Managing Itchy Acne: Symptoms, Causes, And Treatment - Healthline

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Managing Itchy Acne

Medically reviewed by Cynthia Cobb, DNP, APRN, WHNP-BC, FAANP — Written by Alex Snyder — Updated on September 26, 2018

Causes
Avoid Itching
Treatment
Takeaway

Scratching may bring immediate relief for itchy acne, it can make symptoms worse. You can find many at-home and over-the-counter treatments to manage itchy symptoms, but it’s important to speak with your doctor or dermatologist about the best approach.

Acne is a skin condition that affects nearly everybody at one point or another. Most teens experience acne during puberty, and many people continue to struggle with acne throughout adulthood. It’s a common condition caused by inflammation of the skin glands and hair follicles. The most typical contributors to acne are:

overproduction of sebum, an oily product of the sebaceous glands that is responsible for lubricating the skin and hair
skin pores clogged by dirt, dead skin cells, and other debris
bacterial infection of the sebaceous glands
stress

Acne can be itchy, painful, and irritating. We know what causes acne, but what makes it itch?

What causes itchy acne?

Acne can begin to itch for a few different reasons. The most common reason is due to the friction and dryness of skin cells that are the result of clogged and cramped pores. When skin becomes dry, its nature is to itch.

Other itchy triggers include:

allergies
skin reactions to chemicals like benzoyl peroxide
heat, which can intensify itching
sunlight/UV light
sweat

On a positive note, itchiness can be a sign indicating that the acne is getting better. When acne is healing, the red, pustular skin needs to be replaced with new, healthy skin. During this process, your body exfoliates, or sheds old layers of skin to uncover new layers of skin. The dry, flaky, and dead skin cells are part of the healing process, but they can also cause uncomfortable itching sensations.

Avoid the urge to itch

Everyone understands the maddening sensation of being itchy, and the uncontrollable desire to scratch and rub the itch away. However, when it comes to itchy acne, it’s very important to avoid doing so. In addition to harming your skin, scratching the acne hotspots can cause:

permanent scarring
lesions and infection
aggravated acne symptoms

Perhaps the most important reason you shouldn’t scratch the affected skin is because you run the risk of popping or piercing the pimple. This can cause the bacteria inside the pimple to spread to other parts of your body and create more outbreaks.

However, you don’t need to suffer the itchiness without relief. There are ways to treat these uncomfortable itchy pimples and their annoying itching sensations.

How to control itchy acne

There are many different approaches to treating itchy acne. Common treatments include:

washing pimples after they burst (using a mild soap fortified with a moisturizer)
keeping your hands clean and not touching the affected areas
avoiding overexposure to the sun
applying light moisturizers with aloe vera to control dryness, redness, and inflammation
applying calamine lotion
using antihistamines to control sebum secretion and prevent itching
taking antibiotics prescribed by a doctor

While there are many different treatments for itchy acne, the main points to keep in mind are keeping your skin moisturized, clean, and safe from abrasion.

Takeaway

Itchy acne is an uncomfortable and extremely common affliction. Clogged pores primarily cause acne. Itchiness is caused by dryness and irritation. While scratching may bring relief in the short term, it can make acne symptoms worse, so it’s important to resist the urge. Various at-home and over-the-counter treatments are available to manage itchy symptoms, but it’s important to speak to your doctor or dermatologist about the best approach for you. You can book an appointment with a dermatologist in your area using our Healthline FindCare tool.

With patience, acne and its associated itchiness can be overcome to reveal clearer, brighter, and healthier skin just below the surface.

»MORE:Get an online treatment plan for acne in as little as 15 minutes with Optum Now Online Care.

Optum Now is operated by RVO Health. By clicking on this link, we may receive a commission. Learn more.

How we reviewed this article:

SourcesHistoryHealthline has strict sourcing guidelines and relies on peer-reviewed studies, academic research institutions, and medical journals and associations. We only use quality, credible sources to ensure content accuracy and integrity. You can learn more about how we ensure our content is accurate and current by reading our editorial policy.

Acne. (n.d.).http://www.pamf.org/teen/health/skin/acne-whatis.html
Antihistamine: A useful medication with minimaladverse drug reactions to improve acne symptoms and reduce sebum production.(2015).https://commons.pacificu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?referer=https://www.google.com/&httpsredir=1&article=1555&context=pa
Mayo Clinic Staff. (2017). Acne.https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/acne/symptoms-causes/syc-20368047
Mayo Clinic Staff. (2018). Folliculitis.https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/folliculitis/symptoms-causes/syc-20361634

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Medically reviewed by Cynthia Cobb, DNP, APRN, WHNP-BC, FAANP — Written by Alex Snyder — Updated on September 26, 2018

Managing Itchy Acne: Symptoms, Causes, And Treatment - Healthline

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What causes itchy acne?

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