Whether you have acne-prone skin, are trying to calm down maskne or have one pesky pimple that just won’t go away, incorporating acne-fighting ingredients (think: benzoyl peroxide, salicylic acid and more) into your skincare routine is key. You can find them in cleansers, moisturizers, spot treatments and more. Not sure which ingredient is best for your skin? We’ve enlisted Skincare.com expert and board-certified dermatologist Dr. Lian Mack to share the top ingredients to help with pimples, below.
How to Choose the Right Acne-Fighting Ingredient for You
Not all acne ingredients treat the same type of acne. So which ingredient is best for your type? “If someone is struggling with mostly comedonal acne i.e whiteheads and blackheads, I love adapalene,” says Dr. Mack. “Adapalene is a vitamin A-derivative that helps to reduce oil production and drives cellular turnover and collagen production.
“Niacinamide is a form of vitamin B3 that helps reduce acne and inflammatory acne lesions at strengths of 2% or higher,” she says. The ingredient has also been shown to be effective at reducing pore size.
To help treat raised, red pimples, common actives like salicylic acid, glycolic acid and benzoyl peroxide are high on Dr. Mack’s list. She notes that both salicylic acid and glycolic acid have exfoliative properties that “drive cellular turnover, reducing clogged pore formation.” While benzoyl peroxide will help kill bacteria on the skin. It also helps to reduce oil or sebum production, which she explains can help prevent clogged pores from forming and reduce cystic breakouts.
Some of these ingredients can be mixed together for even better results, too. “Niacinamide is a fairly well-tolerated ingredient and may be easily mixed into other actives like glycolic and salicylic acids,” Dr. Mack adds. This combination helps to minimize cystic acne. She’s a fan of the Monat Be Purified Clarifying Cleanser which combines both actives. For severely oily skin types, Dr. Mack says to try mixing benzoyl peroxide with adapalene. She cautions to start slowly, “applying the mixture every other night to reduce the risk of overdrying and irritation.”
Post time: Sep-16-2021