Can a new skincare product cause acne?

How long after starting skincare can acne appear?

There is no useful fixed day count for identifying the cause. acne can also be linked to hormone changes, certain medicines, or products that make skin greasy. If you are using an acne treatment, give the same treatment six to eight weeks to see improvement. That is a window for judging treatment response, not a countdown for when a new product will cause spots.13

How do I know if a product is clogging my pores?

Look for comedones, the small bumps that form when pores or hair follicles clog with oil and dead skin. Closed comedones look like small skin colored bumps; open comedones are blackheads. They often appear on the forehead and chin, but can also show up on the nose, cheeks, or back. Open comedones turn dark when their contents meet air, which is a theatrical entrance for a pore plug.4

Check whether the product is oily or greasy, since those types of personal care products can contribute to clogged pores. For acne prone skin, choose products labelled oil free or noncomedogenic, which are intended not to clog pores. Oil free is the useful label here; the decorative promises are supporting cast.45

What should I do if a product causes acne?

1. 1If your skin becomes irritated, stop using the product or use it less often. Irritation can trigger more breakouts.
2. 2Keep cleansing gentle. Wash with a gentle cleanser twice a day and after sweating, remove makeup at the end of the day, and do not scrub or pick spots.
3. 3If you are using an acne treatment, keep using the same treatment long enough to judge it. Improvement can take six to eight weeks, so scrubbing harder is not the express lane.
4. 4Choose oil free or noncomedogenic products, and apply moisturizer after cleansing, including if your skin is oily.

When should I get medical advice?

See a GP if self care is not helping, you have many spots, breakouts are deep or painful, spots are leaving scars, or acne is affecting your mental health. Hot, swollen, red skin can be a sign of infection and is another reason to get medical help.1