Dr Doireann O’Leary’s top tips on managing acne prone skin and breakouts

It happens to most of us.

According to a recent study by French skincare favourite, Avène, as many as 72 percent of us experience blemishes on a regular basis – with 63 percent of people admitting they allow it to affect their mood for the day. Meaning breakouts get us down – and contrary to popular advice from dermatologists, a whopping 93 percent of people would in fact squeeze a spot, while others try home remedies like toothpaste, ice wrapped in tinfoil and perfume to try to zap a spot.

Acne impacts confidence

The reality is that blemish-prone skin affects teenagers and adults every single day in Ireland. Recent findings revealed that 65 percent of people were conscious of their skin as a teen and 66 percent of people didn’t have a proper skincare routine in their teens. More severe cases of acne can seriously impact confidence and our feeling about ourselves – with researchers discovering this can have a knock-on effect on socialising and working environments, impacting overall on people’s quality of life. We recently caught up with Dr Doireann O’Leary, Avène’s skincare ambassador, to get her top tips for managing acne-prone skin. Here are nine rules everyone who suffers with acne-prone skin and breakouts should follow when it comes to how to best care for your skin:

1. Follow a simple routine and keep the skin clean and moisturised. Less is more with your skincare
2. Avoid perfumed and fragranced products
3. Change your pillowcase regularly
4. Wear non-comedogenic make-up and wash your make-up brushes regularly
5. Avoid mechanical exfoliants that will irritate the skin
6. Try not to touch your face throughout the day
7. Wear a good SPF every day
8. Don’t pick or squeeze a spot. As tempting as it may be.
9. Finally, remember that sometimes we can do “everything right” and can still have acne. Women with PCOS for example often suffer from very difficult acne due to high testosterone levels. Some medications like corticosteroids cause acne too. You can attend your GP or dermatologist for support and guidance in the management of your acne.

Can help clear up skin in just days Avène has a range of simple, gentle and non-comedogenic products specially formulated for oily skin, blemishes and blackheads. The Cleanance range has been developed purely to help reduce blemishes while respecting the balance of the skin. The Avène Cleanance range contains 10 key products and a newly revamped anti-blemish starter kit. The kit contains the two key products from the range - the award-winning Cleanance Comedomed moisturiser and the Cleanance Cleansing Gel which both contain the revolutionary ingredient Comedoclastin^TM. Step 1: Cleanse The Cleanance Cleansing Gel, which has recently been repackaged into a 200ml easy-use modern tube, is a daily cleanser that reduces excess sebum, unblocks pores and mattifies the skin for up to 6 hours. Containing 60 percent Avène Thermal Spring Water, this calming gel has soothing and softening properties leaving the skin clear, refreshed, purified and less shiny. Step 2: Moisturise and clear skin Comedomed, which has gained cult status since its launch in 2020, is an innovative hydrating and mattifying moisturiser for oily skin. The ground-breaking addition to the Cleanance range, reduces existing blemishes and blackheads and limits the appearance of new imperfections, with proven anti-blemish effectiveness from 7 days*. Cleanance Comedomed offers an unprecedented skin care product suitable for blemish-prone skin.