Suitable Cleansers for Acne

Any worthwhile acne treatment needs to incorporate a cleansing phase. During this stage, you aid your skin in sloughing off dead skin cells and remove and dirt any grime which could be lingering on its surface. While cleansing does sound straightforward and rather simple, technique is not all that comes into play. You need the right product to ensure that your acne-prone skin remains un-irritated. All to often people elect to use cleaners that contain harsh ingredients such as alcohol and sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS), which strip oils off the skin leaving it dry and irritated. This in return creates even more acne breakouts. If you continue suffering from breakouts despite having tried multiple treatments, your cleaner may be at fault. Below, we will examine what you should look for in cleanser to ensure it won't conflict in your journey for clear skin.

Sodium lauryl sulfate is a chemical found in numerous household cleaning products that is just starting to see widespread attention. This additive is incorporated in products such as soap to induce a lather in the absence of soft water. Most homes in the United States are supplied with hard water, which combines with soap to from soap scum as opposed to a lather. Although SLS has not been officially labeled as dangerous, it is considered a pesticide. Further, many industrial cleaning products also contain SLS. It should be evident that SLS is a harsh ingredient. Lab tests have shown that SLS acts as an irritant when it comes into contact with skin. Irritation and acne do not mix well, and the end result is usually more breakouts. So, if you are looking for a cleanser, avoid those that contain SLS. A quick glance at the product label should reveal of a cleanser contains this harmful ingredient.

Many assume that cleanser is designed to remove oils from the face, in addition to other contaminants. Putting popular belief aside, cleanser is designed to eradicate contaminants without having much of a drastic effect on skin moisture levels. When you strip oils from your skin, you leave it irritated. This can easily translate into more acne breakouts. There is also indication that the skin tries to overcompensate for lost oil by producing more, resulting in an overly oily complexion. You can avoid problems associated with dry skin by choosing a cleanser without astringents like alcohol. If after washing your face it feels tight and dry, you need to switch to a better cleanser.

Our skin is most healthy when it falls into a certain pH range. This range happens to be in 4-5, slightly acidic area. Many soaps and cleansers are highly basic, or alkaline, with a pH over 7. When we apply these products to our skin, the acidity is disrupted and our skin becomes vulnerable to a countless number of threats. For the outer layer of the skin to effectively protect us from the outside world, it needs to maintain that slightly acidic characteristic. Fortunately, there are products available which claim to be pH balanced. These often have a pH of 7, causing a minimal disruption in acidity, and thus allowing our skin to combat acne bacteria, alongside many other threats.

Finding a quality cleanser is not as monumental a task as it initially appears. When you begin using a quality product, the results should be immediate. Your skin will begin to feel far more healthy. With the right, gentle products, acne should be quite manageable.

Learn about the best acne cleansers from our how to get rid of acne website.