How to Soothe Acne Redness
A big concern for those who get frequent blemishes is reducing redness from acne, also known as post-inflammatory erythema (PIE). Acne is an inflammatory disease of the skin, so reducing the look of inflammation can be a helpful way to make breakouts appear less noticeable. To top it off, irritation from using harsh products and acne prescriptions is all too common (and will actually make redness worse).
In this post, we share five of the best ingredients you can use to reduce the appearance of redness from acne and give your skin a clearer, calmer look.
How Does Acne Cause Redness?
Let’s by talking about how and why the skin gets red when acne is present.
Infection
Whenever you have an angry, red blemish, this indicates that there is an infection present. To combat this, your body initiates a healing response by sending white blood cells to the site. As these white blood cells flood the capillaries surrounding the blemish, the capillaries expand leading to visible redness and swelling.
Post-Inflammatory Erythema (PIE)
Depending on the type of blemish, the capillaries surrounding a blemish can become dilated to the point where they actually burst and bleed. This leaves behind vascular damage in the form of post-inflammatory erythema (PIE). PIE is the official term for those annoying red marks that can get left behind after your blemish finally dries up and is no longer active. This is more common in those with fair skin tones since their capillaries tend to be thinner and weaker, to begin with.
Irritation
As if infection and PIE weren’t enough, many ingredients used to treat acne can unfortunately also be quite harsh and drying. This causes skin irritation, which translates to redness. Irritation from harsh acne products can make acne appear worse and also makes the skin more susceptible to developing further blemishes. The best way to prevent this is to use an oil-free moisturizer to keep the skin hydrated and healthy without clogging pores.
Best Ingredients to Reduce Redness From Acne
Now that you know how acne causes redness in the skin, here are five ingredients to look for that will help reduce redness.
- Green Tea
What it does: A plant-based antioxidant known for its soothing, anti-inflammatory benefits to calm signs of redness. Green Tea is rich in catechins and proanthocyanidins, which are found to be effective against Reactive Oxygen Species, a damaging free radical. While there are other types of teas, such as white and red, green tea is best for reducing redness from acne.
- Manuka Honey
What it does: Manuka Honey has been found to be incredibly beneficial for a multitude of skin problems. We’re talking anti-aging in reducing fine lines, wrinkles and producing collagen for firmer, plumper skin. It can even treat acne, redness (rosacea), eczema, psoriasis, shingles and can heal acne/wound scarring! It’s so effective that it’s used in burn units to help heal and prevent infection in third degree burns. Now that’s an ingredient (natural to boot) that we can get behind.
- Red Marine Algae
What it does: In nature, all types of algae are constantly being exposed to extreme conditions. Over time, these plants have developed defense systems against the elements that can be beneficial when applied to human skin. Unlike plants on land, algae do not have roots. Instead, they absorb all essential minerals and trace elements directly from the seawater into their cells.
While there are over one hundred types of algae, the one that’s found to be incredibly effective for making the skin look less red from acne is red marine algae. This ingredient has long been considered to have “healing” capabilities for all types of stressed skin conditions due to the abundance of vitamins and minerals. When used regularly, it can also act as an immune system enhancer to help prevent visible breakouts from occurring in the first place. (An ingredient with the word “red” in it that helps the skin look less red, imagine that!)
- Salicylic Acid
What it does: It’s an exfoliating acid that helps soften and shed the horny outer layers of the skin. Salicylic acid is a beta-hydroxy acid (BHA) famous for its calming antibacterial properties that help prevent and clear blemishes. This ingredient is considered to be anti-inflammatory, so it’s beneficial for reducing the overall redness in the skin from acne.
Additionally, since salicylic acid is an exfoliant, it will break down scarred cells leftover from blemish marks. This will help PIH (post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation) to go away faster. Salicylic acid is also one of the most effective ingredients for the prevention of clogged pores, blackheads, and closed comedones (non-infected bumps under the skin.) Anytime you can prevent acne from appearing in the first place, you’ll have significantly less redness to deal with. If you want to reduce redness from acne, this ingredient is a must. Just be sure it’s used in gentle formulas so as not to dry out the skin.
- Cehami Flower Extract
What it does: This is a powerful soothing and anti-inflammatory ingredient native to Australia. Cehami flower extract also has the same effect as aspirin in relieving pain and itching from skin conditions like eczema and psoriasis. This powerful little plant packs a wallop and shouldn’t be ignored just because it’s not a common ingredient found in your favorite best-selling brand at Sephora.
Say Buh Bye to Acne Redness
While there are many other ingredients that do a great job to reduce redness from breakout scars and irritation, these are definitely a top five to remember. And if you want to try some of them, then Wild Naturals is your choice for skin care moving forward. Manuka honey is our star ingredient because of its wide benefits and versatility.
Of course, the goal is to prevent breakouts from occurring in the first place so you would never have to deal with the redness. Shop Wild Naturals skin care to soothe and prevent acne redness for clear, beautiful skin that you’re confident about!
