Face Washing and Acne - How to Wash Your Face Right

Dear Skin Care Expert,

I have always been told that the better I wash my face, the fewer problems I’ll have with acne, but it doesn’t seem to be working for me. It seems like the more I scrub, the more problems I actually have. What am I doing wrong here? 

-  Washing in Washington DC

Dear Washing,

Okay, it’s time for a lesson on how to properly wash your face when you have acne. Yes, washing your face and keeping it clean is extremely important; however, it sounds like your washing method is causing you more problems than doing any good. It is important that you don’t actually scrub your face. Actually, washing your face too frequently or really scrubbing your skin can actually dry out your skin and irritate the acne problem you have.

So, how do you wash your face for the best results? Well, being gentle is the key. When you wash your face you need to use a very mild cleanser that won’t irritate your skin and you should never scrub at the skin. Never wash your face more than two times a day and once you are done washing your face, you should use a clean towel to gently pat it dry. Following up with an acne friendly moisturizer is a great idea as well. So, stop scrubbing that face and start being gentle and you should see an improvement.