Do you think it would be better for acne to heal without using so many harsh cleansers/medications/spot treatments? Every time i do, i feel like it just makes my face more red & irritated & sometimes even burns. Is this a bad sign? Should i just leave my face alone & cut down on a lot?
I am doing this but not by choice. I developed eczema on my face from overuse of BP so i can't use acne products for the time being. It's been 63 days Post BP and my acne is worsening. I think leaving your face alone is a double edged sword. On one hand, acne meds can irritate your skin and worsen acne but on the other, not doing anything can allow acne to progress to a point where it becomes uncontrollable. If you are going to stop treatment, then make sure you're working on your insides (diet changes, supplements, etc)
Good Luck!
I am a firm believer of a "gentler is better" approach. It has worked the best of anything I've tried. My skin seems overly sensitive and won't tolerate most topicals. Leelowe's comment above about double edged sword is on point too. I think the real trick is to find one or two topicals that do the job for you but don't irritate you either. For me those are sulfur cleanser and ketoconazole cleanser. It has literally taken me decades to get on-track with the right products and routine. For the most part I only had a mild/moderate condition so maybe I'm lucky in that regard.