- What is blemish prone skin?
- How to Prevent Blemishes on the Skin
- Treating Blemished Skin with La Roche-Posay
- Living Life With Blemish-Prone Skin
What is blemish prone skin?
Blemish-prone skin is susceptible to breakouts, including spots, blackheads, and acne. It often results from excess oil production, clogged pores, hormonal changes, or external factors. Proper care and treatment can help manage and reduce blemishes, promoting healthier, clearer skin.
There are a few different types of blemishes on the skin, often with different key causes. Below we explain more about some of the most common and how you can identify them.
Acne
Acne is a more serious inflammatory skin concern that often requires help and advice from a doctor or dermatologist. Described by the NHS as a ‘a common skin condition that affects most people at some point’1, it occurs when the skin creates too much sebum and mixes with dead skin cells and blocks the follicle. The result? Spots, oily skin and sometimes skin that's hot or painful to touch.
Another reason that you may be more prone to blemishes is genetics. Perhaps your parents or grandparents had acne in their teenage years, leaving you more prone to developing it too. Speaking to them about their own skin concerns in earlier life may help you to understand yours a little better.
Finally, a change in hormones – such as in puberty or during pregnancy – can also be a common trigger for acne. This is because changes such as puberty lead the body to produce new hormones such as testosterone, which cause the skin glands to produce more sebum. While this can’t be completely controlled, understanding the cause may help you to manage it with sebum-controlling skincare.
When it comes to your lifestyle, maintaining a healthy diet is always beneficial and you may find it helpful to keep a food diary to track if any particular foods trigger an outbreak. For instance, some research shows that foods such as dairy or those with a high sugar content can cause inflammation in the body and affect the hormones.2 For some, this may cause changes in the skin.
Spots and pimples
Everyone gets the odd pimple or spot here and there, or you may find that there’s a specific area of your face or body that develops breakouts in the same place – such as around your chin or forehead. Often this is an area where your skin becomes more congested and where you may benefit from targeted skincare to decongest the pores.
Dark spots
Dark spots on the skin are often caused by injury to the skin such as an acne breakout or a spot. They can last for a while after the breakout itself has healed and can be very frustrating, particularly if you have suffered with severe acne.
Melasma
Melasma is a skin condition that’s caused by an overproduction of melanin (a natural substance responsible for giving our skin its colour). This leaves darker patches of colour on the skin and often occurs during pregnancy when the body goes through big hormonal changes. Some forms of contraception are also believed to cause melasma.
How to Prevent Blemishes on the Skin
Whatever the cause of your blemishes, maintaining a good skincare routine suited to your personal needs can help to prevent and manage it. Talk to a dermatologist or skincare expert about the best products and skincare ingredients for your concerns ensuring you use a cleanser, targeted serum, moisturiser and sunscreen in the daytime. Products containing exfoliating and resurfacing ingredients such as glycolic acid, salicylic acid and retinol can also be introduced to your routine to ensure skin-cell renewal and sebum management.
Treating Blemished Skin with La Roche-Posay
Not sure where to start in creating your everyday skincare routine? La Roche-Posay has a range of products specifically designed for blemish-prone skin. In our breakdown below, we explain which ingredients and products are suited to your specific needs.
Concern: Oiliness with excess shine on T-zone and visible pores
Treatment: Foaming cleansers such as La Roche-Posay Purifying Cleansing Gel can help to reduce excess sebum production across the T-zone while protecting the skin barrier.
Follow this with a targeted serum such as La Roche-Posay Effaclar and a moisturiser suitable for oily skin to ensure healthy barrier function (when oily skin becomes too dry it produces even more oil to compensate). is suitable for oily and blemish-prone skin and proven to reduce the visibility of spots, blackheads and shine by gently exfoliating the skin.
Concern: Mild blemishes and clogged pores
Treatment: If you have bumps beneath your skin and clogged pores, a purifying cleanser can help to target the cause: a build-up of dead skin cells, dirt and oil.
La Roche-Posay Purifying Cleansing Gel lifts dirt, grime and sebum away from the skin while leaving the skin feeling fresh and not tight or dry. You can also target congestion with a gel moisturiser such as Effaclar Duo+M that uses salicylic acid to unclog congested pores while hydrating the skin for 24 hours. It also helps to address post-acne marks and prevents future breakouts from occurring.
Don’t forget to end your daytime routine with an oil-free broad-spectrum sunscreen such as Anthelios UV Mune 400 Oil Control Invisible Fluid.
Concern: Moderate blemishes and post-acne marks
Treatment: If you have lots of small bumps beneath or on the surface of your skin that feel uncomfortable, or you’re prone to mild acne, you’ll need a skincare routine that unclogs the pores with ingredients like salicylic acid and glycolic acid.
Begin your routine with a thorough cleanse using La Roche-Posay Purifying Cleansing Gel and follow with an oil-free moisturiser such as Effaclar Duo+M. In the daytime, don’t forget to always end your routine with an oil-free broad-spectrum sunscreen to protect your skin from UV damage.
In the evening after cleansing, apply a targeted product like La Roche-Posay Effaclar Serum. This ultra-concentrated serum uses glycolic acid, salicylic acid and LHA to stimulate skin cell renewal and unclog the pores.
End your routine with an oil-free moisturiser to keep the skin hydrated and the skin barrier strong.
Concern: Adult blemishes and signs of ageing
Treatment: Don't have time for a complicated skincare routine to target multiple concerns? Effaclar A.Z. Gel Cream delivers daily double efficacy, targeting both blemishes and first signs of ageing in one lightweight, hydrating formula.
Powered by a dermatological recommended acids trio: 10% azelaic acid, salicylic acid, and hyaluronic acid, this hydrating moisturiser gently exfoliates to reduce the appearance of adult forehead, jawline, and chin blemishes, as well as post-acne marks, while addressing fine lines & early wrinkles.
See visibly clearer, more glowy skin in 7 days*. Specifically formulated for adult, blemish-prone skin. Also suitable for sensitive skin and those who may be prone to acne.
*Clinical study, self-assessment, 81 subjects, application twice a day.Concern: Stubborn blemishes and skin that feels dry from prescription
Treatment: If you are currently using prescription treatments to manage your acne, your focus should be on hydrating the skin and maintaining a healthy skin barrier.
Prescription-strength treatments often dry out the skin and leave it feeling fragile so begin with a gentle cleanse using a product such as La Roche-Posay Isobiome Cream Cleanser. A gentle cleansing option for oily and blemish-prone skin, its ultra-soothing formula is enriched with orellana extract shea butter and niacinamide. These ingredients compensate for skin discomfort and dryness caused by over-drying, anti-blemish treatments.
Follow this with Effaclar H Isobiome Soothing Moisturiser to boost hydration and strengthen the skin barrier. We also advise speaking to your doctor or dermatologist to ensure the complementary products you use alongside prescription treatments are suitable.
Living Life With Blemish-Prone Skin
Dealing with blemished skin can be challenging, but with the right knowledge and tools, it's possible to manage and even prevent skin imperfections. Remember that maintaining a healthy skin barrier is integral to managing blemishes, and while adding extra moisture to an oily complexion with a moisturiser and sunscreen may seem counterintuitive, it’s essential to its overall function and health.
So, what are you waiting for? Start creating your daily skincare regime today and take control of your skin’s health.
If you're struggling with blemished skin, consider trying out some of La Roche-Posay's targeted skincare products. From cleansers to spot treatments, the range of products can improve the appearance of your skin and boost your confidence.
[1] https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/acne/[2] https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/does-diet-really-matter-when-it-comes-to-adult-acne-2020081920726
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