Help!!!

[koko1029]

Hi guys, I’ve been struggling with lots of closed comedones, acne, and oiliness around my forehead and chin, but the skin around my cheeks and nose have been super dry. I feel like whatever products I use clogs my pores or makes my skin super dry. Any recommendations are appreciated!!!

[AmandaWestt]

Hey! That sounds super frustrating — dealing with oily zones and dryness at the same time can be tricky. You might want to try gentle, non-comedogenic products that balance hydration without clogging pores. Look for lightweight moisturizers with ingredients like hyaluronic acid for dry areas, and salicylic acid or niacinamide to help with clogged pores and oiliness.Also, if you’re open to trying supplements that support skin health from the inside out, you could check out some options here: Get Mounjaro Online. They offer products designed to boost metabolism and overall wellness, which can sometimes help improve skin condition too

[WinglessOne]

Hi @koko1029 ! What do you currently use on your face (brands + product names), from cleanser to sunscreen? I don’t wanna recommend something without knowing that info, in case my suggestions worsen your dry areas. 

[koko1029]

@WinglessOne I currently use the cerave gentle gel cleanser, cerave salicylic acid cleanser(only once a week, if I use more often it dries my skin), adapeline gel at night, Aestura moisturizer (only once dry patches in the morning and all over at night), and laroche posay anthelios spf

[WinglessOne]

@koko1029  Ah, you’re an adapalene user. That’s a good acne fighter, though dry patches are a common side effect. If you use it every night: have you tried using it every other night instead? It’ll still work, just not as quickly as it will when used nightly. If you’re using prescription strength adapalene (prescribed by a dermatologist or other doctor), talk with your doc before easing up on use frequency if you wanna try doing that. 

Something else that might help with dryness is The Ordinary 100% Organic Cold-Pressed Rose Hip Seed Oil 1 oz/ 30 mL: patch-test a tiny amount for a couple weeks on a small area of your jaw or neck, to see if your skin will tolerate it. If that goes well: squeeze just 1 or 2 drops into your hand, then rub your palms together and apply a bit of that oil just to your dry areas. You can apply it before or after your moisturizer. Oils in general can make flaky dry patches feel smoother, and rosehip oil’s quite moisturizing—though I don’t recommend using it instead of a cream moisturizer. 

I don’t know which Aestura moisturizer you use (they make several), but I think most of them contain squalane: a very good moisturizer that’s usually great for dry skin, but can sometimes feel heavy/greasy on oily skin. I have mostly-dry combo skin that has a love-hate relationship with squalane. 😅 For me, it’s great in the winter (I live in Chicago) but can swamp my oily nose area in hot weather. I’m not saying you should avoid squalane. You might wanna try a different moisturizer for a few weeks though, especially if the one you’re using’s not doing enough for your dry patches. A good basic moisturizer is Vanicream Moisturizing Cream, or the lighter weight Vanicream Moisturizing Lotion: both contain petrolatum, the most occlusive (water loss preventing) skincare ingredient on the market that, contrary to popular myth, isn’t pore-clogging. Whenever my reactive skin throws a tantrum (usually a bad reaction to something), I switch from my usual moisturizer (CeraVe Moisturizing Lotion) to Vanicream’s lotion until my skin calms the heck down. 

And if I haven’t already rambled enough, one more note: adapalene takes time and consistency to do its job. If you’ve been using it only for 1-3 weeks so far, give it more time—6-8 weeks at least—to show any closed comedones results. When in doubt, consult a dermatologist or your primary care doctor.