Acne is far more likely to affect male teenagers and females, but in adult life male and female acne outbreaks are lot more even. In large part, the physiological process that happens in the skin is the same. Pores get blocked, and excess oil attracts bacteria. The result is an overreaction and the dreaded blackheads and pimples.
However, there are certain underlying causes that are very unique to adult men, where you have much more targeted treatment options. In a lot of cases these are very much related to male specific hormones that have many different triggers. If you suffer from sporadic or regular outbreaks, then the best option for you is to try out some of the below options.
AHA 10% Skin Perfecting Cleanser
#1 Rated Cleanser for Acne-Prone Skin
The AHA 10% Skin Perfecting Cleanser is our #1 pick because it removes impurities, dead cells, and excess oil and boosts collagen building. It also helps reduce fine lines and wrinkles.Your choice will largely depend on the severity of the outbreak. In very serious cases, a trip to a dermatologist for prescription medication will be the best option. But in most cases this would be a costly and unnecessary exercise.
Overall your aim should be a combination of change in lifestyle, prevention and treatment. By finding out what works best, you will greatly reduce the chances of an outbreak. So, keep reading and find out exactly your options are.
Top 3- Editor's Picks
If you're in a rush, below are the best proven Acne Treatment for Men, hands down!
| Image | Product | ||
|---|---|---|---|
EDITOR'S TOP PICK | | Misumi AHA 10% Skin Perfecting Cleanser
| Click for Price |
  | Omega-3
| Click for Price | |
  | Benzoyl Peroxide
| Click for Price |
Table of Contents
To determine the best acne treatment for men, we first need to identity the causes behind acne in males:
Major Causes Behind Acne in Males
The main causes of acne breakouts in men tend to be:
Genetics
This factors plays an important role in acne development regardless of gender. If your family regularly suffer from acne breakouts, it is likely that you are going to have to deal with them too.
When asked what causes acne in males, Christopher B. Harmon, MD, working at Total Skin and Beauty Dermatology Center in Birmingham, Alabama, said:
He further explained that “the kind of skin someone is genetically programmed to have will determine who gets acne and who doesn’t.”
Diet
Different studies have indicated that eating certain foods can boost the chances of a man suffering from acne. For example, milk, and Omega-3 deficiency. There are a variety of different reasons for this. We won’t go into them here. However, in most cases of acne in men, diet will be the main contributing factor.
Stress
At the moment there is no real indication that stress is a major cause of acne. What we do know, however, is that acne breakouts are made worse with stress.
Excessive Sun Exposure
Sun is only good for your skin in small amounts. After all, we need sunlight exposure in order to allow our body to produce Vitamin D. However, too much exposure to the sun can actually be bad for our skin. Not only does it damage your skin, it is also known to increase oil production which leads to pore clogging.
Best Acne Treatment For Men – Top 10 Options
In this section we will briefly run through some of the best acne treatments for men. It is worth noting that many of these treatments are actually suitable for women too. There is no guarantee that one particular treatment on this list will help to clear up your acne.
However, if you try a couple of them, you are likely to see some substantial results in next to no time at all. The treatments on this list have been proven to work.
It is important to note that you should only use these treatments on acne. If you are suffering from rosacea, which is easily mistaken for acne, it is likely that these treatments will end up doing more harm to your skin than good.
1. Misumi AHA 10% Skin Perfecting Cleanser
If we had to recommend one product to incorporate into men’s acne treatment regimen, it would be Misumi’s AHA 10% Skin Perfecting Cleanser.
Men are generally more physically active throughout the day. Dirt and sweating can clog pores and aggravate your acne condition.
The AHA 10% Skin Perfecting Cleanser is a powerful exfoliator and pore-opener.
Use it daily as well as after work out sessions to prevent breakouts.
Pros:
- Removes dead skin cells, excess sebum, dirt, and sweat.
- Helps to unclog pores and prevent breakouts.
- Helps to regulate oil production.
- Promotes smoother and clearer skin.
2. Omega-3
As mentioned previously, quite often acne is caused by a lack of Omega-3 in the diet. For those who are unaware, Omega-3 is incredibly beneficial to the skin.
Sadly, very few of us get enough of it. Those who consume products high in Omega-3 on a regular basis will find that their skin is less likely to suffer from a breakout. Those who are already suffering from acne will also find that the Omega-3 helps to drastically reduce the inflammation.
Now, getting Omega-3 into the diet is not actually all that difficult. If you consume oily fish or certain nuts, you should have absolutely no issues. If you do not wish to eat any of those, then you can also go down the route of Omega-3 supplements.
3. Benzoyl Peroxide
When it comes to acne treatments, this is one of the most common and effective.
As you may well know, bacteria in your hair follicles are one of the main causes behind acne. And benzoyl peroxide is specially manufactured to kill those acne causing bacreria.
Depending on where you live, you may or may not need a prescription for Benzoyl Peroxide. Most people should see a positive impact within a couple of days of using Benzoyl peroxide. You should continue to use it, as instructed, until your acne has completely cleared up.
4. Salicylic Acid
This is an over the counter acne ingredient. It will not kill the bacteria. It will, however, help to unclog your pores. This means that it will help to clear out all of that dirt and grime which has gathered in them.
The only real problem with salicylic acid is that it doesn’t provide permanent relief. You will need to continue to use salicylic acid based products until the problem has completely disappeared.
There are tons of effective acne products that use acne salicylic acid as an active ingredient, exposed skin care is by far the best out of them.
5. Antibiotics
If you are suffering from severe acne, it is likely that your doctor will prescribe you with anti-biotics. These will, of course, give the body a helping hand when it comes to clearing out the infection.
It is worth noting that anti-biotics will, quite often, be a last resort for those who are suffering from acne. So, check with your Derm if anti-biotics will be a good fit for you.
6. Regular Skin Cleaning Regime
This is absolutely vital. Most cases of acne are caused by the pores on the skin becoming clogged with dirt, grease, and grime. You, therefore, want to keep the skin clean.
But don’t go overboard with it. Just make sure to use a proven anti-acne soap or cleanser that fights acne at least twice a day to provent pore clogging and skin inflammation. In most cases, a healthy skin cleaning regime is all it takes to keep acne at bay.
7. Proper Moisturization
Keeping a balance in moisturizing levels is vital for acne prone skins. If your skin keeps drying out, use a good quality moisturizer every now and then. And to naturally keep your skin hydrated, drink at least 10 glasses of water each day.
Skin which is well hydrated and moisturized is less likely to have dead skin cells flake off and block up the pores. This means that you are less likely to end up suffering from acne.
8. Apple Cider Vinegar
This is one of my favorite acne treatments for men, and I’ve written a dedicate blog post about it. This is because it is incredibly cheap and highly effective.
The purpose of the apple cider vinegar is to ensure that the skin is hostile to the growth of bacteria. At the same time, it will soak up all of that excess oil which will stop the blockage of pores.
- Mix 1 part vinegar to three parts water.
- Apply this directly to the acne, leave it in place for 10 minutes, and wash it off.
You should repeat this process up to four times a day. Do not go overboard though. If you use this remedy too much, you run the risk of drying your skin out.
9. Cinnamon and Honey Mask
Follow these simple steps for this remedy:
- Mix two tablespoons of honey with one teaspoon of cinnamon.
- Apply this mask to your face.
- Leave it in place for about fifteen minutes before you wash it all off.
The honey is used due to it being a natural antibiotic. This means that it will kill any bacteria on the skin. The cinnamon will slow down the growth of the bacteria. So, all in all, they work pretty well in combination with one another.
10. Egg White Facial Mask
There are a number of different vitamins which can really help when it comes to the prevention of acne. As luck would have it, almost all of the vitamins can be found in egg white.
- Get three egg whites (no yolks) and mix them up until they are frothy.
- You can apply these egg whites to your face.
- You will want to have it in place for about twenty minutes.
- Make sure you completely wash it off afterwards.
You can seal in all of that goodness, and get some extra benefit, by moisturizing your face shortly afterwards.
11. Orange Peel Paste
Orange peels are incredibly beneficial to the skin. This is because they are high in vitamin C (fantastic for the repair of the skin) and act as a natural astringent (helps to seal skin pores).
- You will need the peels of two oranges.
- Mash them up with some water.
- Only add a small amount of water at a time because you do not want this mixture to be too runny.
- Apply it to your face and leave it there for about 25 minutes.
- When the time is up, wash it all off with clean water.
You should be applying this particular paste at least twice a day. You should notice difference within a week or so.
Over to You
That brings us to the end of this post on the best acne treatment for men. We not only discovered 10 highly effective options for treating acne in males, but also the exact causes that are usually found behind it.
How do you plan to cope with your acne? Have some other questions or concerns regarding this post or topic? Let me know in the comments below!
I had no idea that there were so many different things that caused acne in men. But like you mention in this article, there are also a lot of things that can be taken and done to help reduce the amount of acne that you have. My son is still young, but when he hit puberty I will make sure to have things like Omega-3 pills for him to take and I will also make sure that he has enough milk in his diet so that he can be as prepared as possible.
Dermalmd acne serum is the best acne treatment I’ve ever used. It works fast, is effective while also being gentle on skin. Would definitely recommend this serum to anyone who has cystic acne!