Advice for Acne

London Dermatology | 15 August 2024

The face and cape skin are richly supplied with natural oil. This natural oil helps to protect the skin from dust, sun, infection and ageing. The oil is produced by oil glands and reaches the surface of the skin through pipes. All of this is physiological and natural. When the oil gland becomes overactive or the pipe is blocked, the back pressure develops and this is acne. In most people with acne there is a combination of overproduction and blockage. Usually the blockage is caused by blackheads (comedones). To clear the acne it is important to open the pipes and reduce the production. The following advice may be helpful:

1. Wash the hair every day. Johnson’s Baby shampoo is useful.

2. Avoid conditioners, gel and mouse on the hair or scalp.

3. Wash the face twice or three times a day with soap and water. Imperial Leather soap is suitable.
An alternative is to use Neutrogena Visibly Clear Blemish Eliminating Daily Scrub or Liz Earl Gentle Face Exfoliator or Apri Granules. You may also like to use Neutrogena Visibly Clear 2 in Spot Proofing Wash-Mask or Neutrogena Visibly Clear Pink Grapefruit Daily Scrub.

4. Once a day take a flannel or rough face cloth and warm it with warm water. Apply a little Imperial Leather soap. Scrub the blackhead areas with the flannel using light pressure and a rapid to and fro movement. This is flannel friction. Do this each evening and it will help to clear the blackheads.

5. Self-help squeezing of blackheads is almost irresistibly tempting but it is almost always unhelpful. Avoid temptation by never using a magnifying mirror and avoiding brightly lit mirrors. If there is a light bulb immediately over your bathroom or bedroom mirror, please remove the bulb.

6. Avoid cosmetics that are moisturising, oily or greasy. If cosmetics are used, they should only be water or spirit or powder based. Avoid any cosmetics that are greasy or oily. The only moisturiser which is suitable is Simple Hydrating Light Moisturiser, this will not block the pores. Other moisturisers may encourage blackhead formation and so worsen the acne.

7. Avoid using waterproof sunscreen on the acne areas.