Dry, flakey, Skin with Redness and Clogged Pores

Yep, acne prone skin that's also dry, that's a notoriously tricky combo. So what skincare type things should you be using in your boat? That may be part of the problem, actually, and a possible cause of your acne and dry skin. People who use harsh soaps instead of gentle facial cleansers may simultaneously break out and develop dry skin for one, and some say that things like the Clarisonic brush do the same thing. You're overstimulating your skin in that case. So my first bit of advice would be to re-examine your skincare routine and to change it up. Less may be more in your case. Just a benzol peroxide, which is proven against acne, and then a nice moisturizer, that will do. Do NOT use like normal bars of soap to cleanse your face and don't go throwing 100 different anti-acne products at your face, 'cause it can get angry, LOL.

Winter weather, which we are hopefully done with no, is one of the most common causes of dry and flaky skin. Mind you, if it has been an ongoing problem for you, you may want to look for the answer elsewhere - do you have hot showers with lots of steam? That can be the culprit. Do you use harsh soaps, perhaps in the hope of unclogging your pores? Same story. Even things like rubbing your skin too vigorously while cleansing it or rubbing rather than patting your skin dry with a towel can cause these problems, especially the redness.

I'd treat the clogged pores and the dry skin as two separate problems. First get your skin hydrated properly, then seek pore-friendly products. Start with a very gentle cleanser and review your habits.

You may want to consider these things for your clogged pores:

- Retinol. This is really wonderful and fights acne as well as boosting your collagen levels and fighting damage left over from pimples.
- Salicylic acid. Again, very good for acne.
- Birth control pills, if you are slightly older but not yet menopausal. These raise your estrogen levels and do a lot to clear your skin up.
- Benzoyl peroxide to fight the bacteria that are responsible for causing acne.

Hope that is of some help!

When you are acne-prone but also have severely dry skin, it is important to stick to gentle products that don't strip your skin of the natural moisture it has while fighting acne. You may like to look into skincare products made by Mario Badescu. They have a seaweed cleansing soap, special cucumber lotion, and a healing and soothing mask that I think would appeal to you based on the description of your skin. If you do want an aggressive treatment for your acne, make it a spot treatment that you apply only to the problematic areas, to leave the rest of your skin alone.

I had terribly dry skin, and here's what I did to solve it.

1. I started using ceramides. This is something I believe you should look into. They lock moisture into your skin really, really well and give your skin a plumper and younger look to boot.
2. I started looking at ingredient lists. I was using this toner I loved, that I thought was doing my skin a lot of good. It smelled of chamomile and made my skin feel soft and prepped. However, it had alcohol. I realized that it was only doing my skin harm in the long run so it had to go. I also stopped using antibacterial products, which once again also contain alcohol and other drying ingredients.
3. I cut down to washing my face once a day. Seriously. All that washing just dries your skin out.
4. I got a humidifier and I believe it makes a difference during the colder months.
5. I started applying moisturizer to damp skin rather than dry skin. It felt weird at first but I believe it makes a difference.

My skin is still SLIGHTLY dry, but it is such a difference from before that I can definitely recommend these steps to you!!!

Have you looked into flour masks? I started doing them recently. My skin is mildly flaking just on the cheeks and between the eyebrows, but it always looks bad with foundation and I had enough of that, also, I have a large collection of blackheads on my nose. I read about rice flour masks and decided to try. The rice flour is mildly exfoliating if you massage it in, but not unpleasant, and the skin feels nice and soft, with some of the flakes gone later. I have the feeling it did a good bit to unclog my pores also. I'm still open to other ideas as well though so I will be reading here!

These are all useful tips, and I would second them without reservation normally, but... extremely dry skin and acne are two separate problems and whatever you put on your skin, both these conditions need to be taken into account!!! Because it is hard to decide which condition you want to prioritize and to even know which products are any good for the dry and acne prone skin, I would go to the doctor and ask for advice under these circumstances. A dermatologist would be best of course, but a family doctor should be able to point you in the right direction as well.

I get dry skin so much, and I hate it. I do use some stuff that help it a lot.  So, I use honey so much. I just rub it on the dry areas, and it helps a lot. Milk is okay against dry skin too. I just started using yogurt, it helps a bit. Love using coconut oil. Blend up some avocado put the avocado on the dry ares. That really moisturizers your skin. I also use oatmeal, thats good too. I use almond oil sometimes too. That aloe is amazing for that dry skin. 

Good luck with the dry skin!

My skin is very dry and some wrinkles are also there even if I'm only 20! I sweat very little. What can I do?

I'm looking for a natural remedy for the dry & red facial patches with flaky skin. Any recommendations?