Best Winter Skin Care for Acne Prone Dry Skin

Treating acne prone dry skin during the winter months can present a real challenge if you’re unsure what acne treatment is going to be best for your particular situation. If you’re struggling to come up with a solid treatment plan for your acne this winter, here are a few things you need to try.

How to Reduce Acne

Avoid Using Hot Water to Wash Your Face

When winter rolls around, a nice warm shower or splash of water on your face can feel amazing, but it could be contributing to both your dry skin and your acne flare ups. When you use water that’s too warm, especially on the more delicate skin on your face, you’re risking drying it out more than normal. Water that’s too warm can strip your skin of its natural oils and lubricants, which in turn can cause your skin to over-produce to compensate. And when that happens, it’s only a matter of time before your pores get clogged up and your acne gets worse. So before you wash your face in the hot shower, remember that lukewarm water is always preferable if you want to avoid irritating your skin.

Wash Your Face Less Often

While we’re on the subject of washing your face during the winter, it’s also important to consider washing your face less often during the winter months. The truth is that over-cleansing your face during a time of year that’s already drying out your skin can dry it out even more. And as we mentioned earlier, dry skin leads to the overproduction of oil, which leads to breakouts. If you’re not sure whether you’re cleansing too frequently, it’s a good idea to speak with your dermatologist. They may want you to try cleansing less frequently for a certain period of time to see how your skin reacts. Don’t be afraid of changing up your skincare routine, either. It’s quite common to change the way you care for your skin as the seasons change. Not sure when to cleanse if you’re cleansing less often? If possible, it’s better to wash your face at the end of each day to clear away any oil, dirt, or bacteria that’s built up there over the course of the day. This also gives you the opportunity to remove makeup before washing your face, which is incredibly important for keeping pores clear.

Consider Changing Your Cleanser

Your cleanser, whether it has acne medication in it or not, could be partially responsible for your winter breakouts. Most cleansers foam up in order to help clean your skin, but that foam could be drying your skin out a little bit too much during the winter months. If your current cleanser leaves your skin feeling tight and dry after you’re done washing your face, it could be time to speak with your dermatologist about changing up your skincare lineup. Your cleanser should help leave your skin feeling soft and clean, not tight and dry. Your dermatologist may recommend that you use a heavier cream cleanser during the winter to help avoid that tight, over-cleansed sensation.

Suffering from acne flare ups and dry skin during the winter months can feel absolutely unbearable. If you think you need to change up your acne treatment program this winter and have questions, contact our team SE Dermatology Specialists today.