How To Reduce Acne Redness?

Redness is a recurrent symptom of inflammatory acne. It can be present on the skin even after the acne lesions have healed and faded away; therefore, it is essential to know what causes this redness to prevent and treat it effectively. Redness could last for weeks or months, becoming chronic and triggering new breakouts. The good news is that there are many ways you can successfully reduce your acne redness! Let’s know about acne first:

What is Acne?

Acne is an inflammatory disease of the hair follicles. It usually presents itself in adolescence when sebum production rises and is associated with hormonal changes in adulthood (puberty, pregnancy). Therefore, both sexes can suffer from acne.

The main characteristics of acne are:

• Open comedones (blackheads) and closed comedones (whiteheads); the latter lead to inflammation and result in redness or pustules;
• Pustules appear as small bumps on the skin; these tiny pimples contain pus caused by inflammatory acne lesions and present themselves as red spots; redness could last for weeks or months.

What can cause acne?

Acne can be triggered by hormonal changes, which primarily affect young people during puberty and pregnancy. However, some adults could also suffer from acne due to irregularities in their hormone levels. The occurrence of acne is related to an increase in sebum production caused by hormonal fluctuations and genetics. Excess sebum triggers the development of comedones (blocked follicles) and leads to inflammation in severe cases. This could result in redness, painful lesions, and scars on your face. Even though you cannot prevent hormonal changes, you can control sebum production in your skin by washing it a couple of times per day and exfoliating dead cells. You should also avoid touching your face or resting your hands on your cheeks. In addition to this, many other factors trigger or worsen acne; such as:

• Genetics: people with acne-prone skin are more likely to suffer from acne;
• Chemicals in the environment (pollution), which can clog pores and contribute to breakouts;
• Medications for other conditions, such as corticosteroids, lithium, or some antiseizure medications. Keep in mind that allergies may also be a trigger for acne flare-ups.
• Stress is a contributory factor for the development of acne because it triggers hormonal fluctuations (increase in hormones cortisol, adrenaline, and androgens); this can lead to an increase in sebum production.
• Usage of oily skincare products;
• Using an oil-based sunscreen which can cause the skin to produce more sebum;
• Using make-up with comedogenic ingredients (oils, waxes, and silicones);

All these factors could lead to a clogged pore, also triggering acne. Acne could be localized on the face or present itself on other body parts such as the back, shoulders, and chest.

What are the main factors that cause redness when you have acne?

The redness of an acne lesion is the result of inflammation. This could last for weeks after the acne lesion has healed and faded away, but other factors can make your skin redder: sunburn, sensitive skin, or allergies. The main factors are:

1. Staphylococcus aureus bacteria: certain strains of bacteria found on the skin (Staphylococcus aureus) can release chemicals that cause redness, swelling and promote acne lesions.
2. Clogged pores due to oil-based skincare products or make up;
3. Sensitive skin types, such as dry or sensitive skin that is not equipped to deal with solid ingredients in cosmetics;
4. Imbalanced pH level: using products that contain harsh surfactants and alkaline substances may lead to irritation and inflammation; the use of exfoliating acids combined with retinoids may also trigger an inflammatory response from the skin if they are too for your skin type;
5. Smoking: this can make your skin more sensitive to the sun, cause premature aging and lead to redness on the face;
6. Sunburn: this will be visible as redness on the skin, usually with a blistering appearance; the formation of blisters is triggered by an inflammatory response that takes place only after the internal damage has already taken place; this damage is caused by ultraviolet B (UVB) radiation exposure in all skin types and could take two days or more before you notice it appearing on your skin.

How to reduce acne redness?

Reducing inflammation can help treat acne breakouts and reduce redness from scarring due to and acne lesions. Here are a few tips you can follow to reduce redness from acne and breakouts:

– Avoid using over-the-counter medications such as benzoyl peroxide creams, salicylic acid, and sulphur masks; if possible, avoid shaving your face because this could cause irritation and lead to more acne lesions. See a dermatologist for prescription treatments that will help keep acne at bay.

– Do not pick or pop zits; this will worsen inflammation and the skin surrounding it, leading to more severe outbreaks of acne in the future;

– Use makeup less frequently on spots prone areas; using oil-free mineral makeup may be better for your skin type (press powder foundation); avoid powders with oil ingredients that can clog pores;

– Do not use scrubs or exfoliators on acne-prone skin. It may lead to irritation and inflammation, especially if you have a sensitive skin type. If you wish to exfoliate your pores with fruit enzymes, start with 10-minute intervals as advised by cosmetologists.

– Do not smoke; smoking can dry your skin, make it more sensitive to the sun, and trigger acne inflamed breakouts.

– Avoid using oil-based products on your skin (make-up and sunscreen), especially if you have oily skin type; use water-based products instead.

– Do not use a facial oil as this can lead to more acne and clogged pores;

– Always wear sunscreen and avoid unnecessary sun exposure to prevent burning the skin and leading to more redness;

– If you’re taking isotretinoin, make sure that you also take probiotics. This will help reduce acne inflammation by regulating your microflora of good bacteria in the intestinal tract.

– Do not use any products with comedogenic ingredients (oils, waxes, and silicones); avoid using creams that contain propylene glycol and butylene glycol.

– If you have dry or sensitive skin types and suffer from redness on the face, try applying a light facial oil on acne-prone areas once your moisturizer has absorbed; dab off any excess oil in about 5 minutes to avoid further clogging pores.

What are some natural remedies for reducing redness?

• Lemon: the acidic nature of lemon can treat acne better than benzoyl peroxide and salicylic acid because it has antibacterial properties that destroy staphylococcus aureus bacteria (the leading cause of acne breakouts); add a few drops of lemon juice on a cotton ball or pad and apply on affected areas as needed; leave it overnight if possible; do this once a week for best results;
• Tea tree oil: this is one of the best natural remedies to treat acne-prone skin. Do not apply directly to your skin; mix it with a carrier oil such as coconut oil and massage onto infected areas twice daily before going to sleep; leave overnight if possible;
• Aloe vera: apply fresh aloe vera gel on your skin; leave it on for half an hour and wash it off with warm water; you can do these one to three times daily.
• Indian lilac: add 6-8 drops of Indian lilac essential oil in a teaspoon each of almond or jojoba oil, mix well, and apply on acne-prone areas; leave it overnight if possible.
• Turmeric powder mixed with two teaspoons each of raw honey and yogurt then blended into a paste will help reducing inflammation caused by acne lesions. Apply the paste on affected areas twice daily before going to sleep; leave overnight if possible; you can add two drops of lavender oil to the paste if you wish.
• Green tea: apply the cooled green tea on acne-prone areas; leave it overnight if possible.
• Use baking soda as a face scrub once every two weeks (do not do this more often because it can dry out your skin). Mix baking soda in water to form a thick paste, then massage onto affected areas. Rinse thoroughly after 10 minutes and pat dry.
• Drink plenty of water to help reduce acne redness; drinking about eight glasses of water every day is one of the most effective ways to hydrate your skin and flush out toxins from your body.
• Avoid eating highly processed foods because they contain high amounts of preservatives, hydrogenated fats, and sugar, which can cause inflammation on your skin resulting in more acne breakouts. It is also best to avoid fried food as much as possible because it increases free radical damage and worsens inflammation on skin cells.

-Salicylic acid may be effective for people with oily or sensitive skin types. Still, it is not recommended for people with dry, normal, or combination skin mainly because it can dehydrate the epidermis’s outer layers, leading to more skin issues.

When to visit a skin doctor or dermatologist for acne redness?

If your skin redness does not improve or gets worse within a few weeks of using natural remedies, it would be best to seek help from a professional skin doctor. If you can’t see any noticeable improvement after trying home remedies for one month, you should visit your dermatologist to receive proper acne treatment.

What are the possible complications of untreated acne?

The most common complication brought about by leaving acne untreated is scarring. This is mainly caused when nodular, and cystic lesions heal as their appearance becomes more evident due to discoloration than the surrounding healthy tissues.
In contrast, pitted scars become permanent over time (ice pick scars). People with deep facial scarring often tend to avoid social contact because of their self-consciousness.

Acne inversa is another rare but severe complication of acne that may arise from painful inflammatory nodular acne lesions.

What is the best treatment for preventing further breakouts?

• The best way to prevent further breakouts is by following a healthy lifestyle which means eating plenty of fruits and vegetables while avoiding sweets and fried food.
• Sleep for enough hours every night while avoiding stress as much as possible; exercising at least three times a week (cardio-vascular exercises like jogging, swimming, or cycling).
• Avoid sharing personal items such as towels to prevent spreading acne bacteria from one person to another.
• It is also advisable to use sunscreen whenever you go out of the house because it will protect your skin against harmful UV rays while improving collagen production, which can help reduce acne breakouts over time.

Can homeopathy help in treating acne redness?

Homeopathy may be an effective acne treatment. Homeopathic remedies are prepared from natural ingredients and administered in highly diluted forms.

Homeopathic remedies can help ease existing skin symptoms. Also, homeopathic treatment for acne treats the underlying causes of acne like (hormonal imbalance, bacterial infection, or excess sebum production). For best results, we recommend consulting a professional homeopath for more specific treatment options.

Why choose homeopathic acne treatment?

There are several reasons why homeopathy may be an excellent treatment option for acne.

• Firstly, homeopathic remedies do not have any side effects. It can correct the root cause of acne symptoms (like skin inflammation), which can help improve existing acne and prevent further breakouts from occurring in the future.
• In addition, homeopathy is one of the safest options because of its unique individualized approach to treating each patient with different natural ingredients that have no adverse effect on other parts of your body.
• Also, homeopathic remedies are prepared from natural ingredients and administered in highly diluted forms, so there’s little to no risk of developing drug resistance or experiencing any harsh side effects like conventional drugs tend to do overtime.
• Finally, most patients report getting more value for their money when they choose homeopathic remedies because they work from the inside out by stimulating your body to heal itself at a fundamental level.

In conclusion, if you want to treat existing acne and prevent further breakouts from occurring in the future, it is highly advisable to consult a professional homeopath who can provide the best treatment options for each patient’s specific condition.

If you want to learn more about homeopathy or find out whether this treatment option may be right for you, please visit our website or schedule an appointment through OHO Homeopathy now with one of our qualified healthcare providers.