5 Key Acne-Fighting Skin Care Ingredients

Looking for acne-fighting skin care ingredients? Acne is one of the most common skin conditions. From acne treatment to acne prevention, there are tons of products that claim to help you with your skin issues. It can often be a daunting task to find the right one from the lot. We will help you find the right acne-fighting skincare products by pointing out the key ingredients you need to watch out for and why they matter. Here are 5 key acne-fighting skincare ingredients you should look for when buying skincare products to treat acne.

What is acne and its causes?

Acne is a chronic skin condition that causes spots and pimples. If you didn’t already know, whiteheads, blackheads, pimples, cysts, and nodules are all different types of acne. While there is an assortment of products and treatments available, there is no one product fits all. Several factors can cause acne such as excessive oil production on your skin, oil clogged hair follicles, bacteria, and hormonal changes. Let’s look at some key acne-fighting skincare ingredients.

Salicylic Acid

Let’s start with the basics to help you understand what this acne-fighting ingredient is all about. Beta hydroxy acids (BHAs) and alpha-hydroxy acids are the two classes of acids that are included in skincare products. Salicylic acid is a beta-hydroxy acid that acts as an exfoliant to keep your pores clear and helps new cell growth. This ingredient not only reduces inflammation but also works well to help you get rid of blackheads and whiteheads. If you start using this ingredient regularly, it prevents you from having breakouts in the future too. Salicylic acid helps clear up pimples by going into the pore and flushing out the dirt and oils inside pores. 

Benzoyl Peroxide

As the most effective acne-fighting ingredient, benzoyl peroxide helps you eliminate those pus-filled pimples from your skin. You probably know this ingredient better because it’s usually found in most pimple products. Apart from destroying the bacteria that causes acne, it also removes excess oil from your skin and exfoliates dead skin cells to prevent any future occurrences. This ingredient is most commonly found in cleansers, lotions, and spot treatments. Benzoyl peroxide can cause dryness, hence keep the area well moisturized.  

Alpha-Hydroxy Acids (AHAs)

This particular acne-fighting ingredient is derived from a group of plant and animal acids and is found in several skincare products. Lactic acid, glycolic acid, citric acid, and malic acid are some of the most common Alpha-Hydroxy Acids. Think of AHAs as exfoliants, they help exfoliate your skin to remove dead skin and dirt on the surface of your skin; this helps create a smooth canvas and reduces the appearance of issues like wrinkles, acne, and dark spots. AHAs are also a key ingredient used to brighten your skin, promote more collagen production, blood flow, and cell turnover.

Clays

Believe it or not, clay has the power to soak-up impurities that are known to cause acne issues and soothe your skin. Thanks to its absorbent and exfoliating properties clays help draw impurities out of your pores thus helping to clear up pimples. 

Retinol

Retinoids are an incredible acne-fighting ingredient that unclogs the pores and reduces breakouts. The retinoic acid flows into the cell and connects to nuclear receptors. This directly impacts cellular metabolism, inflammation, and cell death. With increased cell-turnover and cleared pores, you are at low risk of having acne-prone skin. Retinoids promote cell turnover which helps heal your skin, reduce the appearance of dark spots, and brightens skin.

No one likes getting acne and finding the right products to clear up and breakout or prevent future flare-ups can be daunting. With these five acne-fighting ingredients in mind, you are bound to find the right acne products.