The last thing you want is a face wash that causes pimples, if your face wash gives you pimples here’s why:
Face washes can give you pimples if you use one that hasn’t been designed for your skin. If you have oily skin and use a face wash that contains comedogenic ingredients you can develop pimples. If you use a drying face wash on your dry skin the skin will produce excess sebum which will clog your pores.
Wait, isn’t face wash supposed to clear pimples and help get rid of acne? Yes, it is, so if you start developing pimples after you start using a new face wash there is good reason to be surprised.
We’ve been told by our mothers, beauty magazines and dermatologists that face wash will help get rid of acne, pimples, blemishes and other impurities on your face. This is true, this is what face washes are supposed to do. Unfortunately, all facewashes are not made the same and different skin types will react differently to different skincare products.
Table of Contents
Does face wash remove pimples?
Yes and no, not all formulations are made equal. Even if you use the face wash religiously and as instructed, if it isn’t the face wash for you then your acne won’t clear up. Using the wrong one can even result in your acne getting worse.
If you’re using a face wash it needs to contain ingredients that will benefit your skin. The right face wash will help your skin by cleaning out your pores and helping you clear off excess oil and dead skin cells. These three, if not dealt with, will clog your pores and cause acne. You need to deal with them on a regular basis.
It is recommended that you use a face wash every day but this differs from person to person. Not everyone uses face wash every day and some people don’t use face wash at all, they simply use water (read more here) and their skin actually looks amazing.
Can face wash cause pimples?
Yes, in some ways face washes can make your skin worse and give you pimples, face wash can give you pimples because of:
Sulphates:
If your face wash contains sulphates (the ingredient that gives face wash its lather) then you might want to stop using it if you find that your face breaks out after use. This is because sulphates are harsh chemicals that can damage your skin barrier.
Your skin barrier is made up of oils and proteins which keep your skin protected from the environment and its impurities. If stripped your skin will be exposed and will get acne easier.
Drying the skin:
Your oil glands produce sebum. Sebum is needed by your skin to stay moisturised. When your face becomes dry the skin is triggered to produce this sebum.
Unfortunately, the skin can sometimes overproduce sebum. This excess sebum mixes in with your dead skin cells and acne-causing bacteria and this results in pimples.
If your face wash is drying your skin out and striping the oils from your face then your skin will produce more oil. This will result in more acne. Keeping your skin moisturized will ensure that your skin does not feel the need to produce more oil in an effort to stay moisturized.
Other reasons:
- Your facewash’s formula may contain comedogenic ingredients that clog your pores and result in pimples and acne.
- The formula may contain an ingredient that is too harsh for your skin causing a break out reaction.
- Alternatively, this acne can be your skin purging.
Acne or purging?
Purging:
Pimples may appear on your skin if your skin starts purging. This is the stage where pimples develop as you use a new product. The acne that develops when your skin purges will disappear as you keep using the product.
These pimples show themselves in areas where you usually get pimples. As soon as the pimples clear up your skin will look better than before. The occurrence and healing of pimples will happen over a month. This purging can happen with any acne medication, read how to manage it by clicking here.
Breakouts:
Breakouts happen if you start using the product and you develop pimples. These pimples will not clear up, even after months of using the product the skin will not be used to it.
If the pimples that occur after using a product are worse than your normal acne and are at different locations to your normal acne then this is a sign that your skin is irritated and you need to stop using the product. If this reaction goes over a month then it’s a break out not purging.
Why do I get pimples even when I wash my face?
To clear up acne you need to do more than just wash your face, it’s a full routine and lifestyle. There are other factors that affect if you’ll develop acne, even if you’re washing your face. This article goes more into detail about it.
You can figure out the reason behind your acne based on where your acne is. Finding out the reason behind these pimples based on the location is called face mapping. You can figure out what activities are the reason for your pimples here.
Which face wash is best for acne and pimples?
That depends on your skin type. Different skin types have different needs. This face wash works for oily/combination skin and this works for dry /normal skin. Note: all face washes need to be moisturizing to keep your skin healthy.
Do not pick face washes that are drying to the skin, especially if you already have dry skin, this can make the problem worse. If you have oily skin ensure that your face wash is moisturising, this will prevent the overproduction of oil
Is face wash good for acne?
Yes, face wash is good for acne, it helps get rid of acne. Acne develops when sebum (your skins natural skin oil) mixes with the dead skin cells on your face and acne-causing bacteria and clogs your pores.
Our skin creates sebum naturally. We develop more sebum in our teen years as our hormone levels increase, but sebum is still created (sometimes in excess) in our adult years.
The outside world is filled with pollutants such as dirt, debris and bacteria floating around in the air. All these external pollutants get attached to the sebum on your skin and also clog the pores thus causing acne.
Face washes get rid of excess oil, makeup, dirt, debris and any other external pollutants that may get stuck to your face. Water can’t cut through all this dirt to clean your face well enough. There are a few key ingredients present in face wash formulations that are major players in cleaning your face.
These ingredients include benzoyl peroxide, salicylic acid, and glycolic acid. These key ingredients help get rid of pore-clogging elements on your face they also remove excess sebum from your skin helping to clear up your acne.
How can I clean my face from acne?
This is how to clean your face to get rid of acne:
- Start off with clean washed hands. External pollutants can get onto your face throughout the day, the same thing can happen to your hands. Make sure you wash your hands before they touch your face.
- Wet your face with some warm water. The water will mix in with your cleanser or face wash and help it work better.
- Apply your cleanser or face wash. Massage the product into your skin for 60 seconds. This will give the product enough time to actually penetrate and work on your skin.
- After the 60 seconds use warm water to rinse the product off of your skin making sure there is no product residue left on your face.
- Pat your skin dry with a clean washcloth
- Use a toner, this will prepare your skin for the next products you use.
- Use a retinol treatment (this one works well), retinol is very beneficial in helping to clear your acne as well as other skin conditions
- Use a good thick moisturiser (this one works well), retinol can dry out your skin so you need something to bring the moisture back
Clearing your skin of acne includes not only practising a good skincare routine. It also involves making sure you’re eating the right foods, getting enough sleep and keeping your stress levels low.
Can soap cause pimples?
Yes, soaps can cause pimples. Not only can soap be drying on your skin but it can also make you break out because it is so drying. When the skin becomes dried out it is triggered to produce more sebum in an effort to moisturise itself. The skin can produce an excess amount of sebum.
This excess sebum can mix in with your dead skin cells and the acne-causing bacteria on your face and cause pimples. If you really want to use soap you should use a soap that will nourish your skin and won’t dry it out. This facial soap cleans without drying out the face.
What soap is best for pimples?
If you’re still keen on using soap on your skin make sure that it’s a soap that will clean but won’t dry your face out. A good soap for your pimples and acne skin, in general, is the Cetaphil Deep Cleansing Face & Body Bar. It cleans off external impurities from your face without being harsh or irritating to the skin.
It also helps to remove your excess sebum but will not dry your skin out. The soap can be used on a daily basis. It is non-comedogenic meaning it won’t clog your pores no matter what your skin type is. As a bonus, it can be used on the body as well as your face. If you have any body acne this will help you get rid of all that
You can also choose to make your own soap. Here is some information on oatmeal and honey soap. Here is some information on coconut oil soap.
How often should I wash my face?
There is no hard and fast rule to often you should wash your face. The answer to that question has to do with your skin type, the climate you live in and your activity levels. That being said you shouldn’t wash your face too often because that can lead to over washing (read more here) which has a whole host of negative side effects on your skin
If you have dry or normal skin you can get away with washing your face once a day because your face doesn’t produce too much sebum. On the other hand, if you have oily or combination skin then you can wash your face 1-2 times a day, 2 times a day if your face is very oily.
If you live in a hotter climate and you sweat a lot you may want to wash your face twice a day. If you work out often, then you should clean your face after you’re done working out. Gently wipe your face off with rose water. Tip: Occasionally, you may want to wash your face once a day or even every other day to allow your skin to rest and be in its natural state.
How long do pimples last?
It depends on how large your pimples are. If you have small pimples that aren’t red and inflamed then you can expect them to last for about a few days. If you have pimples that are larger, inflamed and painful then those can take a few weeks to go away.
Tip: You can make a pimple go away quickly by using tea tree oil as a spot treatment. Find out more about using tea tree oil as a spot treatment here.
Is Colgate good for face? Does toothpaste help acne?
No, Colgate and any other types of toothpaste do not help acne, it can make it worse. Using toothpaste on your skin to cure acne is a bad idea.
Toothpaste contains chemicals that can irritate your skin. These chemicals are good for your teeth but should not be used on your skin. Also, toothpaste has quite a high pH and using it in the wrong location will also irritate the skin.
The reasoning behind people using toothpaste as a DIY acne treatment is that it will dry your pimples out. There is some truth to the fact that it will dry your acne but the result will not be what you’re looking for.
Toothpaste is drying but is too drying for your skin. Having extremely dry skin may even cause you to develop more acne than before.
Does drinking water reduce pimples?
Sort of, drinking water can play a part in helping to manage your skins oil levels and prevent pimples but it won’t reduce them. It manages the oil levels on your skin by helping to keep your skin hydrated.
When your skin is dry it is triggered to produce more oil to moisturise itself. If your skin is well hydrated you won’t have to worry about the skin becoming dried out so it won’t be triggered to produce excess oil. The water will ensure that your skin stays hydrated, soft and smooth.
That being said, you can’t rely on water alone to keep your skin moisturised. You also need to make sure you’re using a good moisturiser and other products that moisturise the skin. This is a good moisturiser.
What happens when you pop a pimple and blood comes out?
If you’ve ever popped a pimple you’ve probably seen blood come out after the puss and clear liquid is drained. You may have wondered what happens when you pop a pimple and blood comes out. Bloodshed happens when you squeeze the pimple too hard and without knowing it you cause a blood vessel underneath the pimple to burst. The blood enters the pimple site and comes out after the puss and clear liquid.
I hope you enjoyed this article going deeper into the question of “can face washes cause pimples”. If you found it helpful please share it.
