How Often You Should Wash Your Face if You Have Acne

Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsTwice-Daily WashingCauses of AcneWashing Too OftenLimits of CleansingFrequently Asked Questions

Table of ContentsView All

View All

Table of Contents

Twice-Daily Washing

Causes of Acne

Washing Too Often

Limits of Cleansing

Frequently Asked Questions

There is such a thing as getting your skin “too clean,” though. If you wonder how many times a day you should wash your face, the magic number is generally agreed to be two.

This article explains why and offers a few ways to protect your skin while keeping it clean. It also covers other strategies you can try to keep your acne under control.

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If you wash your face in the morning and at night, it will be enough to clean away makeup, dirt, and the extra oil on your skin that can contribute to breakouts.

What you use to cleanse your face also matters.The skin on your face is delicate, so you don’t want to use harsh soaps.Antibacterial hand soapand bar soaps are unsuitable for your skin if you have acne. It would help if you never usedrubbing alcoholon your face either.

Stronger isn’t always better. Instead, choose a cleanser that leaves your skin feeling clean but not overly dry or stripped.

How to Create the Best Skin Care Routine for Acne

If you’re prone to breaking out, it’s important to know that it doesn’t mean you aren’t taking proper care of your skin.

Hormonesplay a role in whether you develop acne, too.

Washing Too Often Can Worsen Acne

Washing your face too much can be just as bad (or even worse) than not doing it at all.Scrubbinghard is to be avoided too. You can easily strip away all of the good oils your skin needs to stay healthy, leaving you with dry, red, flaky, and irritated skin.

You can also break down the acid mantle. This is a protective layer on the skin made up of sweat, oil, and good bacteria. Healthy skin needs a strong, healthy acid mantle.

One exception to this? A third cleansing in a dayisrecommended if you get particularly sweaty or dirty.

Cleansing Alone Isn’t Enough for Acne

Good skin care means removing dirt, excess oil, and makeup. It can help to keep yourporesfrom being plugged up. Still, water and a simple soap or face wash aren’t enough to clear up acne.

Think of your twice-daily cleansing as a first step in treating your acne. Step two should be the routine use of an acne treatment product.

Formild breakouts, you might try over-the-counter acne products first.The most effective products containsalicylic acid, benzoyl peroxide, or adapalene.

Try to use them regularly for a few weeks to see if that helps clear things up. Facial scrubs also may help. Some of the available product brands, and their various formulas, include:

Harsh scrubs won’t clear your skin faster, but they can irritate it and make breakouts worse. Remember that all acne medications that go on your skin, whether over-the-counter or prescription, work best when applied to freshly washed and thoroughly dried skin.

More severe or inflamed bouts with acne usually don’t get better with a store-bought acne product.Instead, you’ll need a prescription acne medication from your healthcare provider. These treatments include Differin (adapalene),Retin-A (tretinoin), and Tazorac (tazarotene).

Cleansing your face more than twice daily can irritate and degrade your skin’s natural protective layer. Wash your face as advised, then follow up with an OTC or prescription acne treatment.

8 Best Over the Counter Acne Medications, According to a Pharmacist

Summary

Twice a day is enough for most people unless you get sweaty or dirty. Be sure to choose a product that won’t irritate your skin. When you wash, avoid scrubbing too hard. This can remove healthy oils, dry your skin, and make matters worse.

Cleansing should be part of an overall acne treatment program that also involves either an OTC or prescription medication.

Frequently Asked QuestionsMost people should wash in the morning beforeapplying sunscreen, makeup, or moisturizer, and at night before bed to ensure freshly washed skin. You also should wash your face after you’ve been sweating heavily.That’s true for people with and without acne alike.Learn MoreHow to Choose a Moisturizer for Acne-Prone SkinWhether you have acne or not, bacteria builds up on your skin during the night, no matter how well you cleansed it the night before.Washing your face in the morning removes it.

Most people should wash in the morning beforeapplying sunscreen, makeup, or moisturizer, and at night before bed to ensure freshly washed skin. You also should wash your face after you’ve been sweating heavily.That’s true for people with and without acne alike.Learn MoreHow to Choose a Moisturizer for Acne-Prone Skin

Most people should wash in the morning beforeapplying sunscreen, makeup, or moisturizer, and at night before bed to ensure freshly washed skin. You also should wash your face after you’ve been sweating heavily.That’s true for people with and without acne alike.

Learn MoreHow to Choose a Moisturizer for Acne-Prone Skin

Whether you have acne or not, bacteria builds up on your skin during the night, no matter how well you cleansed it the night before.Washing your face in the morning removes it.

8 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.TeensHealth from Nemours.Tips for taking care of your skin.Del rosso JQ.The role of skin care as an integral component in the management of acne vulgaris: part 1: the importance of cleanser and moisturizer ingredients, design, and product selection.J Clin Aesthet Dermatol. 2013;6(12):19-27.MedlinePlus.Acne.Ghosh S, Chaudhuri S, Jain VK, Aggarwal K.Profiling and hormonal therapy for acne in women.Indian J Dermatol. 2014;59(2):107-15.  doi:10.4103/0019-5154.127667Prakash C, Bhargava P, Tiwari S, Majumdar B, Bhargava RK.Skin surface pH in acne vulgaris: Insights from an observational study and review of the literature.J Clin Aesthet Dermatol. 2017;10(7):33-39.American Academy of Dermatology Association.How to treat different types of acne.American Academy of Dermatology Association.Adult acne treatment dermatologists recommend.American Academy of Dermatology.Face washing 101.Additional ReadingNational Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases.Overview of acne.

8 Sources

Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.TeensHealth from Nemours.Tips for taking care of your skin.Del rosso JQ.The role of skin care as an integral component in the management of acne vulgaris: part 1: the importance of cleanser and moisturizer ingredients, design, and product selection.J Clin Aesthet Dermatol. 2013;6(12):19-27.MedlinePlus.Acne.Ghosh S, Chaudhuri S, Jain VK, Aggarwal K.Profiling and hormonal therapy for acne in women.Indian J Dermatol. 2014;59(2):107-15.  doi:10.4103/0019-5154.127667Prakash C, Bhargava P, Tiwari S, Majumdar B, Bhargava RK.Skin surface pH in acne vulgaris: Insights from an observational study and review of the literature.J Clin Aesthet Dermatol. 2017;10(7):33-39.American Academy of Dermatology Association.How to treat different types of acne.American Academy of Dermatology Association.Adult acne treatment dermatologists recommend.American Academy of Dermatology.Face washing 101.Additional ReadingNational Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases.Overview of acne.

Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.

TeensHealth from Nemours.Tips for taking care of your skin.Del rosso JQ.The role of skin care as an integral component in the management of acne vulgaris: part 1: the importance of cleanser and moisturizer ingredients, design, and product selection.J Clin Aesthet Dermatol. 2013;6(12):19-27.MedlinePlus.Acne.Ghosh S, Chaudhuri S, Jain VK, Aggarwal K.Profiling and hormonal therapy for acne in women.Indian J Dermatol. 2014;59(2):107-15.  doi:10.4103/0019-5154.127667Prakash C, Bhargava P, Tiwari S, Majumdar B, Bhargava RK.Skin surface pH in acne vulgaris: Insights from an observational study and review of the literature.J Clin Aesthet Dermatol. 2017;10(7):33-39.American Academy of Dermatology Association.How to treat different types of acne.American Academy of Dermatology Association.Adult acne treatment dermatologists recommend.American Academy of Dermatology.Face washing 101.

TeensHealth from Nemours.Tips for taking care of your skin.

Del rosso JQ.The role of skin care as an integral component in the management of acne vulgaris: part 1: the importance of cleanser and moisturizer ingredients, design, and product selection.J Clin Aesthet Dermatol. 2013;6(12):19-27.

MedlinePlus.Acne.

Ghosh S, Chaudhuri S, Jain VK, Aggarwal K.Profiling and hormonal therapy for acne in women.Indian J Dermatol. 2014;59(2):107-15.  doi:10.4103/0019-5154.127667

Prakash C, Bhargava P, Tiwari S, Majumdar B, Bhargava RK.Skin surface pH in acne vulgaris: Insights from an observational study and review of the literature.J Clin Aesthet Dermatol. 2017;10(7):33-39.

American Academy of Dermatology Association.How to treat different types of acne.

American Academy of Dermatology Association.Adult acne treatment dermatologists recommend.

American Academy of Dermatology.Face washing 101.

National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases.Overview of acne.

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