Grains of sand on your face?

Matrix · Joined: 06 Jul 2007 Posts: 2

I have a slight issue that I cannot find answers to....

If I was my face with a soap that leaves a residue, my skin gets these tiny grain-of-sand like things in my pores. I used to suffer from cystic acne so I have some enlarged pore scarring from that and the grains of sand tend to build up in there it seems.
My skin is no longer oily as it used to be so I have to use a moisturizer or a soap that have a moisturizer in it (residue) and whenever I do this the little things build up. They are clear//light yellow. I wonder if they are dried/crusted oil?

Please help me with this problem, I have tried MANY different cleansers AND soaps and no matter what I seem to get these things. I am a 21 year old male, maybe its still hormones?

orangehrzn · Joined: 23 Feb 2005 Posts: 1005

They are probably flakes on top of the pore opening. Face washes that dry out tend to create them. I wouldn't bother doing anything about them, nobody notices them anyways unless real close.

Matrix · Joined: 06 Jul 2007 Posts: 2

Well that is true that nobody notices them unless they are really close, but I myself notice them. Also I am pretty sure they aren't flakes, they seem to be like grains of sand, not round but an uneven crumb type thing. It's weird. I have a catch-22

If I use moisturizer, they form, if I don't use a moisturizer they seem to go away, but then my face gets dry.

nyonyakay · Joined: 06 Jan 2007 Posts: 32 Location: Sydney, Australia

Look for a cleanser or toner with BHA (beta hydroxy acid or salicyclic acid). If you get a toner, 2% BHA should be fine, with a cleanser, it doesn't hurt to go a little higher because it just washes off. BHA is great for pore cleansing.