Best Cleanser for Acne

The best cleanser for acne depends upon your Baumann Skin Type. This is because the amount of sebum you produce and the strength of your skin barrier determines which cleanser is best for you to unclog pores and prevent and treat pimples. I find that over 80 % of my new patients have been using the wrong cleansers for their acne. Once I put them on the best acne cleansers, they are able to tolerate the rest of their acne regimen better and get faster results. Keep reading to learn if benzoyl peroxide, salicylic acid or probiotic face washes are best for acne-prone skin.

There are 4 types of sensitive skin. You should choose your cleanser based on which type of sensitive skin you have. You can have more than one type of sensitive skin which makes choosing a face cleanser for sensitive skin difficult. When you find out your Baumann Skin Type, we take into account which type or types of sensitive skin when we give you our dermatologist-recommended cleanser suggestions in your skin care routine. In general, thee are the types of acne cleansers to look for if you have sensitive or hypersensitive skin.

Pimples and clogged pores only but no redness, stinging or skin allergies

Look for cleansers with a hydroxy acid but match these sensitive skin face washes for acne to whether your ski is oily or dry (Keep reading because I explain this later).

If you have oily skin and no redness, stinging or skin allergies, you may be able to use a benzoyl peroxide cleanser once a day.

Pimples and clogged pores in addition to facial redness or stinging

Look for soothing cleansers with anti-inflammatory ingredients

Avoid benzoyl peroxide cleansers

Salicylic acid cleansers are a great choice if you have oily sensitive skin and acne. These may be too drying for dry skin types.

Pimples and clogged pores with a history of many skin rashes and allergies to skin care products

Look for hypoallergenic products such as the cleansers for allergic acne-prone skin like this product from VMV Hypoallergenics.

Both oily and dry skin types need a low pH cleanser in the morning to treat acne. This is because the bacteria that causes acne does not like being in a low pH environment. Using a low pH cleanser can help lower levels of acne causing bacteria.

The best acne face washes for dry skin have the a humectant hydroxyacid. Examples of hydroxyacids that can be used in acne cleanser for dry skin include:

Glycolic acid

Lactic acid

Phytic acid

Mandelic acid

Polyhydroxyacid

Gluconolactone

It is easier for oily skin types to tolerate acne face washes, than dry skin types. And the good new is that pily skin types do very well with face washes for oily skin that have salicylic acid.

One common choice is bergamot oil products, an essential oil without lipids that doesn't clog pores and with antimicrobial properties.

Benzoyl peroxide cleansers also lower the amount of acne causing bacteria on the skin, but these can be hard to tolerate unless you are an oily resistant Baumann Skin Type.

In most cases, you will only be able to use these one time a day on your face.

Benzoyl peroxide cleansers can be used on the body such as the back and buttocks to treat stubborn acne in these areas. In fact, benzoyl peroxide cleansers are the best body washes for body acne.

There is not yet enough known about which bacteria are the healthiest to be on the skin and control acne. For this reason, I do not recommend prebiotic and probiotic face washes to treat acne. We have so many other options!

There are many types of face cleansers to treat acne- but they are just one part of a complete skin care routine for acne. You may need two different cleansers to treat your acne. You can learn more here about why you may need two different cleansers, one for the am and one for the pm.

The acne cleanser you choose will affect other products in the skin care regimen, so you need to consider what other products you will use. You see- products affect the efficacy and side effects of acne treatments. Using a low pH cleanser, for example, will increase the amount of retinoid that is absorbed in the skin. This means that the cleanser you choose will determine what strength of retinoid you should use.

We can help! Once you know your Baumann Skin Type, we will give you an exact acne skin care routine with steps. You will be able to choose from a list of cleansers for your morning and evening skin care routine.

You can be confident that these cleansers are right for your skin type. If you follow the entire routine recommendations, you can be sure that the acne cleanser you choose works well with other acne treatment products in the regimen.