Your Ultimate Guide to Treating *Every* Type of Acne on Your Body (2024)

Your Ultimate Guide to Treating *Every* Type of Acne on Your Body (1)

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Look, as much as I'd like to present you with The Best Acne Treatment of All Time™, there really is no one-size-fits-all-zits remedy when every human's skin sensitivity and acne type can be completely different. The ingredients that zap whiteheads on me won't do anything for your cystic zit, and the formulas that soothe ultra-inflamed bumps won't do much for that pus-filled pimple. Yep, just another reason why acne is the f*cking worst. That's why it's so important to make sure you're tailoring your acne treatments to your exact skin type. DW, though, that's where I come in—ahead, the most common types of breakouts, how to identify them, and, most importantly, how to treat 'em fast.

1

How to Treat Cystic Acne

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Alright, here's the shitty thing about treating cystic acne: Since cystic zits are rooted deep within the skin tissue, there's no magic cleanser, spot treatment, or serum that'll completely clear up your acne at home. They typically require time, patience, and a prescription-strength remedy from a dermatologist—so now might be the time to book that appointment you've been putting off for years (you can even see a derm virtually, if you can't get there in person).

But what you can do in the meantime is calm your cystic acne with a cocktail of benzoyl peroxide and 1 percent hydrocortisone cream, an anti-inflammatory combo that'll help flatten your zits faster. "The less inflammation you have now, the less hyperpigmentation and scarring you’ll have when the zit heals,” Mona Gohara, MD, associate clinical professor at Yale School of Medicine, tells Cosmo. Here's what you'll need:

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Best Spot Treatment for Cystic Acne

Neutrogena On-The-Spot Acne Spot Treatment with 2.5% Benzoyl Peroxide

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Now 37% Off

You're going to do this every single day for one week, so listen up: After applyingyour nighttime skincare routine (your usual combination of face wash,moisturizer, etc.), gently wipe off the products from your cystic zit witha dry cotton swab. You want the areato be clean and dry, since any lingering creams or oils will get in the way of your treatment.

Then, dab a thin layer (less is more, here) ofbenzoyl peroxide on your cyst—this drugstore formula from Neutrogena is a classic and effective option, and with 2.5 percent benzoyl peroxide, you won't have to worry about it drying you out.

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3

Best Hydrocortisone Cream for Cystic Acne

Aveeno Aveeno Maximum Strength 1% Hydrocortisone Anti-Itch Cream

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Once your benzoyl peroxide is dry, tap a little hydrocortisone (like this one from Aveeno)on top tohelp minimize redness or swelling. Remember: Don't expect your cystic zit to disappear overnight. Be patient and take it slow (that means no picking, y'all—cystic zits will never, ever fully come to a head, so all the squeezing in the world won't pop it. It will, however, leave you with insane scars).

4

How to Treat Whiteheads

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Fun fact: Whiteheads—those classic zits with visible white caps—are formed when oil and dead skin cells get trapped in your pores. And as cute as that all sounds, the great thing about whiteheads is that they're relatively easy to treat. “The most common ingredient used to treat whiteheads is salicylic acid, a beta hydroxy acid—BHA—that works to open up your pores,” Joshua Zeichner, MD, the director of cosmetic and clinical research in dermatology at Mount Sinai Hospital, has told Cosmo.

The not-so-great thing about salicylic acid? It takes a bit to work. “You’ll likely see results in 4-6 weeks,” Rachel Nazarian, MD, of Schweiger Dermatology Group in NYC, tells Cosmo, "after which you should continue to use it for long-term effects." With that in mind, these are the products you should start with:

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Not only is this cult-favorite acne treatment from Kate Somerville loaded with salicylic acid(2 percent, to be exact, which is about the strongest OTC salicylic acid you can get),but it’s also got retinol (to help even out any red, bumpy patches on your skin) and sodium hyaluronate (to supply your skin with tons of moisture). Plan on easing this bb into your routine—for three weeks,use it every three nights on clean, dry skin as the first step of your skincare routine, then switch to every other night indefinitely—to avoid any drying or irritatingside effects.

6

Best Acne Face Wash for Whiteheads

HoliFrog Tashmoo Water Lily Nourishing Milky Wash

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Even though it might be tempting to add as much salicylic acid to your skincare routine as possible, drying out your skin will only result in more breakouts (really). Other than the aforementioned serum, you'll want to keep the rest of your treatment plan super gentleand hydrating—and that includes your cleanser.

Mostacne face washesare filled with stripping sulfates that can make your acneworse, butthis milky cleanseruses amino acids and vitamin-rich extracts to clean and hydrate your face without aggravating your zits.

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7

How to Treat Blackheads

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Blackheads are caused by oil, dead skin cells, and bacteria getting lodged in your pores and creating a waxy plug. But, according to Zoe Draelos, MD, a dermatologist in Durham, North Carolina, unlike with whiteheads, where the plug gets stuck, blackheads are the result of that plug getting pushed toward the skin’s surface, coming into contact with air, and then oxidizing and turning black.

Chemical exfoliation is key to treating blackheads at home—so put down the gritty face scrub (they're way too abrasive and can actually create micro tears in your skin, leading to more breakouts) and use one of these formulas with salicylic acid, instead:

8

Best Exfoliator for Blackheads

The Inkey List Beta Hydroxy Acid (BHA) Blemish + Blackhead Serum

This blackhead serum from The Inkey List combines exfoliating salicylic acid with zinc and hyaluronic acid togently unclog pores, zap excess oil, and hydrate skin. Aswith all actives, you'll need to slowlyintroduce it into your routine (once every three nights is a safe place to start)after cleansing and before moisturizing.

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9

Best Blackhead Remover for Nose

Boscia Pore Purifying Black Charcoal Strips

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Even though those peel-off blackhead masks are super satisfying, they're basically a shortcut toirritation, redness, dryness, aaaaandan increase in breakouts, since the act of rippinganything off your skin is incredibly damaging. That doesn't mean all blackhead removers are off the table, though, as long as you're using a gentle formula that doesn't take off a layer of your skin with it.

These Boscia strips, for example, use a combination of charcoal and silica powder to absorb oil, along withwitch hazelto soothe inflammation on your nose. Just make sure you're super careful taking it off—and follow the directions to a damn T.

10

Best Blackhead Remover Mask

Ren Clarimatte Invisible Pores Detox Mask

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Looking for a blackhead mask you can apply all over? Oil-absorbing white clay and amino acids work as a blackhead magnet in this gentle formula from Ren. Just smooth a thin layer over clean skin, let it dry for 10 minutes, and rinse it off with warm water. Don't forget to follow with a hydrating serum and/or moisturizer to keep your skin nice and soft (fact: The drier your skin, the more it overproduces oil to compensate, which means more blackheads for you).

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11

How to Treat Inflamed Pimples (aka Papules)

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You know those small and mighty red zits that never come to a head? The kinda painful, super-inflamed ones? Yeah, they're a type of inflammatory acne called papules, and they're formed when bacteria, oil, and dead skin cells push deep into your skin, resulting in that pain and inflammation. The easiest—and fastest—way to treat them is with benzoyl peroxide, an antibacterial ingredient that soothes inflammation and fights acne-causing bacteria.

These are the products you should have in your acne-fighting team:

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Best Serum for Inflamed Zits

Paula's Choice Clear Regular Strength Daily Skin Clearing Treatment

This treatment from Paula's Choice combines benzoyl peroxide with soothing ingredients (like allantoin and bisabolol) to help minimize and prevent painful red zits over time. Smooth a thin layer over your breakouts area every other night, slowly building up to nightly use after a month.

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13

Bet Drugstore Acne Treatment

Differin Adapalene Gel 0.1% Acne Treatment

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PSA: Retinoids are one of the best ingredients you can be using on acne-prone skin.According toMelissa Kanchanapoomi Levin, MD, a New York City-baseddermatologist and founder ofEntière Dermatology, retinoids speed up and regulate yourskin cell turnover, helping to prevent clogged pores and smooth out yourskin texture over time.

Adapalene—like Differin—is one of Dr. Levin's go-tos, since "it'sgenerally more tolerable and gentle compared to other retinoids." And to make things even easier, you can snag it OTC, no prescription necessary. Just make sure to start slowly (sensing a theme, here?). Smooth a pea-size dab over clean, dry skin two nights a week for two weeks, then three nights a week for three weeks, then every other night, always following with moisturizer.

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How to Treat Pus-Filled Zits (aka Pustules)

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They might look like whiteheads, but pustules (red, pus-filled zits) are another form of inflammatory acne. Like their cousin papules, you'll want to treat them with bacteria-fighting ingredients like benzoyl peroxide (we meet again), salicylic acid, sulfur, or zinc.

BTW: Picking or popping a pustule is basically the worst thing you can do—you actually end up introducing more bacteria into the wound, which means your zit will hang around thaaaat much longer, and potentially get much worse.

Instead, slap on one of these pimple patches or spot treatments as soon as you notice your zit forming:

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15

Best Acne Treatment Patches

ZitSticka Killa Microdart Patches

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Alright, these acne patches are effing genius. Each sticker is covered with 24 dissolvable micro-darts that are filled with hydrating hyaluronic acid, redness-reducing niacinamide, and exfoliating salicylic acid. Press one on before you go to bed and let the ingredients get to work while you sleep.

16

Best Spot Treatment for Acne

Night Time Spot Lotion

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Anti-bacterial and oil-absorbingsulfur and zinc are combined with camphor (a drying agent) in this gentle-yet-effective spot treatment. After washing your face and applying your moisturizer, use a Q-tip to dot a thin layer over your zit. Just make sure it's totally dry before you get in bed (you don't want your pillowcase to wipe off the formula).

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17

How to Treat Acne on Sensitive Skin

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Here's the thing: The majority of acne treatments aren't gentle enough to use on sensitive skin types. Even though that benzoyl peroxide serum or maximum-strength salicylic acid could destroy your zits in theory, the irritation and redness they'll leave behind can actually cause even more zits in the end. The solution? Gentle alternatives (like lactic acid or tea tree oil) in low (I'm talking, super low) doses.

Right this way for your best options:

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Best Acne Serum for Sensitive Skin

The Ordinary Lactic Acid 10% + HA

Meet lactic acid:an alpha hydroxy acid (AHA) that increases cell turnover, unclogs pores, and brightens dull, uneven skin. Because lactic acid is a mild exfoliator, it's a great treatment for sensitive, acne-prone skin types. Pat a thin layer on clean skin every three days (anything more can cause irritation) and follow with moisturizer.

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Best Acne Treatment for Sensitive and Oily Skin

La Roche-Posay Effaclar Clarifying Solution Acne Toner

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Reminder:Acne treatments taketime, so don't give up on a product or test a new one until you've used it forat least four weeks.If, after a month,lactic acid isn't giving you the results you want,I give you permission to swap it out for a low-dose salicylic acid. This toner from La Roche-Posay with .5 percent salicylic acid is a great starting pointfor easily irritated skin types.

20

How to Treat Body Acne

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If those red bumps on your chest, back, shoulders, and/or butt aren't responding to your usual acne treatments, there's a good chance you're dealing with something called fungal acne (which, BTW, is especially common in people who wear moisture-trapping athletic clothes like leggings and sports bras).

"Everyone has some level of yeast in their skin’s microbiome, but when you give that yeast a sweaty, damp, or oily environment, you create the ideal place for fungal acne to grow," says Dhaval Bhanusali, MD, dermatologist at Hudson Dermatology & Laser Surgery.

Fungal acne tends to look pretty uniform: a bunch of tiny, red, inflamed bumps, and doesn't usually respond to classic acne wipes or body washes. Instead, try one of these:

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Ruby Buddemeyer

Ruby was the beauty editor at Cosmopolitan, where she covered beauty across print and digital. Her work has appeared on The Zoe Report, Fashionista, and StyleCaster. Follow her on Instagram.

Your Ultimate Guide to Treating *Every* Type of Acne on Your Body (2024)
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