Moisturizers and Acne [DermTV.com Epi #245]

[EKPL07]

During the winter time my skin is oily and dry at the same time. I feel oil when I touch my skin but I also feel dry flakes in the same area! What can I do to help my skin be balanced?

[MrCODisawesome]

I use Salicylic Acid 6% and a gel of 3% erithromycin and 5% benzoyl peroxide but I still get a lot of acne and hyperpigmentation. What do I do?

[elina22]

@MrCODisawesome Use a baking soda mask. Just mix a teaspoon size amount of baking soda with a tiny bit of water to make a paste. Then massage the paste gently all over your face in circular motions. Then you leave the mask on for about 10-15 mins and wash off. If you do this routine consistently-every day or every other day- you will get noticeably clear skin in just a couple of weeks. And your skin will keep improving with time. I've used this method on myself- IT REALLY WORKS! Good Luck =)

[yasminnxp]

What's the T zone?

[Paragon9299]

@yasminnxp Forehead, nose, chin and cheeks xx

[yasminnxp]

@Paragon9299 Thanks. :)

[SmashBrosBrawl]

@yasminnxp

cheeks are not apart of the T-Zone

think of a letter T being on your face

It would cover your forhead, nose, and chin.

not your cheeks

[yasminnxp]

@SmashBrosBrawl Yeah, I figured it out. Thanks though. :)

[loveNlipgloss]

my skin gets so dry,flaky,irritated, and red if dont moisturize. but i have very oily skin.

[123sarcasticdiva]

no..... moisturizing in my t zone has helped me a lot

[beans2themax]

well what if you need an spf? i have combo skin, and my moisurizer has spf included, but i don't want to leave my t-zone unprotected.

[Nelalipe]

well, the topic is use of mosturizers so i have a question. this is bugging me for some time now it´s about petroleum jelly or petrolatum (or vaseline!?)

It´s been said to be a potential breast carcinogen. Among girls born today,1 in 8 is expected to get breast cancer and one in 30 is expected to die from it

I heard there is a risk of contamination from polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), cancer-causing chemicals found in crude oil and its by-products.

Is it save or not? thanks.

[faerietaleredux]

I've found that even though I have oily skin, if I don't put moisturizer under my makeup--it looks cakey and there's flakes of dry skin... :|

[SanneMusic]

Interesting. But where comes the SPF? Even before the acne products? can the acne products still come through to the skin after my sunscreen?

[JuicyVany]

I do have oily skin in the t zone...my cheeks are more dry but why is this the part where I have all of my breakouts??My t zone has no pimples at all....

[TheAnaSofie]

how do i get rid of white heads on my cheeks... ! after awhile they turn into hugee deep pimples..

[geleidi]

how about sunscreen? do you put it after the topical medication or?

[magicadespell56]

i was doing a little looking around on line and came across a skin exfoliator tool called LE EDGE- it looks like a razor but has no blade- its a bar you drag over your hot showered steamed skin to remove dead skin- i have used this for a 2 weeks and it gets rid of the problem we use so many creams for- that dry dull look- this up there with sliced bread and the wheel! my face looks better the back of my hand any dry area is gone! would love to know what you think about this tool--- x shelly

[Myouqa]

thanks so much for this video! it's really helpful to me

[MsBinkies]

important (to me) question; i have really dry skin on my cheeks and slightly dry on my t-zone except for my nose (only if i forget to wash it even tho i have no makeup on then it's average to slightly oily). from afar, could my acne be more hormonal or something else as i don't have the typical skin type for acne. i do get cysts and pustules on my chin, blackheads ALL over my noes, and the under the skin bumps on my forehead. you may not be able to say w/o seeing my, but it's worth a shot. lol

[pennybeau]

Thanks for this video!

[Smile85000]

why oil free? I have been using jajoba oil as a moisturiser is this bad for my skin?

[silkroyalty707]

I usually put the moisturizer on my face first before applying anything else. Guess I'd have to try out your steps and see if they give better results. Thanks Doc!

[AbbieJolie]

I have combination skin and haven't applied moisturizer to my nose in years! The rest of my T-zone rarely needs or gets moisturizer. Also important is the 2% Salicylic Acid and dotted Benzoyl Peroxide that I use. I treat my skin as having Zones and moisturize the dry skin only.

[PurpleFairyWings]

I read once that oily skin has sebum whereas moisture is water, so just because skin is oily it doesn't mean it holds moisture well. Is that true?

[AbbieJolie]

@PurpleFairyWings LOVE your username! No, don't let that idea stop you from treating your skin as having zones needing different care!

[ValerieEileen]

is there a certain amount of time you should allow your acne treatment to set in before moisturizer? And how long should it take for your moisturizer to sink into your skin before applying make up?

[AbbieJolie]

@ValerieEileen I don't overdry my oily skin.  If you use a 2% Salicylic Acid product and no alcohol daily on the oily skin and only apply Benzoyl Peroxide as really needed, then you shouldn't experience overdry skin in your oily zone. Just moisturize dry skin.

[sanaabanana87]

now this is confusing, i've been told that even if you have oily skin you should use a moisturiser!!

[sobored05]

you should use an oil-free moisturiser instead

[AbbieJolie]

@sanaabanana87 I know! Just throw that out and read what the Cosmetics Cop writes about acne discouragement, please. 

[OS253]

Why do i keep getting acne on my chin and jawline? I don't get pimples on my cheeks or forehead.

[cjx3pooh]

I could do the whole combination skin moisturizer routine at night, but during the day when I use a moisturizer with SPF, I can't just apply it to my cheeks without my face looking uneven -_-

[Nienkx]

Can you just put the moisturizer over the acne treatment product?

[rockshow1806]

I have dry cheeks and that's where I get most acne... and lots of it. Sigh haha

[LittlemissSluchice]

I have dry skin ALL OVER! and acne/ blemishes.. :( 

[Jakez98]

You said that sunscreen should always be applied first, so if my moisturizer comes with sunscreen protection, do I still apply it after my acne medication?

[Fancylooks]

I use pure argan oli at nights as a moisturizer, and I am getting quite a good improvement in my skin. Argan oil is, obviously, oily, but is working well. How is it possible? How can an oil help you control oily skin (well, in fact I have mixed skin)?

[Paradigm715]

@reilly9331

Moisturisers are used to bring moisture to the skin(yes,very apparent),so if your skin is oily,that means you skin is over-moisturised itself and don't need any more added moisture(even if the packaging says "no oils" on it etc).

But if you have acne,you have to find out why you have acne: is it because of stress,hormonal changes or dry skin? Or because of other things.

[sobored05]

but if you dont use a moisturiser, wouldn't your skin over compensate itself by producing more oil?

[Aeisihtirmalakes]

@sobored05 Why would it?Coz every single "guru" on youtube says so :p?I mean if your skin is oily, what does it have to compensate for.I only use moisturizer when I feel like I need to, ie when my skin does indeed feel dry. During the period I was convinced I should use a moisturizer every day (coz I'm 30 and I thought I had to), my face would look dull and I'd get more break outs than usually.I don't know, I've come to think that "less is more" applies on skincare too.

[sobored05]

@Aeisihtirmalakes A good oil-free moisturiser is essential if you are on acne medications, as they are very drying. I use to suffer from acne, and I was put on a range of harsh topical acne medications such as tazorac and duac. In my case, heavy duty moisturisation/hydration was a necessity. Furthermore, your sebaceous (oil) glands functions to regulate the oil/water balance, logically, if your skin is dry and dehydrated, your oil glands will secrete more sebum (oil) to counteract the dryness.

[Aeisihtirmalakes]

@sobored05 If you're on acne treatment, using a moisturizer makes perfect sense(I was on roaccutane-now called accutane?- for 6 months back on I was 19 and yes, during that time I HAD to use a moisturizer). But if your face is oily, with no dry patches whatsoever at any time of the year, like mine, why is it essential to use a hydrating cream?

[holdthedressing]

@sobored05

I think that's an old urban myth

[AbbieJolie]

@sobored05 Apply moisturizer to the dry skin but not the oily skin for a month and test the concept yourself.

[mooneyes89]

@sobored05 maybe to begin with but I would think over time it would normalize. I dunno?

[heartshapedb0xx]

@sobored05 use oil free moisturizer! that's what I use and its basically a skin protectant that helps block dirt and other things from clogging your pores throughout the day. I hardly break out after I started using an oil free moisturizer.

[aveslp]

@sobored05 This is what I've always been told as well. I never used moisturizer until about a year ago and my skin is much less oily now. However, my acne is only slightly better.

[beccastetler]

If your acne treatment is very drying, should I still put it on before my moisturizer?

[tessab0o]

so people with really oily skin don't need to use a moisturizer?

[whookidspade]

@tessab0o No, you have to. Just make sure it's oil free. I'm still trying to figure out which moisturizer to use. Help anyone?

[tessab0o]

@whookidspade i use CeraVe and it works GREAT. doesnt feel oily and absorbs into your skin quickly. i suggest getting your face a tiny bit damp with cold water and then getting about a pea size amount of moisturizer for your face...thats all you need. works WONDERS!

[whookidspade]

@tessab0o I'll be sure to give it a try. Thank you! =)

[tessab0o]

I wish you were my Dermatologist!