Whether your skin acne prone or not, an ‘On the Spot Blemish Treatment’ is a must-have in your skin care arsenal for unforeseen, troublesome blemish outbreaks. Spot treatments work by delivering highly concentrated antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory and antioxidant rich ingredients directly on the blemish to help reduce redness, clear blocked pores and encourage rapid healing.
But before you choose a product that actually delivers results, here are seven myths and facts about targeted blemish treatments that you should know:
1. Benzoyl Peroxide for Acne Treatments
Benzoyl Peroxide is often believed to be one of the most effective over the counter acne spot treatments. However, not only can it be very drying therefore not recommended for sensitive or extremely dry or broken skin, it also can cause thinning of the collagen net. NOT something you want! It also breaks down Retin-A, or tretinoin (learn why you shouldn’t use it), which is one of the key ingredients in many anti-aging creams – so never mix both treatments!
2. Spot Treatments Can Be Applied All Over the Face
Spot treatments should only be used on individual blemishes. These products are highly concentrated and are not meant to be applied all over the face.
Editor’s Pro Tip: For someone with frequent and severe acne outbreaks, we recommend a dedicated kapha skin care regimen for long-term effects and to to help heal the condition at source.
3. Frequent Applications
Spot Blemish Treatments should ideally be used 1-2X times a day directly on the blemish. Excessive use can cause dryness, irritation and redness.
4. Blemish Treatments Are Only For Oily Skin
While oily (or kapha) skin can be prone to congested pores (blackheads and whiteheads), pH imbalance and oil-build up which leads to acne; dry or sensitive skin can also experience overgrowth of microorganisms and breakouts due to poor skin care or hormonal shifts.
Treating blemishes on sensitive skin can be very challenging as the skin is easily reactive to chemicals. Mild ingredients like Salicylic acid (from White Willow Bark), Bentonite/Kaolin/French Clay, along with soothing botanicals and organic oils, works best for dry, sensitive and combination skin.
5. Skipping Your Regular Skin Care Regimen
On the Spot Blemish Treatment is an ‘emergency treatment’, which should never replace your everyday skin care regimen. A dedicated organic skin regimen is the surest path to balanced skin health, and keeps away blemishes and other skin woes.
If you are using our On the Spot Blemish Treatment, it’s highly advisable to use it along with your regular dosha-specific skin care regimen for faster results.
6. Using Moisturizer
Using heavy moisturizers and creams is often thought to be the reason behind sudden breakouts. The presence of ingredients with a high comedogenic rating in these OTC/drugstore/department store products can actually block pores, leading to acne.
But skipping moisturization isn’t the solution. Dehydrated skin leads to collagen break down, leading to accelerated aging, slower healing and poor skin health.
The solution? Organic products with ingredients like Shea Butter, Hyaluronic acid, Almond Oil, Apricot Kernel Oil, Borage Oil, Hempseed Oil, etc., which have a very comedogenic rating of 0-2. These natural oils and butters provide much needed moisturization and nourishment, without causing blocked pores.
7. ‘Clay’ – The Key Ingredient in Blemish Treatments
Being highly concentrated with minerals and natural silica, different types of pure clay such as Kaolin Clay, Bentonite Clay and French Clay can powerfully extract impurities, oil, dirt and debris from deep within the pores – making it a very effective ingredient in our On the Spot Blemish Treatment – Day (with Bentonite/Kaolin Clay) and On the Spot Blemish Treatment – Night with (French Clay).
Unlike chemicals and acids, clay (which has been used for centuries in skin care) is exceptionally gentle and helps purify and rebalancing skin without damage or irritation.
With the correct organic skin treatment, you can control and prevent recurrence of blemish outbreaks. To learn about the best cleansers, toners and treatments for preventing acne and blemishes, click here.
