home remedy

hot or cold water acne wash face

Hot or Cold Water for Acne: Which is Better?

Have you ever thought about which temperature of water is best when washing your face? Is it hot or cold water for acne? Here is what AC Skin Health dermatologist, Dr. Amy Chua has to say.

Let us look at the pros and cons of using the different temperatures in washing our face.

Hot water

Using warmer temperature of water may make you feel like you are enjoying a hot bath or sauna. This may be relaxing and destressing. However, when you read the next paragraph, it may not be so relaxing for you anymore.

Washing our face (or body for that matter) with hot water strips off protective oil from our skin. Our skin may perceive this as being dry, hence it responds with overproduction of oil. In general, more oil relates to more acne and uh-oh, that is bad news. Hot water, especially temperature over 40C may affect the integrity of the skin barrier and make you more prone to irritation, infection, and acne. Another effect of hot water on our skin is making you more prone to wrinkles! It seems then that washing your face (or taking a bath) with hot water, may bring your skin more harm than good.

Cold water

Have you tried melting an ice cube on your pustules and papules? If you haven’t, you may try getting an ice cube and sliding it over your inflammatory pimples a few times. You might notice that applying ice can lessen pain, redness, and swelling of inflamed acne.

We don’t know however if using cold water may produce the same results. Most likely not. Water from the faucet is usually not that cold. More so, your skin will be exposed to cold water for only a short period of time. How many seconds or minutes does it take you to wet and rinse off your facial cleanser? While using cold water may not be harmful, it will most likely have minimal benefits on our skin.

Our verdict

It is recommend to wash your face with lukewarm water – not too hot, not too cold, just right! Most products are also designed to be used with lukewarm water. But if you prefer to use cold water, feel free to do so too!

Here are more of AC Skin Tips for healthy and safe washing of face:

  • Use lukewarm to cold water.
  • Perform gentle washing of face using hands.
  • Avoid scrubbing cloths, loofah or scrubbing and exfoliating tools.
  • Use a gentle cleanser, or a soap/wash prescribed by your dermatologist for your specific skin needs.
  • Limit washing to 2x a day. Washing too often may dry your skin and result in overproduction of oil and we don’t want to suffer from more acne!

Hope you learned something today!

Keep safe and stay healthy! Cheers to healthy skin!

For inquiries and to set your appointment, CONTACT us here.

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mosquito, insect, hand

Insect Bites: How to Treat

Insect bites can be quite bothersome for some people. This article discusses how to treat your insect bites to make the itch go away and avoid complications.

Mosquitoes, ants, bed bugs, mites, and fleas are the common causes of insect bites we encounter in the clinic. Others that may cause bites and stings include flies, bees, wasps, spiders and ticks.

Usually insect bites present as erythematous or red, slightly swollen papules that fade in a few minutes. They may cause slight discomfort or none at all.

In some patients who are sensitive to insect bites, their reaction tends to be more severe. Patients experience more severe erythema or redness, swelling, itching. It may even be painful. The symptoms may last for days to weeks. Symptoms may even worsen especially when patients scratch the bites.

what can we do? how do we treat insect bites?

To avoid insect bites, you may use insect repellants and wear protective clothing. Use of mosquito nets is a simple and cheap yet effective way in keeping nasty mosquitoes out especially when you sleep at night. At home, keep house clean. Necessary measures may be done to control ant, mosquito and other bug infestation. If your pet is the source of flea bites, have your pet treated too.

As a home remedy, a cold pack may be applied to relieve the itch. Soothing creams such as Suu Balm, Calamine, and others also help control the itch. Over-the-counter medications such as anti-histamine tablets and Hydrocortisone cream may also be tried.

If symptoms persist or worsen, you may consult a board-certified dermatologist for prescription medicines. This usually includes a more potent steroid cream, anti-histamines and oral steroids if needed. You may also be prescribed antibiotics if the bites become infected.

dark spots / PIH

Once the insect bite heals, you may notice a dark spot over the involved skin. This is called post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation or PIH. This usually fades over time. It may take weeks or months or even years depending on the severity of the bite reaction and your skin healing. Sun exposure may also play a role in the development of PIH.

In the clinic, our dermatologists will prescribe you with an appropriate lightening cream to help address your PIH. Soap, lotion, or oral medication, etc may also be recommended depending on your skin condition and goals. Chemical peel or SmartLase fractional CO2 laser may also be suggested depending on the scars.

Book your appointment now with AC SKIN HEALTH’s board-certified dermatologists.

Cheers to healthy skin!

For inquiries and to set your appointment, CONTACT us here.

Stay tuned for updates and promos, follow and like us on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter

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