Winter Acne Treatment Tips for Clear Skin

If you have acne-prone skin, winter can present some unique challenges for you no matter how effective your acne treatment products are: the drier air that can irritate skin and cause redness and increase breakouts, the reduced exposure to Vitamin D from the sun as we all spend more time indoors, a diet made up of fewer fresh fruits and vegetables, and even the stress of the holiday season can worsen breakouts and blemishes. How do you keep your skin healthy and acne-free during the winter months? Here are some tips from the acne experts at Murad.

Winter Acne Treatment Tip: Consider a More Gentle Acne Product
One winter challenge for acne-prone skin is that the drier air in most climates can cause your skin to become more sensitive. That means if you are using a particularly harsh acne treatment that over-dries your skin (such as products that contain Benzyol Peroxide as the primary active ingredient), you may actually end up irritating your skin and causing even more acne breakouts. Make sure your skin cleanser and acne products are effective but also gentle enough to support the drier, harsher elements of winter. You may want to consider Murad’s Clarifying Cleanser, which delivers ingredients to fight off acne-causing bacteria and remove pore-clogging dead skin cells from the skin’s surface while also not over-drying or irritating sensitive skin.

Winter Acne Treatment Tip: Moisturize and Hydrate
Believe it or not, as noted above, the dryness of winter can actually result in more breakouts. When your skin thinks it’s too dry, it will produce even more oil to compensate, which can mean more clogged pores and more acne-causing bacteria. Use an oil-free moisturizer topically and be sure to both eat and drink ample amounts of water throughout the day to hydrate from the inside as well. If you’re unfamiliar with the benefits of “eating your water,” you may want to read Dr. Murad’s best-selling book, The Water Secret.

Winter Acne Treatment Tip: Winter Means Back Acne Treatments
Cold weather means sweaters and layers of clothing. Sweaters and layers of clothing mean that, if you have acne-prone skin, you are likely to experience more back acne breakouts as dirt and oil is trapped against your skin each day. Combat back acne all winter long by using a great exfoliating body wash that also contains acne medications. Murad Acne Body Wash combined with Murad Clarifying Body Spray can keep your back and body acne-free until it’s tank top and swimsuit season again. Remember, the acne products you use on your face may not be as effective on your back and body because the skin is rougher and the oil glands are larger in those areas. Choose products specifically designed to combat back and body acne.

Winter Acne Treatment Tip: Make Sure to Exfoliate Your Skin
Both for facial acne as well as back and body acne, exfoliation becomes even more important in the winter. While exfoliation is important all year long, the increase in dead and dry skin cells in the winter can cause more clogged pores. When your pores are clogged, bacteria can build up which ultimately leads to acne breakouts. Ensure you are using an effective, but not overly harsh, solution to exfoliate your face and body. Stopping acne breakouts certainly means minimizing the collection of dry and dead skin cells that could potentially clog your pores.

Of course, maintaining a healthy and fresh diet, minimizing stress, and getting enough exercise to stay healthy overall will all also help give you healthy, clear skin throughout the winter. Don’t let seasonal habits take away from a successful skin care and acne treatment regimen. Be diligent with your skin throughout the winter and you’ll avoid unwanted cold-weather breakouts.

Click to learn more about Murad acne treatment products, including Acne Complex® products and back and body acne products.