Forget Masks and Scrubs: To Stop Pimples, You Need to Go Deeper

To scrub or not to scrub… these days, scrubs, pore strips, and especially clay masks are all the rage. It’s tempting to believe that these products can wear down or suck out the clogs in our pores.

However, as fun as these products are, these measures alone are usually ineffective at clearing pores or reducing acne because they do not address the underlying mechanisms which clog pores and trigger acne.

Let's examine this item by item:

  • Clay masks can be effective to soak up sebum on oily skin. However, it does little in slowing down sebum production nor does it reduce dead skin that is being produced inside the pore. Masks momentarily soak up oil and condition the surface of your skin but you’ll need to get deeper to clear out pores and stop breakouts.
  • Scrubs are effective at removing dead skin outside of your pore. However, it does little to remove the dead skin inside your pore (see below illustrations), which is usually what causes clogs and pimples in the first place. Use scrubs to slough away the dull/sallow layer of dead cells on the surface of your skin but if you have active breakouts, scrubs may worsen acne because the abrasive particles can irritate and further inflame acne lesions. Wait until pimples have subsided before reaching for the scrub jar.
  • Pore strips use adhesive materials in an attempt to pull out plugs from their heads. On the off chance, these strips may be effective at grabbing an exposed plug. However, most plugs exist under the surface where strips cannot reach. Furthermore, strips do not address the underlying issue which cause plugs to form (see below).

The heavy-hitter: When it comes to hitting the root causes of clogged pores and acne, you'll need a formulation that is gentle enough to be left on your skin all night. This allows the formulation to penetrate deep into your pores delivering the ingredients that flush out dead skin and removing the material that creates plugs.

Clear Out delivers medical-grade ingredients deep into your pores to flush out clogs and thereby stopping acne from occuring:

 

Let’s dive deeper and understand how acne forms. Every pore is lined with skin that (over time) will die and shed off.

Normally, these dead skin cells would be carried away by sebum, aka our natural facial oil.

However once sebum is mixed with dead skin cells, it creates a sticky substance which could form a plug in our pores if it is not quickly flushed out. Our Clear Out was designed to keep the dead skin out of the pore thereby reducing the material that forms plugs:

If dead skin inside the pore is not cleared out, it mixes with sebum to create a sticky plug underneath the surface of the skin. These microcomedones are not visible to the naked eye:

P. acnes bacteria, which feeds off sebum, begins to flourish in the buildup. The bacteria create a biofilm within the hair follicle and produces several pro-inflammatory chemical signals that trip the immune system to send blood to the tissues surrounding the pore:

As the immune system kicks in full gear, inflammation around the pore accelerates, leading to the dreaded red spot appearing on your face. Enzymes produced by P. acnes may eventually break the comedonal wall. If the rupture penetrates into the deeper dermis layer, local tissue destruction and scar formation become an issue:


We are often asked how one should handle acne when the red spots have already appeared.

At that point, the inflammation chain reaction has already set in motion and little can be done to alter its course. Reducing the inflammation may help, but the comedone trapped inside still needs to be worked out.

The key is to prevent the cycle from starting.

Clearly’s dermatologists created Clear Out as it uses three different active ingredients to hit acne from different angles. As we stop new breakouts from forming, use Lighten Up to reduce the appearance of red post-acne marks and hyperpigmentation.

More on this in our next posts!

 


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See what others have to say about Clearly Basics.

Based on 25 reviews
88%
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Skin Type: Normal
Comments: Any ideas on how to get rid of brown skin damage
Skin defence

Marks of sun damage are still there they haven't faded much after using twice a day for 60 days. . I will continue until product is finished. I'm a bit disappointed

Skin Type: Combination

I am so happy that I stumbled upon clearly basics on instagram. I was skeptical at first but decided to give it a try and bought clear out clarifying lotion. It's been 2 months and my skin has improved a lot. I can see significant reduction in pores and acne.

Skin Type: Combination
Amazing

After years of medication and products, I decided to try clearly basics. In just 6 weeks my skin has calmed and I am now able to treat scarring.

So glad to have found these products!

Finding products that helped to control my acne without irritating my sensitive skin has always been a huge challenge. The clearly basics products have been my saviour, I can't recommend them enough ☺️

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️Excellent and actually works

I am so incredibly impressed with the TLC for pore minimising - it 💯 works and has transformed my skin.

I’m in my 50’s and always had hormonal flare ups with larger pores as I age - this is a game changer and have just reordered my 3rd bottle !

❤️❤️❤️❤️

Skin Type: Combination
The Best!!

So good been buying for a couple years. Just a shame they no longer ship to UK and I have to look for another product

not bad but I thought the formula has changed since what it was previously (i had it maybe 2 years ago) and I found it less effective now

Skin Type: Combination
This is the stuff.

So, long time sufferer of acne. Started when I was 12 and I'm 28 now still battling it. I've tried all kinds of different things to try and get it under control and besides birth control, nothing has helped long term. I never want to take birth control ever again and I just happened upon this brand and decided well, why not try? To my amazement, it has helped more than anything else I've tried, I'd say it has improved my skin to the level it was at when I took BC. Of course I still get pimples every now and then, and tiny flare ups during PMS but my skin is nowhere near as bad as it used to be. I highly recommend this company. To those who are considering trying this out, be aware that during the first week or so your skin will go through a purge and your acne will appear to get worse at first. Stick with it! Once that phase is over is when your skin will begin improving. I do need to use it every night for it to be fully effective, but even when I do forget, the pimples don't get too out of control. I just can't say enough good things about this product. It has helped my confidence improve immensely and I definitely recommend trying it to those who have skin as finicky as mine.

Skin Type: Sensitive / Dry
The only moisturiser I trust

I am super sensitive and this is the only moisturiser that I trust honestly incredible.

Skin Type: Combination
Amazing!

I use this product and with the clear out and it has really helped my hormonal acne.

This skin care routine is the o lay one that has helped clear up my daughters skin.

My daughters skin is really starting to look better!

Skin Type: Oily
So far so good

Bought this for my daughter that has struggled with acne for years. She has seen improvement and less frequent breakouts.

Best moisturizer I have found!

V
Lighten Up Redness Rescue Cream
Veronica Ilenya Ranieri
Skin Type: Sensitive / Dry
Perfect

Has changed my skin from acne pro to almost perfect 😍😍

Skin Type: Combination
Obsessed !!

Obsessed with this cleanser!! It left me feeling fresh and prevented break outs. It is incredible . Loved this product so much

My skin feels so soft after using this moisturiser!

My skin feels so soft after using this moisturiser!

Skin Type: Combination
Fresh and clean!

My face is filled with energy and feels so fresh and clean!

Skin Type: Normal
excellent item!

have been using this for years! so good for my skin :)

C
So Fresh pH Balancing Cleanser
Carmelinda Di Manno
Skin Type: Combination
Fresh Feeling

My skin feels so clean and still hydrated when I use this cleanser. It’s balancing and refreshing. My skin has responded really well to it and at times my skin can be sensitive. I highly recommend this product to anyone with relatively oily t-zone area

Skin Type: Combination
Very happy!

Love the texture, the minty scent and the lather.
I wish the bottles were a bit bigger HOWEVER they are just small enough to fly with.

Skin Type: Normal
Comments: The only thing I now need to use to keep my skin clear.
The holy grail for clearing hormonal acne.

This is the only product that I have needed to keep my skin clear since discovering it about 2 years ago, after suddenly developing cystic hormonal acne at the age of 25. I now only need to use it every second night, so it's incredibly affordable. It has also never irritated my sensitive skin and it has faded previous acne marks to truly clear my skin. After years of trying expensive supplements/products/harsh prescription creams, Clear Out was the only thing that gave me long-lasting results.

Skin Type: Oily
Clearly Basics is the only product that has helped my Adult Acne

I have always struggled with dehydrated acne prone skin. Every month like clockwork I would get a new breakout on my chin or cheek area. These included large cystic acne that by the time they came to a head would take me months to clear. With new breakouts each month this created more & more spots before the first could heal leaving more hyper pigmentation spots that never have time to clear. Clearly basics changed all that for me. It gave my skin a chance to heal and reduced the number of breakouts each month. When I do get a new breakout it resolves itself quickly with less scarring and redness. Now that the acne is under control the products are helping to eliminate the remaining hyper pigmentation spots left from years of acne. I have not been using the product for long but I will continuing relying on this product and look forward to the day I can happily look in the mirror at a smooth clear & even complexion some day soon.

Skin Type: Combination
Comments: Product consistency in terms of smoothness/coarseness/stickiness/ is sometimes a miss, don't believe it affects the result provided.
Great Combo

Have seen great improvements by using these 2 items concurrently, hard to fault and wil continue purchasing.

Individual results may vary

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