, these products cannot have much acceptance in their formulation, so as not to worsen acne.

Therefore, the ideal is to opt for a face wash product that respects the skin’s physiology, such as the Effaclar facial cleansing gel from La Roche Posay or the Sebium micellar water from Bioderma; and a moisturizing product with no mattifying action, such as the Sebium Global de Bioderma emulsion or the Effaclar Mat anti-oily facial moisturizer, which should be used every day in the morning and at night.

Likewise, exfoliation around the area should be carried out twice a week and a purifying mask and a moisturizing mask once a week. You can even use a solution, which is applied in the area of ​​​​the grains in a bar presentation, and a serum for dehydrated skins from Skinceuticals or Avène, for example, which is applied daily before the moisturizer.

In case the spines are inflamed, avoid physical exfoliants, which are those that have small spheres or arenas in their composition, so as not to worsen the inflammation; and opt for chemical exfoliants that contain alpha-hydroxy acids in their composition, as is the case with the Sébium Pore Refiner by Bioderma.

If the person wears makeup, he must always opt for an oil-free base, which generally contains the indication “oil free” on the label.

2. Mixed skin with acne

The skin mixes with acne needs to be nourished and hydrated, which is difficult to achieve with just one product, because it can give more acceptance to the skin, worsening the acne; the lo haga in insufficient quantity, making the skin more dry.

What you can do is opt for a washing product that respects the physiology of the skin, such as the Clinique cleansing gel or the Sensibio H2O micellar water from Bioderma, and insist more on the T area to remove the excess oil; And, in addition, choose a moisturizing cream whose label indicates that it is for mixed skins, which is generally available in all brands.

In addition, the exfoliation can be performed in the same way that on dehydrated skin, and the purifying mask can be applied only on the T area. In cases where these measures are not sufficient, an anti-acne moisturizer can be applied to the T area or another in the rest of the face, that nourishes the skin, like the Hydrance Optimale moisturizing cream from Avene.

In case the person uses makeup, they should always opt for an oil-free base, the ones normally contain the indication “oil free” on the label.

3. Dry skin with acne

In situations where the person really has dry skin and some grains appear, the products that should be used are only a gel or cleansing cream for dry skin, such as Sensibio H2O micellar water from Bioderma or Pureté Thermale cleansing foam. Vichy; and a cream also for dry skin, such as the Hidrance Optimale moisturizing cream from Avène or the Sensibio cream from Bioderma, for example. There is also a homemade solution for dry skin.

The grains can be treated with the application of a product at the site of the injury, as a lotion in the form of a bar, being able to use, for example, the drying bar of Zeroak or Natupele.

In all cases it is very important to remove the makeup before going to sleep, it is only during the night that the skin regenerates; For this reason, it is necessary to remove all the chemicals and contaminants that the skin accumulates throughout the day.

See how the diet should be to prevent acne.