Will dry skin cause acne?

Everyone has different skin conditions, and if a person has acne, it is usually caused by excessive secretion of skin oil, so people with oily skin usually get acne. Another type of skin condition is dry skin, which is prone to flaking and itching. But for people with dry skin, will they experience acne?

Dry skin can cause acne

For some people, dry skin can cause itching and other annoyances. But in any case, dry skin can make your skin more susceptible to breakouts.

Any damage to the skin barrier function will provoke an immediate immune response. When the skin barrier function is compromised, your body immediately tries to repair it. An immune response, of course, means more inflammation from acne.

A weakened skin barrier can also make it easier for bacteria and chemicals to penetrate deeper into the skin. The skin becomes more susceptible to bacterial infections that cause acne. Pollution and chemicals in skin care products can penetrate the skin. Both of these things mean more skin inflammation which can lead to breakouts.

Here is a list of things that often cause dry skin.

Strong soaps and cleansers, such as sodium lauryl sulfate. Benzoyl peroxide, tretinoin, and other topical acne medications may cause dry skin. Cleanser is too alkaline; look for a pH-balanced product. Winter and low humidity. Very dry conditions can suck moisture out of your skin. Long hot showers and baths. Chemical irritants in personal care and household products. An example is laundry detergent residue. Some medicines, such as tretinoin.

Moisturizers for Acne-Prone Skin

So what can you do in these situations? Moisturize. Obvious, I know, but sometimes the answer is just that. Almost all moisturizers contain substances that attract moisture. When these humectants penetrate the skin, they also bind moisture into it. A good moisturizer will also seal moisture into the skin. They do this by forming a lipid (fat) layer on the skin.

Here is a list of some irritating ingredients commonly used in moisturizers:

acetone

alcohol

Propylene glycol

Alpha Hydroxy Acids

Sodium lauryl sulfate

Benzalkonium chloride

Formaldehyde releaser

Menthol

Benzyl alcohol

Camphor urea - irritating only at higher concentrations

Pyrrolidone carboxylic acid

Lanolin

essence

Look for the following ingredients:

Vitamin E is the main antioxidant that protects sebum.

Vitamin C makes vitamin E more effective when taken together.

Vitamin B3 (niacinamide/nicotinic acid) has been found to be an effective moisturizer in some studies. Other studies have found that topical B3 is very effective in treating acne.

Aloe vera or other antioxidants.

Ceramides are fats that occur naturally in the skin. Acne-prone skin has less ceramides than healthy skin. So applying them under your moisturizer may help.

Natural oils and essential fatty acids. Some studies have shown that fatty acids can calm problematic skin inflammation.