How You Might Be Making Your Acne Breakouts Worse

Acne can be a stressful cycle to break. It takes plenty of patience to keep up with acne treatment routines, restrain from picking, and allow time for each treatment to kick into action. It can all get even more irritating when your efforts seem to simply end up in more acne breakouts. Instead of another list of all the things you should do to beat the breakouts, we’re focusing in on the mistakes you may be making when you’re trying to get rid of pimples, zits, and acne-related inflammation, so you can keep working toward a treatment routine that works for you without your habits potentially undermining its effectiveness.

Mistake #1: Waiting for a Breakout to Spring into Action

Using a spot treatment to try and zap zits once they pop up is a sure-fire losing game. Spot treatments can be useful in taming inflammation and potentially helping to loosen clogged pores, but oftentimes, when you see one pimple, there are others forming in the area. Further, by using acne-fighting skin care products only when you see a breakout, skin is unable to adapt to your routine and the active ingredients in each product, causing stress, irritation, and dryness that just intensifies the acne cycle. Rather than springing into action once a breakout surfaces, opt for a gentler, regular acne-fighting skin treatment that can help to heal current breakouts and prevent future ones. This way, your skin can adapt to and fully benefit from its acne-fighting effects.

Mistake #2: Avoiding Exfoliators

It may feel natural to avoid using exfoliators on acne-prone skin to avoid causing irritation, but this instinct is a major mistake. Consider exfoliating your key first step in acne prevention. You’ll want to avoid harsh skin care exfoliators that contain larger scrubbing elements—think sugars, salt, or other physical scrubbers—and opt instead for an acid-based exfoliator to help remove dead skin cells that are clogging pores and causing your breakouts in the first place. When first incorporating an acid-based exfoliator into your at-home acne treatment routine, choose a product that contains a lower concentration of acid and work your way up, depending on how your skin reacts, to avoid irritation. If you need some guidance in choosing the right product for you, a dermatologist or aesthetics treatment provider can point you in the right direction of an effective product and concentration for your skin.

Mistake #3: Using the Wrong Acne-Fighting Ingredient

While there are many active ingredients that fight acne, you may not know that they fight different types of acne. Using the wrong active ingredient for the type of acne you’re experiencing can either have no effect at all or it could make matters worse. For this reason, it’s best to first identify what type(s) of acne you’re looking to treat, then consider the best product for the job. For starters, benzoyl peroxide is primarily an antimicrobial, meaning it works by eliminating acne-causing bacteria and is best paired with papules and pustules that are linked to higher levels of bacteria. If you’re experiencing comedones (small blackheads or whiteheads), salicylic acid is more likely to do the trick. As an exfoliator, salicylic acid removes dead skin to prevent the further formation of comedones, which most often result from dead skin clogging pores.

Mistake #4: Skipping Out on Treatments Too Soon

We’re all eager to see instant results, particularly when it comes to treating acne. Unfortunately, even those products that claim overnight results are promoting unrealistic expectations. Some treatments may be able to reduce inflammation and redness in a shorter timeframe, but they can’t resolve acne that quickly. Acne treatments take time to do their magic. Switching it up too often will only cause further skin irritation, which restarts the acne cycle. Rather than quickly ditching a treatment that doesn’t afford instant results, use each acne product for at least six to eight weeks. This will allow its full effects to take hold and skin cell renewal to properly occur, allowing you to better judge if it’s the right product for you and your skin. If it’s not working within that six-to-eight-week period, then you may move on to a new acne treatment or add another product to your routine to amplify the effects. Further, once your acne clears up, skin care experts recommend keeping up the routine to prevent any future breakouts. Essentially, slow and steady is the name of the acne-fighting game.

Mistake #5: Abusing Your Acne-Fighting Actives

You might be tempted to frequently cleanse your skin to strip away all potential traces of bacteria and excess oils, but that’s a major error. Abusing your acne treatments by cleansing too much strips the skin of its natural oils and leads to dry, dehydrated skin that will only cause further breakouts. Further still, your skin may attempt to counteract dryness by producing even more oil. Instead of excessively cleansing skin with harsh cleansers or ingredients, keep natural oils in place by ensuring you’re still moisturizing your skin and don’t fall for the notion that a higher concentration of an active ingredient will lead to better, faster results. In fact, studies suggest that higher concentrations of the active ingredient benzoyl peroxide offer no additional effects on acne breakouts and may cause further skin irritation, meaning a lower concentration may be the better choice.

Mistake #6: Not Leaving the Skin Care Aisle

Sure, it might seem like common sense that the best acne-fighting solutions live in the skin care aisle at our local beauty or drugstores, but by only relying on topical products, you may be missing out on a potentially gentler, more effective option. To treat stubborn acne and end the breakout cycle, you may want to venture to a nearby aesthetics clinic and consider supercharging your acne-fighting skin care routine with customized Venus Versa™ acne reduction treatments. Utilizing Intense Pulsed Light (IPL) technology, these dual-light treatments effectively target and destroy acne-causing Propionibacterium acnes (P. acnes) bacteria while reducing acne-related redness and inflammation for faster healing and breakout prevention. Treatments are safe to use alongside an acne-fighting skin care routine, although it can depend on the specific products. It’s always best to consult with your treatment provider to ensure you’re using the most effective products and treatments for your skin.

Interested in learning more about Venus Versa™ acne reduction treatments and whether they’re the right solution for you? Locate a certified treatment provider near you using the search field below for a consultation and customized treatment plan.

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Venus Bliss™ is cleared by the FDA and licensed by Health Canada for non-invasive lipolysis of the abdomen and flanks in individuals with a Body Mass Index (BMI) of 30 or less, with the diode laser applicators. The (MP)² applicator is cleared by the FDA for temporary reduction in the appearance of cellulite, and licensed by Health Canada for temporary increase of skin tightening, temporary circumferential reduction, and temporary cellulite reduction. Venus Bliss™ has CE Mark as a non-invasive medical aesthetic device enabling a comprehensive approach leading to body contouring, addressing fat reduction, skin tightening, circumference reduction, and cellulite reduction.

Venus Versa™ is cleared by the FDA, licensed by Health Canada, and has CE Mark as a multi-application device intended to be used in aesthetic and cosmetic procedures. The SR515 and SR580 applicators are cleared by the FDA, licensed by Health Canada, and have CE Mark for the treatment of benign pigmented epidermal and cutaneous lesions and treatment of benign cutaneous vascular lesions. The HR650/HR650XL and HR690/HR690XL applicators are cleared by the FDA, licensed by Health Canada, and have CE Mark for the removal of unwanted hair and to effect stable long-term or permanent hair reduction for Fitzpatrick skin types I-IV. The AC Dual applicator is cleared by the FDA, licensed by Health Canada, and has CE Mark for the treatment of acne vulgaris. The DiamondPolar™ and OctiPolar™ applicators on the Venus Versa™ system are cleared by the FDA for non-invasive treatment of moderate to severe facial wrinkles and rhytides on females with Fitzpatrick skin types I-IV. The DiamondPolar™ applicator is licensed by Health Canada and has CE Mark for non-invasive treatment of moderate to severe facial wrinkles and rhytides on females with Fitzpatrick skin types I-IV. The OctiPolar™ applicator on the Venus Versa™ system is licensed by Health Canada and has CE Mark for temporary body contouring via skin tightening, circumferential reduction, and cellulite reduction. The NanoFractional RF™ (Viva) applicator is cleared by the FDA, licensed by Health Canada, and has CE Mark for dermatological procedures requiring ablation and resurfacing of the skin.

NeoGraft^® is cleared by the FDA, licensed by Health Canada and has CE Mark with indication for use in suction-assisted follicular extraction and re-implantation. It is an auto-graft system and can be used on both male and female patients.

ARTAS iX™ is cleared by the FDA, licensed by Health Canada and has CE Mark with indication for use for harvesting hair follicles from the scalp in men diagnosed with androgenic alopecia (male pattern hair loss) who have black or brown straight hair. ARTAS iX™ is intended to assist physicians in identifying and extracting hair follicular units from the scalp during hair transplantation; creating recipient sites; and implanting harvested hair follicles.

Venus Legacy™ is cleared by the FDA for the non-invasive treatment of moderate to severe facial wrinkles and rhytides in females with Fitzpatrick skin types I-IV with the OctiPolar™ and DiamondPolar™ applicators, and temporary reduction in the appearance of cellulite with the 4D Body (LB2) and 4D Face (LF2) applicators. It is licensed by Health Canada and has CE Mark for the temporary increase of skin tightening, temporary circumferential reduction, temporary cellulite reduction, and temporary wrinkle reduction.

Venus Velocity™ is cleared by the FDA, licensed by Health Canada and has CE Mark for hair removal, permanent hair reduction (defined as the long-term stable reduction in the number of hairs re-growing when measured at 6, 9 and 12 months after the completion of a treatment regimen), and the treatment of pseudofolliculitis barbae for all Fitzpatrick skin types.

Venus Fiore™ received regulatory approval in Israel for aesthetic and functional treatment of the vagina, labia and mons pubis. Venus Fiore™ is available for sale in India, Hong Kong, and other selected Asian countries.

Venus Viva™ is cleared by the FDA, licensed by Health Canada, and has CE Mark for dermatological procedures requiring ablation and resurfacing of the skin. The DiamondPolar™ applicator is cleared by the FDA, licensed by Health Canada and has CE Mark for the treatment of moderate to severe wrinkles and rhytides in Fitzpatrick skin types I-IV.

Venus Freeze Plus™ is cleared by the FDA for the non-invasive treatment of moderate to severe facial wrinkles and rhytides in females with Fitzpatrick skin types I-IV. It is licensed by Health Canada for temporary skin tightening, and temporary reduction in the appearance of cellulite on the abdomen and flanks, using the DiamondPolar™ and OctiPolar™ applicators. The DiamondPolar™ applicator on Venus Freeze Plus™ has CE Mark for the non-invasive treatment of moderate to severe facial wrinkles and rhytides, and the increase of skin tightening, temporary circumferential reduction, and cellulite reduction with the OctiPolar™ applicator.

Venus Heal™ is licensed by Health Canada and can be used for the treatment of both acute and chronic disorders of the musculoskeletal system, such as muscle spasms, back pain, and soft tissue injuries, and results in effects such as pain relief, myorelaxation, increase of local blood circulation, and edema reduction. In the U.S., Venus Heal™ is cleared by the FDA for the relief of minor muscle aches and pain, relief of muscle spasm, and temporary improvement of local blood circulation. These indications enable the treatment of certain soft tissue injuries and conditions.

Venus Glow™ is cleared by the FDA as a Class I motorized dermabrasion device. It provides a dermal rejuvenation treatment that works to open up and deep-clean pores. Venus Concept is the exclusive distributor for Venus Glow™.

Venus Epileve™ is licensed by Health Canada and has CE Mark for hair removal, permanent hair reduction (defined as the long-term stable reduction in the number of hairs re-growing when measured at 6, 9 and 12 months after the completion of a treatment regimen), and the treatment of pseudofolliculitis barbae for all Fitzpatrick skin types. Venus Epileve™ is also CE-Marked for hirsutism.

Venus Freeze™ is cleared by the FDA for the non-invasive treatment of moderate to severe facial wrinkles and rhytides in females with Fitzpatrick skin types I-IV. It is licensed by Health Canada for temporary skin tightening, and temporary reduction in the appearance of cellulite on the abdomen and flanks, using the DiamondPolar™ and OctiPolar™ applicators. The DiamondPolar™ applicator on Venus Freeze™ has CE Mark for the non-invasive treatment of moderate to severe facial wrinkles and rhytides, and the increase of skin tightening, temporary circumferential reduction, and cellulite reduction with the OctiPolar™ applicator.

Venus Swan™ is cleared by the FDA for the non-invasive treatment of moderate to severe facial wrinkles and rhytides, and licensed by Health Canada for the non-invasive treatment of cellulite reduction, skin tightening, and temporary reduction in the appearance of stretch marks.