The importance of skin hydration when fighting acne
One commonly forgot about aspect when fighting acne is the importance of skin hydration. It’s important to note that oily skin does not mean your skin is hydrated. Skin can be oily and still be low in water content. In fact, dry skin can induce the production of more oil leading to clogged pores and breakouts. This occurs because dry skin compromises the skin barrier leading to irritation, which then induces hormones to activate sebaceous glands to secrete more oil and repair the irritation.
Many commonly used acne medications can also dry or irritate the skin, especially during dry winter months. One way to keep your skin hydrated is through your diet by drinking lots of water and eating lots of water rich foods like fruits and vegetables. It’s also helpful to use a daily moisturizer to hydrate your skin and reduce irritation. Moisturizers work by both drawing water to your skin and by holding the water in the outermost layer of the skin, the stratum corneum. Since moisturizers are effective at holding water in your skin, it’s best to moisturize your skin after washing your face to help trap the water in for optimal hydration.
With so many moisturizer options out there though, how do you choose the right one? Many moisturizers contain both water and oils. If you have oily skin, you don’t necessarily need to avoid putting oil-based moisturizers on your face, but you might want to look for a moisturizer that is more water-based than oil-based. For acne sufferers and those with acne prone skin, it’s best to find moisturizers labeled as non-comedogenic, non-acnegenic or won’t clog pores. Ingredients like hyaluronic acid are great for skin hydration and do not clog pores. What’s your favorite moisturizer to pair with your daily acne treatments?
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