How I Treat My Breakouts

Like just about everyone I know I get the occasional breakout. Sometimes it is caused by trying a new product other times it is just one that pops up out of no where. Regardless of the cause I have tried everything and have discovered that a lot of the products marketed for acne don't help me.

So, what works for me and my ultra sensitive skin?

I have found through trial and error that the best thing for my occasional pimples is the use a gentle cleanser and to keep my skin hydrated.

Many of the products sold for acne contain harsh ingredients that dry out the skin and therefore encourage sebum production and thus the cycle of breakouts goes on and on. Products that contain alcohol or harsh sulfate cleansers strip the skin's moisture barrier and the skin, reacting to the dryness, produces more oil. For those of use who are acne-prone this just results in more pimples. Many toners contain high amounts of alcohol and simply strip the skin and dry it out.

I use Mastey de Paris Traite shampoo, $20.00 for 16 ounces, to cleanse my face. (I use it on my hair as well.) It is gentle and does not strip the skin of it's natural moisture. I then use Mastey de Paris Moiste Facial Moisturizer, $28.00 for 3.38 ounces, both available from the Mastey de Paris website. If you are oily or combo, applying moisturizer to slightly damp skin sometimes helps keep it from being too greasy. Lately I have been dabbing on Mastey de Paris Velvetant Skin Renewal Complex, $18.00 for 3.38 ounces on pimples at night which seems to heal them rather quickly. Using products that contain Alpha Hydroxy Acid should only be used at night and you absolutely must use a good quality sunscreen during the day as AHA's make skin more sensitive to sunburn.

When I have a really bad breakout I use Good Skin All Right Spot Treatment which is sold exclusively at Kohl's and manufactured by Estee Lauder under their Beauty Bank subsidiary for $8.50. It contains salicylic acid which helps heal the pimple and reduce redness. It also contains moisturizers which keeps it from being too drying.

Over the years I have compiled a list of ingredients that seem to cause or aggravate my breakouts. They include: Mica, Titanium Dioxide, Zinc Oxide, Talc, various Silicones, Petrolatum, Mineral Oil, Silica, Polyethylene, etc. If I use a product with these ingredients I tend to develop painful breakouts. Many people use products with these ingredients happily so it is something that varies for the individual.

The bottom line, for my skin, is that stripping it of all it's protective oils only encourages more breakouts. By keeping my skin clean and hydrated the number of breakouts I've had is greatly reduced and my skin looks and feels so much healthier.

Will this concept work for other people? I cannot say, but I do know it has helped me a lot.

Some websites of interest:

http://ezinearticles.com/?Acne-Skin-Care-Tips-For-Winter-Time&id=1597796

http://acne.about.com/od/acnetreatments/ht/dailyskincare.htm

http://www.cosmeticscop.com/dictionary_term.aspx?tid=764&lid=492&term=alcohol