Reader question · Answered
By Ashley, skincarereceipt content team · Published
The question
Someone feels their face looks irritated and that the pores around the nose, chin, and mouth stay clogged despite washing. Their routine uses a black soap bar twice daily, with either a sunscreen-moisturizer or aloe gel afterward, and they previously used drying products on the face. They want to know how to calm their skin and improve the look of past acne marks.
The photo shows mild redness and small bumps, which could be irritation alongside clogged-looking pores, but a photo cannot tell for sure. The black soap and past drying products may be contributing, so start by simplifying rather than adding a calming treatment or more exfoliation. There is also a dark spot that should be checked in person if it is new or changing.
For now, stop the black soap and any scrubs, acids, or other drying products. A gentle, fragrance-free cleanser once at night is enough; in the morning, rinsing with water is fine if that feels comfortable. A simple routine with fewer active steps is well-supported for reactive skin.
The tiny dots around the nose can be normal pore contents, and small bumps may be clogged-looking pores. They are not dirt that needs to be scrubbed out. Once your skin feels comfortable with the basic routine, consider adding just one acne or texture treatment, such as salicylic acid, slowly; evidence for it on clogged-looking pores is limited. Avoid starting it while your skin feels irritated.
A photo cannot show whether a dark spot is a harmless mark or something that needs attention. Because this spot has an uneven-looking edge, arrange an in-person check, especially if it is new, changing, bleeding, or becoming irregular.
Please have the dark spot assessed in person, especially if it is new, changing in size, shape, or color, or bleeding.
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