The Difference Between Oily Acne and Dry Acne
When you break out, those annoying blemishes are a combination of dead skin cells, oil and bacteria. Those with oily skin have excess oil on the surface, making it the perfect breeding ground for break outs and yet surprisingly even people with dry skin can get acne. So what is the difference between oily acne and dry acne and what is causing that to happen?
Acne is one of the most common and difficult skin conditions that we treat as aestheticians. When you break out, those annoying blemishes are a combination of dead skin cells, oil and bacteria. Those with oily skin have excess oil on the surface, making it the perfect breeding ground for break outs and yet surprisingly even people with dry skin can get acne. So what is the difference between oily acne and dry acne and what is causing that to happen?
Oily skin, as we know, is more susceptible to acne because of all of the excess oil that sits on top of the skin. Oil fuels the acne flame which means if you don’t use products that will help to reduce some of that excess oil, the acne will be very difficult to treat. Both salicylic acid and benzoyl peroxide are effective in the treatment of acne.
Salicylic acid exfoliates and works like a mop to absorb excess oil and remove the dead skin cells that cover the break outs. This makes the extraction process much easier and more comfortable for clients. It also has anti-bacterial properties which is essential to treating and controlling acne.
Benzoyl Peroxide on the other hand works by forcing oxygen into the pores and killing that bacteria. Bacteria cannot survive in the presence of oxygen – therefore making benzoyl peroxide the perfect ingredient for killing that bacteria and reducing the break outs on the skin.
But having dry skin and acne can be a very frustrating situation to deal with too. The main ingredients that are used to treat acne can be very drying for any client but especially for those who already struggle with dry skin. When the skin is dry, the barrier function is not working properly and allows for transepidermal water loss. This makes the skin even more dry and can allow bacteria to spread causing more break outs. It is important to rebalance the skin with the appropriate oils and lipids to ensure a healthy barrier especially for clients with dry skin.
Most of the time, clients actually create the problem by stripping their skin, which leads to dryness and an intact barrier. This can happen by simply overdoing it with your skin care routine. Having both a gentle cleanser as well as one that has active ingredients is important so you are not over drying the skin.
Clients can also over exfoliate with the use of abrasive facial scrubs or even over using a facial brush like the Clarisonic. You really only need to be exfoliating the skin 2 to 3 times a week. When you exfoliate the naturally occurring lipids or oils on the skin are being taken off so when it’s overdone the face will over compensate and produce more oil.
In short, acne is a frustrating skin condition to deal with weather you have dry or oily skin. Make sure that you are always using your recommended products and that you are using them regularly. You will get the best results with a routine and remember that less is more when you are using professional skin care products.
If you have any questions and would like to speak to one of our friendly Master Aestheticians in your area, please email support@glymedplusaustralia.com.au
Written by The Institute of Skin Science