Go for the moisture. As much as we need exfoliation to clear and knock out pimples we need moisture to build a healthy barrier. My biggest mistake was not moisturizing enough. I cannot stress how important or what a difference it made to my skin. Using an SA or BP did dramatically help with acne blemishes-however the drying induced by these compromised my skin. Of course I thought letting my skin dry out was healing and fixing my problem. Dry skin can get acne too. You can't dry out a pimple but you can dry out your skin. Moisturizing in itself will not cause more flare ups. The ingredients in choice lotion/creams are concerns for pimples. I've had success with ingredients that mimic the structure and function of healthy skin. I look for a blend of glycerin, ceramides, cholesterol, and hyaluronic acid. I've been using and will continue to use La Roche Posay Toleriane Ultra. Prior to using this I was only using an oil-free SA lotion. Since I've been using this cream I've discontinued the use of my acne products. That's not to say I won't use them for exfoliation or spot treating from time to time. My skin is healthy again. Meaning, no flakes, dryness, itching, etc. I get the occasional pimple but nothing like before when I was NOT moisturizing. So go for moisture!

I am trying both at the moment. Exfolliation through avene masks. And moisture through aloe vera gel. My gel is green and I just found out it shouldn't be. Need to find a better one I guess.

Use Chimp Super Face Cream to moisturize your skin.

I have used it and like its effect.

Use Chimp Super Face Cream to moisturize your skin.

I have used it and like its effect.

how is your skin now?

Listen to your skin. If it's oily and that moisture feels heavy, skip it til you need it.

If you're using BP, you'll need a moisturizer. Acne skin does need to be hydrated to heal - natural sebum should be flowing cleanly, in an ideal world! It's the waxes and preservatives in the moisturizer you have to watch out for. Pure aloe or pure hyaluronic acid are best. Oils go rancid on your skin, and moisturizers can cause as much harm as good.

My diet never had balanced EFA's before, so I'd get "dry oil" acne from rebound due to overwashing and overtreating. I had to use oatmeal and honey masks to hydrate, tried drinking over a gallon of water a day, and applying pure oils and serums to keep flakiness at bay. These only prevented my skin from looking awful instead of blah.

Now, I take a balanced Omega 3, 6, 9 supplement (so much better than fish oil/coconut oil alone) and use Jason Aloe and Hyaluronic for healing and anti-aging. Vitamin B complex, E, A, and D also regulate your natural oil production and skin cell turnover (I prefer going to the root of the issue instead of the end-line symptoms.)

 

Use Chimp Super Face Cream to moisturize your skin.

I have used it and like its effect.

how is your skin now?

My skin is perfect now, I have solved all my skin problems and like the way pure chimp products work for me.

My husband and I both really like the lotion my derm recommended called "DML Moisturizing Lotion". It was specifically developed for acne prone sensitive skin and for use after plastic surgery...so you know it is extremely gentle. It dries quickly and is not greasy. My derm says it is important to use a lotion with acne prone skin because it helps skin to heal, especially if topical meds are being used. Broken dry skin causes irritation which in turn causes inflammation and acne. A good lotion helps to seal the skin and keep out bacteria.

My husband and I both really like the lotion my derm recommended called "DML Moisturizing Lotion". It was specifically developed for acne prone sensitive skin and for use after plastic surgery...so you know it is extremely gentle. It dries quickly and is not greasy. My derm says it is important to use a lotion with acne prone skin because it helps skin to heal, especially if topical meds are being used. Broken dry skin causes irritation which in turn causes inflammation and acne. A good lotion helps to seal the skin and keep out bacteria.

Thanks. I will look into this lotion. Might want to give it a try! )

If your skin is irritated, you should use aloe vera gel from the plant (it's better and cheaper). And for daily moisturizer I would use Avocado oil. Also don't use chemicals on your face, it destroys your skins natural defense system

If your skin is irritated, you should use aloe vera gel from the plant (it's better and cheaper). And for daily moisturizer I would use Avocado oil. Also don't use chemicals on your face, it destroys your skins natural defense system

Thanks. I am finding out the hard way.

Now washing with salty water (natural which i make myself).

And I do not use any chemicals anymore.

Also changing my diet to ensure I restore my gut flora....

I hope the all natural methods work for you. Unfortunately they never worked for me. I am very big into natural foods and methods of healing and it was hard to finally admit after decades (yes, decades) of trying that I had to use more mainstream ingredients if I ever wanted to be clear. When my derm recommended I wash with Panoxyl 4% (BP), use a topical antibiotic (Cleocin-T) and moisturize with DML lotion I was really hesitant because they are not natural. My derm told me that so-called natural methods often are harsher than people think and introduce substances and pathogens that irritate the skin. He favors products developed for use with extremely sensitive skin and skin that has undergone surgical procedures. These products are tested for purity and mildness. It is in effect not introducing additional factors that the skin has to deal with when already irritated.

Natural and especially homemade products are easily tolerated by people with normal skin because their pores are already functioning properly and their skin is not usually irritated to begin with. However, further irritating acne prone skin can promote acne lesions...this is well researched.

I too hoped and hoped for an easy natural method to control my acne. It never happened. Diet alone didn't do it and neither did various natural methods of washing or natural oils or natural things like tea tree oil (it just inflamed my cystic acne).

I think after reading many posts that natural methods can sometimes work for people with very mild acne. I have read posts of people who think they have awful acne but their acne based on photos is actually mild surface acne. They try some natural method or diet and it works and then they promote it for everyone with acne. Unfortunately that leads many people with more serious acne into thinking it will work for them too.

Some people have a true food allergy that is inflaming the body and thus their acne and avoiding the food gives them clear skin. This is something we all wish would be the case for us but it is rare. Still good to check out though.

Some people just need to get into a routine that cleanses the skin in a gentle way (ie. natural method) and then their mild acne goes away because it was really a response to surface irritation.

Deep cystic acne that is chronic, resistant to treatment, and causes lots of inflammation is a different matter. It takes time to get clearance while diligently following a tx regime that effectively kills acne bacteria, keeps pores clear, helps pores to shed dead skin cells properly, and provides a barrier to the skin while it heals. Internally it means following a diet that lowers inflammation, sugars, and promotes good gut health. You have to do all of these things simultaneously to get clearance.