Let’s chat spot treatments.

A spot treatment is a skincare product that’s used to target treat blemishes. They typically contain active ingredients at a higher percentage, or are in a format that’s designed to sit on top of a blemish and not be rubbed in.

They aren’t usually intended to treat moderate to severe acne all across the face, but rather the odd spot.

Is there a benefit of having more than one? Yes!

Id break spot treatments into a few sections. To make it slightly more complicated, spot treatments can fall into more than one of the below categories.

Drying Spot Treatments

Drying spot treatments are designed to pull out and dry up congestion in the pores. They work especially well on weeping or puss filled spots.

Examples;

1. Mario Badescu Drying Lotion

2. Carbon Theroy Anti-Breakout Spot Paste

3. THE INKEY LIST Succinic Acid Treatment

4. Revolution Skincare Overnight Targeted Blemish
   

Soothing Spot Treatments

Soothing spot treatments prioritise calming down a blemish. They may help to reduce inflammation, which is the major contributor to scarring and discomfort. They do not dry the skin.

They’re best for sore and irritated spots.

Examples;

1. Dermalogica Clear Start Post-Breakout Fix

2. The Skin Shark Spot Treatment

3. Skin Control Pimple Patches AM & PM

4. Avène Cicalfate+ Restorative Protective Cream

Active and Anti-bacterial Spot Treatments

This is any spot treatment that has an active ingredients like exfoliants (AHAs/BHAs/PHAs).

Examples of Active Spot Treatments (We’ve already shared some!);

• Dermalogica Clear Start Post-Breakout Fix Has 2% BHA

• Mario Badescu Drying Lotion Has Sulphur (anti-bacterial) and BHA

I’d also keen to include any antibacterial treatments in this category, like ones that include alcohol, sulphur or tea tree.

Examples of Anti-Bacterial products;

1. TBH Skincare Acne Hack spot Treatment

2. Avene Cleanance Comedomed Anti-Blemishes Concentrate

Which Do You Need?

I think if you’re prone to spots, it’s a great idea to have one “drying” spot treatment in your collection and one “soothing” spot treatment.

Both categories can have a mix of actives.

Thankfully they aren’t expensive and you might have a product that can double as a spot treatment already, such as Avène Cicalfate+ Restorative Protective Cream, which can be used as a soothing spot treatment thanks to the zinc in the formula- or a clay mask- which could double as a “drying” spot treatment.

Why?

A drying spot treatment is great for bringing out puss and gunk that’s sitting under the skin. Many help reduce the inflammation and encourage the healing process to the spot.

A soothing spot treatment is great for spots where the skin has been compromised or is very irritated.

Ever picked a spot? (Guilty)- you don’t want to put a drying spot treatment on a healing scab- you want to put a soothing spot treatment.

It’s important to promote skin healing always, but especially when your skin is compromised. Applying something calming is a great way to be kind to the skin as it heals.