| Use a mild soap to cleanse your skin. Mild soaps have a lower (non-alkaline) pH. Some soap products may be hard on the skin if they contain concentrated degreasing agents. For some patients, cleansers that have a grainy or gritty texture may actually irritate the blocked pores of acne and cause more inflammation.
If you have very oily skin, you may want to try a soap product marketed for acne, such as one containing salicyclic acid. But since these productsj may be drying and sometimes irritating, they may make your skin less able to tolerate prescription acne topical medications or even over the counter benzoyl peroxide. Therefore, if you skin feels irritated, taut or dry, stop the drying soap products. Remember to tell your health care provider what you are using to wash your face to be sure it doesn't interfere.
It is usually not necessary to wash your face more than twice a day unless you are exposed to a particulary dirty environment. When you wash, treat your skin gently. Pat your face with a small amount of the cleansing product and then splash off with water. Avoid harsh washcloths, loofah brushs, scrubbing cleansers or buffing products.
If your skin is sensitive, choose a 'soapless' cleanser. Some examples are Cetaphil and Aquanil. In fact, if your skin does not get particulary dirty, you may be able to wash with just plain lukewarm water.
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