If you have acne, you shouldn't wear makeup

Is ‘make up’ bad for pimples? We speak to several experts on this topic in our weekly section on beauty myths.

By now we know almost everything about grains. Chocolate doesn’t cause acne , toothpaste isn’t good for pimples , the sun doesn’t improve acne … And no, removing a pimple won’t cause any more (but, anyway, you shouldn’t do it for other reasons). But what about the ‘make up’? Are we really going to get more imperfections if we put on makeup? Or is it a myth? We talk to those who really know.

One of the doctor from the Instituto Medico Laser makes it very clear to us: “It is not true that the use of makeup is counterproductive if you have acne . In fact, many dermatologists recommend it. Makeup acts as a physical filter on the skin that prevents contamination and superinfection of cystic lesions and inflammatory acne lesions, as well as the occlusion of pores by polluting particles from the environment”. Of course, you will have to bet on suitable products.

Corrective makeup, an ally

“You can use makeup on skin with acne, in fact, we recommend it because it helps to camouflage the imperfections, typical of this disease, which for many people are a real self-esteem problem . Corrective makeup is an ally for skin with acne” , says Rocío Escalante, owner of Arbosana Farmacia and expert in dermopharmacy.

It is always necessary to verify that the products have been formulated for these skins, that is, that they are ‘oil free’ and non-comedogenic. “It is convenient that they also have mattifying active ingredients to help control the shine that may appear as the hours go by,” adds the expert.

” The ferrous oxide contained in makeup controls the hyperpigmentation of the red scars that acne patients often have on the cheeks and chin area, thus improving skin tone and avoiding dyschromia. However, it is important to select well the type of makeup: it must be a fluid, non-compact and oil-free product, containing mostly an aqueous solution and non-irritating pigments.It is also important to select a product with sun protection or use a sunscreen under it. with mattifying loose powders with or without protection can be a good option for very oily skin , which are usually the ones that suffer from this type of pathology”.

Do not forget to remove make-up from the skin

Remember that the basis of beautiful and healthy skin is cleanliness, which is why it always has to be the first step in the ritual. “It is essential to remove make-up and cleanse the skin correctly with specific mild formulas for acne-prone skin, which do not damage the skin barrier and which cleanse without attacking. I recommend double cleansing after makeup to ensure that no traces remain. If you use brushes or sponges to When applying the makeup base , it is important that they are always washed afterwards. Any tool we use must be clean to prevent the Propionibacterium acnes bacteria from reproducing”.

Be careful with the masks

Surely you have already heard of ‘maskne’ , the term used to describe acne lesions associated with the daily and prolonged use of the mask. Experts from the Spanish Academy of Dermatology and Venereology (AEDV) point out that this problem is much more frequent among those young people who already have this problem. “What we see in the clinic is an aggravation of an acne problem due to the increase in humidity linked to the water vapor that is generated by the exhalation of air for hours ,”. And it is that this excess humidity favors a very conducive environment for the germs that produce inflammation of the sebaceous glands and occlusion of the pores.

So that the ‘maskne’ does not go further, the AEDV experts advise avoiding excess makeup, since it generates more occlusion of the pores, washing the face with lukewarm water and using mild, non-soap and fragrance-free cleansers.