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If you want to treat acne, first you have to know what type of acne you’re dealing with. Comedonal acne, for example, is one of the many acne types – and it happens to be one I deal with frequently.
My skin is naturally clog-prone. So, until I learned more about skincare and found the right routine, my face was constantly breaking out with comedonal acne. It’s unrealistic to expect a one-size-fits all treatment, but the right routine can do wonders.
In this post, I am going to explain what comedonal acne is and ways you might be able to treat it.
How to get rid of comedonal acne: tips for unclogging pores
Acne is a generic term for breakouts, but it doesn’t just refer to one thing. Each type of acne (like hormonal acne, fungal acne, and inflammatory acne) has a different cause. Stress, diet, gut health, hygiene, products you’re using—there are so many reasons you may be experiencing breakouts.
No one product or system can treat all types of acne. You need to know what’s at the root of the problem so you can develop a routine that actually gets to the cause and clears your skin. I’ve talked about the other types of acne in other posts, but this one is about comedonal acne.
What is comedonal acne?
To put it simply, comedonal acne (not quite the same as but often appears alongside hormonal acne), is acne caused by clogged pores. These blockages are what we most commonly recognise as whiteheads or blackheads.
It’s not inflammatory, so it’s not painful, swollen, pus-filled, or red. It shows up as small bumps just under the skin, usually on the nose, cheeks, forehead, and chin.
What causes comedonal acne?
At its most basic level, comedonal acne happens when a hair follicle is completely blocked by dead skin or excess oil. But why specifically are you having issues with blocked pores?
Here are some common reasons I see people struggling with clogged pores:
- Leaving micellar water on or using it in place of double-cleansing
- Double cleansing, but not doing it properly
- Trying too many new products at once
- Using pore-clogging products (SPF and moisturiser are often the culprits)
- Using dirty makeup brushes
- Not changing your face cloths or pillows often enough
- Not exfoliating properly
- Exfoliating too much or too little
- Sleeping with greasy hair for many days in a row
And sometimes, it has little to do with what you are doing, and more to do with environmental factors and hormonal fluctuations.
What does comedonal acne look like?
Bumpy or rough skin texture
Comedonal acne caused by clogged pores often appears as rough and uneven skin. When you first notice it, it may just look like small bumps right beneath the skin surface.
No pain, inflammation, or pus
Some acne can be quite painful. When pimples become inflamed or filled with pus, they often make the skin red, swollen, and sore. However, if you’re just dealing with acne from clogged pores, it usually doesn’t hurt, and generally doesn’t look too inflamed.
That said, if bacteria mixes with excess oil or dead skin cells, comedonal acne can quickly turn inflammatory. Even clean skin can develop comedonal acne, since the main cause is excess oil.
Flesh-colored, white bumps, or dark spots
The way your acne looks on your skin depends on the severity of the blockage in your pores. There are a few types of comedones:
First, there are open comedones. These are blackheads. They’re flat or slightly raised bumps with a black or dark brown dot in the center.
Since the pore is open with this kind of acne, that dark color comes from oxidation. The oil, dead skin cells, and melanin react with the oxygen in the air and turn a dark color. If you’re unsure whether you have blackheads or sebaceous filaments, check out my review on the viral sebaceous filament hack.
The second type are closed comedones, which can be whiteheads or flesh-colored bumps that are smooth but firm. Obviously, since it’s a closed comedone, there’s no opening in the pore.
Patches or clusters on the forehead, nose, chin, and cheeks
You’ll see the most comedonal acne around the nose, forehead, chin, and cheeks. For me, it was the worst on my cheeks!
They pop up in these areas because there are higher concentrations of oil glands on those parts of the face. And since the problem is with numerous clogged pores, it’s unlikely that you’ll experience just one pimple at a time. Comedonal acne comes in large patches or clusters.
How to treat comedonal acne
Always clean your hands before starting a skincare routine
If you’re already dealing with clogged pores, the last thing you want to do is add bacteria to the mix. Oil and dead skin cells mixing with bacteria from your hands or other places can quickly make the acne much worse.
Always thoroughly wash your hands before your morning and evening skincare routine.
Should I cleanse my face in the morning?
There’s a lot of info out there about skipping morning cleansing, which may lead you to question whether you should do it or not.
I’m personally not keen on morning cleansing for my skin. It sounds strange because it goes against everything we’ve ever been told, but it was a game changer for helping my barrier. Plus, when is your face the dirtiest? In the evening, after you’ve been wearing makeup and sunscreen and probably touching all over your face.
That extra cleansing step can be unnecessary and may even hurt your skin in the process, causing unwanted side effects like dryness, irritation, and breakouts. When your skin gets too dry from over-cleansing, it can compromise your moisture barrier. In response, your body may actually ramp up oil production. Inflammation and sensitivity can increase, too.
Everyone’s skin is different, but especially if your skin is dry-normal it can work wonders and not worsen comedonal acne. Oily skins can have success but it’s a little more hit and miss.
Double cleanse with the right ingredients
There are a lot of skincare trends that aren’t worth your time, but double cleansing is one I truly believe in. But for this to work, you need to use the right products.
First, you want an oil-based cleanser to break down oil-soluble impurities like sunscreen, waterproof makeup, and excess oil. Then, you want a water-based cleanser to remove dirt, sweat, and residue from other skincare products.
If you’re double cleansing with only water-based products, your skin may dry out. If you’re only using oil-based products, it could contribute to clogged pores and breakouts. Make sure you have the correct cleansers in the correct order.
For a detailed step-by-step guide, check out my post, “How to Double Cleanse Your Face (10 Tips for an Effective Routine.”
Use a retinoid or salicylic acid
Retinoids can help treat acne of all kinds, including comedonal acne. It’s a vitamin A product that works at the cellular level to shed dead skin cells, break down current clogs, and reduce inflammation.
Here’s my retinoid guide to help you find the right one, but remember to use it only at night since it can make your skin more sensitive to the sun and/or break down in sunlight.
If you don’t want to use a retinoid the second best option is salicylic acid, especially if you have oily skin. It’s no secret I’m not the biggest fan of salicylic acid (it never seems to help me), but it’s undeniable how effective it has been for others.
Does azelaic acid help clogged pores?
I introduced 15% prescription strength azelaic acid when I developed perioral dermatitis in 2023. I was skeptical as to how it’d work alongisde my retinoid, and I was worried it would be too drying. I was wrong! It’s now one of my favourite products.
It has very mild exfoliating properties that help it clean out pores and kill bacteria to promote clearer skin. However, I don’t think it’s a great solution for clogged pores – it just isn’t powerful enough on its own, in my opinion.
Check out my detailed video on how does azelaic work and who it’s for.
Exfoliate once or twice a week
Exfoliation or using a retinoid is essential for comedonal acne because it removes excess oil and dead skin cells that want to clog your pores. If it’s not in your routine, it should be.
Start with once a week and ensure your skin doesn’t feel too dry or irritated. Then, increase to two days a week if needed. Over-exfoliation can destroy your skin barrier and increase oil production. So, you don’t want to overdo it, either.
There are two types of exfoliators: physical and manual. Manual is quite an old fashioned method, which is why I often recommend chemical exfoliation. These are things like salicylic acid (or BHAs), retinoids, and azelaic acid. Not only are they gentler on the skin, but they also tend to be a bit more effective without causing as much irritation.
Retinoids themselves are not classed as exfoliants but they have a similar overall result. I personally don’t exfoliate on top of my retinoid and azelaic acid, but it’s ultimately down to what your skin needs. I recommend getting used to the azelaic acid before introducing the retinoid.
Use a moisturiser with hyaluronic acid
Keeping your skin properly hydrated will ensure it doesn’t produce too much pore-clogging oil. However, if you’re prone to clogged pores I recommend choosing a lightweight, water based moisturiser.
Heavier moisturisers are more likely to trigger more clogged pores. Also, you don’t need heaviness to truly hydrate, you actually just need more water added to the skin and then trapped inside.
I recommend a moisturiser with hyaluronic acid because it’s usually gel-based/oil-free, non-greasy, and lightweight. Essentially, it hydrates without adding oil. To be honest, 99% of moisturisers these days contain hyaluronic acid so you won’t have to look far.
Here are some of the best moisturisers for clog-prone skin. The one I use twice daily is the Cetaphil Daily Hydrating Lotion (aff link).
SPF for clogged pores
Sunscreen is never optional – no skincare routine is complete without it! Sun damage can worsen all skin issues from acne to hyperpigmentation.
There’s also something called a solar comedone, which is a type of whitehead or blackhead that happens as a result of prolonged sun exposure. Basically, the sun damages your skin so badly that it loses the ability to shed dead skin cells. Instead, they collect on your face, clog your pores, and cause comedonal acne.
If you’re skipping SPF, I imagine it’s because sunscreens can be quite heavy. Rich creams or lotions can be comedogenic and clog pores – they definitely trigger breakouts on my face.
However, there are plenty of sunscreen options that are less likely to cause acne. Here are some sunscreen options for clog-prone skin to try.
Always patch test new products if you’re prone to clogged pores.
Identify and remove pore-clogging products
There’s often a lot of talk in the beauty world about “pore-clogging products.” This refers to skincare products that include an ingredient that’s high on the comedogenic rating.
For example, coconut oil is a 5 on the rating scale, and hyaluronic acid is a 0. A higher number means it’s likely to clog pores, and a lower number means it’s unlikely to clog pores. However, are these numbers absolute? No. To tell you the truth, pore-clogging ingredients don’t really exist.
You can read more about my thoughts in the post, but this rating system really only illustrates what products could clog pores. There is no guarantee. Coconut oil is more likely to clog pores than hyaluronic acid, but that doesn’t mean coconut oil will, without a doubt, trigger comedonal acne.
Everyone’s skin is different. It’s like a gluten allergy. People are more likely to be sensitive to gluten over root vegetables, but that doesn’t mean everyone is Celiac and nobody is sensitive to root veg.
Your pores will be more prone to clogging with some ingredients more than others, so over time you might be able to learn your personal sensitivities and notice patterns in terms of what’s breaking you out. It won’t be an exact science so don’t treat it like that (trust me, I’ve tried!). Generally speaking though, if you use a lot of thick creams and oils, at least a few of them are almost guaranteed to be contributing to your clogged pores.
Don’t change too many products at once
Speaking of changing products and ingredients, don’t try more than one at once. I see people all the time grab an entire skincare routine off TikTok and change up their whole protocol at once.
This is a bad idea, because if you do breakout, you’ll have no idea which product caused it. Change only one thing about your routine at a time, see how your skin feels, and then carry on from there.
My method is to apply a new product to one cheek, wait 3-5 days, and see how my skin reacts. If you’re not having any odd reactions from adding a new product, you can safely assume that it works for your skin and you can apply it to the rest of your face.
Be mindful of buildup on pillowcases, phones, dirty makeup brushes, etc
Makeup, skincare products, dirt, bacteria, and plenty of other gunk can build up on things that come in contact with our faces every day. Keep these things clean, too, if you want to avoid introducing pore-clogging bacteria and residue to your face.
Here are some common things to look out for:
- Pillowcases
- Phones
- Makeup brushes
- Headbands
- Face cloths
- Glasses
- Over-the-ear headphones
- Gym equipment
- SPF on your hands and then touching your face
- Bathroom towels
Be patient – your products need time to work
I cannot emphasize this enough; your products need time to work. Don’t give them one day and then switch things up again when you don’t see results.
Each product will take at least a few weeks to work, so be patient, trust the process, and let your routine do its job.
Talk to your GP
If you feel like you’ve tried everything on your own, talk to your GP about over-the-counter (OTC) treatment options or prescription medications. They can examine your skin and unique circumstances to develop a plan that works for you, even if that includes referring you to a dermatologist.
Here’s more on when to see a dermatologist for skincare.
Clearing your pores is key to getting rid of comedonal acne
Comedonal acne can be stubborn, but with the right routine, it’s manageable. Stay consistent and give it time. My best recommendation? A retinoid every time. Used consistently for at least 6 months before you judge it.
Want to know my clog-prone routines? Here’s my AM skincare routine and PM skincare routine for comedonal acne.
Here are more resources for dealing with acne:
