Using Acne Treatments in Winter (Retinoids, BHA, Benzoyl Peroxide): How to Manage the Dryness

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The short answer

In winter, acne treatments (retinoids, BHA or benzoyl peroxide) dry the skin more, causing peeling, tightness and stinging. Four things manage it: a gentle cleanser, moisturiser before and after the treatment (the sandwich), fewer treatment nights a week, and sunscreen every day. Wash with CeraVe Hydrating Facial Cleanser Normal to Dry, moisturise with Cerave Moisturizing Cream For Normal To Dry Skin, use La Roche Posay Anthelios Uvmune 400 Hydrating Cream SPF50+ in the day and Laneige Lip sleeping mask on your lips at night.

Important: if a doctor prescribed the treatment (a prescription cream or tablets), do not stop it on your own, and do not change the dose or how many nights you use it. If the dryness is bad, talk to the person who prescribed it first.

Why acne treatments dry you out more in winter

Most acne treatments work by clearing dead cells from the surface faster, opening pores, or cutting oil and bacteria. In summer the air is humid, so many people barely notice the dryness. But from late November the dry northern wind arrives, many people take hot baths, and sleep under blankets or in heated rooms. Skin loses water faster.

Add the treatment on top and you see:

• Peeling beside the nose, at the corners of the mouth and on the chin
• Tightness and a burning feeling after washing
• Stinging when you apply moisturiser
• Redness and small rough patches
• Cracked lips (especially with tablets)

These are often signs that the skin barrier is weakening. Keep the barrier healthy and it becomes much easier to stay on your treatment. To understand why acne flares in winter, read why you get acne in winter.

First, work out who gave you the treatment

A doctor prescribed it

With a prescription retinoid cream, an antibiotic gel, or tablets (such as isotretinoin), the dose, the number of nights, and when to stop are your doctor's decisions. What you can do yourself is add a gentle cleanser, a good moisturiser, a lip balm and sunscreen. These usually sit fine alongside the treatment, but it is still wise to tell your doctor before adding anything new. If the dryness is unbearable, or you want to know whether to use it on fewer nights, ask directly by phone or at your next visit.

You bought it yourself

If you started a shop-bought BHA, a benzoyl peroxide wash, a retinol or something like Differin Adapalene Gel 0.1% Acne Treatment yourself, easing off in winter is in your hands. The rules below are mainly for these. For more on retinol, see the retinol guide, and for adapalene and benzoyl peroxide, this post.

Six ways to manage the dryness

1. A gentle cleanser, no more than twice a day

Drop foaming or grainy face washes for winter. Use a non-foaming, creamy cleanser such as CeraVe Hydrating Facial Cleanser Normal to Dry, or on a smaller budget Simple Kind to Skin Moisturising Face Wash. Lukewarm water, 30 seconds of gentle massage, then pat dry with a towel; do not rub. If your face is not oily in the morning, plain water is enough.

2. Let your face dry completely before the treatment

A retinoid on damp skin goes in deeper, so it stings more. Wait 10 to 15 minutes after washing. Keep the treatment away from the corners of the mouth, the sides of the nose and around the eyes.

3. The moisturiser sandwich (buffering)

This is the most useful winter trick:

1. A thin layer of moisturiser on dry skin, such as Cerave Moisturizing Cream For Normal To Dry Skin.
2. Five minutes later, a pea-sized amount of treatment, spread thinly over the whole face.
3. Moisturiser again on top.

The bottom layer softens the treatment a little; the top layer seals water in. With a prescription treatment, ask before you do this, because doctors sometimes give specific instructions on how to apply it.

4. Fewer nights a week (for products you bought yourself)

If a shop-bought retinol or adapalene stings when used every night, switch in winter to every other night or three nights a week. On the other nights, just cleanser and moisturiser; many people call these "recovery nights". A BHA such as COSRX BHA Blackhead Power Liquid is enough two to three times a week in winter. Leave a benzoyl peroxide wash such as Panoxyl Acne Creamy Wash on for one minute and rinse, once a day.

5. Extra care for dry patches

If the sides of your nose or the corners of your mouth are peeling, after your treatment at night put a very thin layer of Bioderma Atoderm Intensive Baume on those spots only. It acts like a lid. Keep it off acne-prone cheeks. On oily skin, Purito Seoul Oat-In Calming Gel Cream works better than a heavy cream.

6. Do not skip lips and sunscreen

Lips crack first on acne treatment. In the day use The Derma Co 1% Ceramide Complex Lip Balm SPF30 PA++ (it has SPF); at night before bed, Laneige Lip sleeping mask. Retinoids and BHA make skin more sensitive to the sun. Winter sun may feel soft, but every morning after moisturiser apply two finger-lengths of sunscreen, such as La Roche Posay Anthelios Uvmune 400 Hydrating Cream SPF50+ or Skin Aqua Super Moisture Barrier UV Essence SPF50+ PA++.

What to pause for the winter

While you are on an acne treatment, set aside these irritating extras for now:

• Scrubs, grainy face washes and face brushes
• AHA or glycolic toners and peel pads
• Alcohol toners and peel-off masks
• Two actives on the same night (for example retinol and BHA together)
• Home hacks like lemon, baking soda or toothpaste
• Waxing or threading over treated skin (it can lift the skin)

"Pause" here means the extras. Do not stop a prescribed treatment yourself.

The daily routine: when, how much, in what order

Morning:

1. Plain water, or a small amount of CeraVe Hydrating Facial Cleanser Normal to Dry.
2. Moisturiser, two to three pea-sized amounts.
3. Sunscreen, two finger-lengths, face and neck.
4. Lip balm with SPF.

Night (treatment night):

1. Wash with a gentle cleanser.
2. Wait 10 to 15 minutes.
3. A thin layer of moisturiser, then a pea-sized amount of treatment, then moisturiser again.
4. Balm on dry patches, lip mask on the lips.

Night (recovery night): cleanser, then The Ordinary Hyaluronic Acid 2% + B5 on damp skin, then moisturiser. Nothing else.

For the full day, read the 24-hour winter skincare routine.

Common mistakes

• Scrubbing because the skin is peeling. It breaks the barrier further.
• Thinking more treatment clears acne faster. A pea-sized amount covers the whole face.
• Stopping a prescription treatment because of dryness without telling the doctor. Acne can come back, and your doctor cannot see the real problem.
• Skipping sunscreen in winter. Marks darken more while you are on treatment.
• Washing with hot water. It feels good but strips more oil.
• Calling every early breakout "purging". To tell them apart, read purging vs breakout.

The Bangladesh reality

Dhaka's winter brings more dust and smoke, so many people wash their face three or four times a day. On treatment, that makes dryness much worse. Twice a day is enough; when you come home, just splash with water. If you ride a bike or leave early into the fog, the wind pulls even more moisture out, so never skip moisturiser and sunscreen before going out. In wedding season, ask your doctor well ahead whether you can cut treatment nights for two or three days before makeup or a facial. Avoid peel or scrub facials at the parlour.

Pregnancy and breastfeeding: do not use retinoids or retinol during this time, nor high-strength acids. Decide with your own doctor what is safe for acne. Moisturiser, a gentle cleanser and sunscreen are usually fine, but tell your doctor anyway.

When to see a doctor

If you see any of these signs, go to a doctor or tell the person who prescribed your treatment, rather than adjusting your routine yourself:

• A swollen face or eyelids, or hive-like itching
• Burning, raw redness, or cracked weeping skin for three to four days even with moisturiser
• Lips cracking and bleeding, repeated nosebleeds, or very dry eyes (on tablets)
• Yellow crusts, pus, or large painful lumps
• No improvement, or new scarring, after 8 to 12 weeks of following the routine properly
• Planning a pregnancy, or being pregnant, while on any acne treatment

Why buy authentic

Treated skin is already fragile. A counterfeit cream can contain unknown fragrance, the wrong ingredients or even steroids, which make irritation worse. TheSkinProof is an invoice-verified skincare marketplace: the source of every product is checked against invoices. If a product is proven counterfeit, claim within 7 days of delivery and get 2× your money back. Delivery across Bangladesh, cash on delivery available.

For answers to other winter skin problems, see the winter problems Q&A.