10 Best Face Washes for Acne in the Philippines 2022 | Buying Guide Reviewed by Dermatologist

There are different types of acne depending on the history of the patient. Numerous conditions may mimic acne vulgaris; proper assessment is highly suggested before applying over-the-counter products. 

Once assessed and the final diagnosis of acne vulgaris is given, your condition will be further classified according to severity: mild, moderate, and severe, depending on the number of comedones, papules, pustules, and/or cysts.

At around age 8 to 9 years old, secondary sexual characteristics appear. This results in increasing dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEAS) levels, which is converted to more potent androgens, causing the sebaceous gland to expand and produce more sebum. Based on studies, sebum secretion peaks during this time and declines after the age of 20.

Contrary to popular belief that scrubs unroofs closed comedones (whiteheads), its use is highly discouraged as friction would further damage the integrity of the stratum corneum. Facial scrubs or any other type of scrubs are not recommended if you have a sensitive skin type, as you may have the risk of developing contact dermatitis.

One of the key pathogenesis in acne is the increase in sebum production. This event plays an important role in the development of acne regardless of gender. Greater sebum production in men may be attributed to the fact that they have increased androgen levels, to begin with. As compared with women, sebum excretion in men decreases with age.

 
The appearance of acneiform lesions after the intake of supplements containing steroids is called steroid-induced acne and is treated in a different manner. The common culprit for treatment failure in men is non-compliance because some are less experienced in using topical products. To avoid this, I usually limit medications to once-a-day applications until my patients get used to it.

There are 2 types of post-pubertal acne: Persistent acne, which is a continuation or relapse of acne vulgaris from adolescent years into adulthood and middle age. On the other hand, late-onset acne involved patients ages 25 years and older who were not affected by acne vulgaris.

In a retrospective review by Skroza et al., the group concluded that persistent type is more common than the late-onset form. Data on the relationship between acne and smoking still remains to be controversial. However, it has been proven by a number of studies that nicotine can cause an increase in oxidative stress and reduce the level of alpha-tocopherol in the plasma. 

The science of skincare ingredients is constantly evolving, and to avoid misinformation, we encourage consumers to read materials from credible sources. A lot of ingredients such as parabens, sulfates, propylene glycol are being villainized by a number of movements. These claims must be backed-up with sufficient evidence to avoid instilling fear in consumers. 

Allergic reactions to cosmeceuticals are increasingly observed since a lot of people try to experiment with what they buy online. One way to determine if a patient is allergic to a certain ingredient is by doing patch testing. Still, one of the more practical ways in testing new products on your face is by placing just a small amount on your face and observing for any signs of redness, itching, burning, swelling within 24 to 72 hours.

• For normal/combination skin: Use a synthetic detergent liquid in lotion, cream, oil, or gel formulation to dry excess oil on the T-zone area and to hydrate the other areas.
• For oily skin: Use a foam cleanser with surfactants to remove the excess oil. 
• For dry skin: Oil, cream, or milk cleansers are preferred as they coat the skin with fatty acids on the skin thereby repairing the skin barrier. 
• For acne-prone skin: Look for a gentle cleanser with benzoyl peroxide and salicylic acid.

There are different types of cleansers: soap, synthetic detergents, and combination bars (modern soap with synthetic detergents). 

• Modern soaps or superfatted soaps are composed of a mixture of tallow and nut oil or fatty acids derived from these products (e.g., those containing stearic acid, triglycerides, lanolin, paraffin, or mineral oil). Due to the alkaline pH of soaps, swelling of the stratum corneum occurs, allowing deeper penetration of soap in the skin, which may possibly cause irritation or itching. 
• Synthetic Detergents (Syndets), on the other hand, are composed of anionic surfactants such as sodium lauryl sulfate, sodium laurate, and sodium cocoyl isethionate have neutral or slightly acidic pH that is less irritating to the skin function. They consist of protein-bound micelle-like surfactant aggregates that provide moisturizing benefit to maintain hydration of the skin.

Foam has garnered much attention as a delivery system for topical active ingredients in dermatology. Compared with other delivery systems that leave a sticky or oily film after application, foam delivery does not. 

The vehicle base of foam contains the same properties as typical vehicles like creams, lotions, or gels, but in contrast with other vehicles, foams are less dense and have fast-drying effects. Although there is no clinical evidence that foams are superior to other vehicles (creams, lotions, or gels), they are highly preferred by some consumers due to their easy spreadability.

It is up to the consumer to determine what type of cleansing they desire when using this type. In contrast with scrubs that may cause abrasions on your face, powders mixed with water just glides smoothly. If you desire deeper cleansing, less water should be added so that the product is more concentrated. 

Most of the time, the powders are made up of pulverized minerals or plant-based powders. Since these are plant-based powders and in the concentrated form, there’s a risk for developing contact dermatitis, similar to other vehicles. If redness, stinging, itching occurs, consult your board-certified dermatologist.

Most of the time, we get questions like, "How often should I cleanse in a day?" or "What type of cleanser should I use?" from our patients. Cleansing is an essential part of skincare, which is defined as removing excess dirt, oil, sweat, bacteria, and make-up from the skin. 

Cleansing also promotes natural exfoliation by removing dead surface cells allowing better penetration of topically applied medications. It is essential to remove all the soap or synthetic detergents in the skin after cleansing. These products should not remain on the skin for a prolonged period of time as contact dermatitis cases might occur.

What moisturizer may work would depend on your skin type. Dry skin would benefit more from cream types of moisturizer, and oily skin would benefit more from gel types of moisturizer. A moisturizer is a must, regardless of your skin type. In fact, there are three classes of moisturizers: occlusives, humectants, and emollients. 

• Ingredients such as petrolatum, mineral oil, cocoa butter, and shea butter are all occlusive agents. Their main function is to decrease transepidermal water loss by forming an impermeable barrier on the skin surface. Occlusives tend to feel heavy and to be greasy on application.
• Glycerin, hyaluronic acid, and urea are more notable examples of humectants. They draw water from the atmosphere and promote water absorption from the dermis to the epidermis.
• Ceramides & Squalene/Squalane are examples of emollients. They fill the spaces between the desquamating corneocytes hydrating the skin and making it appear smoother.