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People who have dry skin usually don't have to worry about acne. But, not everyone with dry skin can stay acne free. When acne does appear the approach used to treat acne is quite different than that used to treat oily skin.

The reason being that when acne presents itself in people with dry skin, it is usually under the surface. This can lead to painful nodules and redness. Instead of picking at these lesions you should use a moisturizer.

Yes, you read right. Moisturizing is the key step to deal with acne if you have dry skin. Here's why:

Dry skin tends to have micro-cracks on the surface. These tiny, little breaks in the skin are a perfect entry point for bacteria, especially the kind that cause acne. However, moisturizing regularly will help your skin stay moist and prevent it from forming dry cracks.

Along with a good moisturizer, you can use different acne creams to help control breakouts. However, do not use products designed for oily skin. Keep in mind that acne treatments meant for oily skin are much too strong for people with dry skin.

Another great way of moisturizing your skin naturally is using an oil. Not just any oil will do, however. Use non-comedogenic oils, such as olive oil, and massage it into your skin.

Remove it with a warm, moist washcloth and apply your moisturizer as usual. This change can help balance out the natural oils in your skin. It is especially helpful for people with extremely dry skin.

Certain Treatments for Acne

A good cleansing routine can be a life saver for people with mild and moderate acne. However, severe acne may require medical intervention. By not administering proper care your acne condition can lead to extensive scarring and force you to submit to acne scar removal procedures.

Dry skin is too sensitive to withstand products that contain salicylic acid, retinol and sulfur. Instead of using products that contain these ingredients you should look for products that contain tea tree oil or vitamin B complex. AHAs can also be used even though they can also cause irritation.

If you decide to use tea tree oil you should use it once a week so that your skin can become accustomed to it. Or, if you prefer, you can dilute it with a couple of drops of water or by using a few drops of your moisturizer. Either way will help reduce its irritating power.

AHAs are excellent exfoliators and often used to help reduce the level of flaking that usually accompanies dry skin. You can either find a creamy moisturizer made with AHAs or mix them into your moisturizer.