San Diego based skin research firm Noixia noticed something odd. People with various levels of acne-prone skin used skin care cleansing regimes intended for people with normal, congestion-free skin. Ironically, this cleansing habit did not effectively control acne breakouts and ultimately led to unwanted acne scars. This finding inspired Noixia to develop guidelines to help consumers customize there skin care regime based on their specific level of pore congestion.

Noixia founder, Nicole Dial, explains, "The cleansing regimes for acne-prone skin is baffling because at on end, consumers hear that they should not over cleanse their skin, while at other times they feel that acne outbreaks are a direct result of poor cleansing habits."

For years acne cleansing soaps that contain acne fighting ingredients like benzoyl peroxide and salicylic acid have served as a mainstay for treating pimples. These agents are designed to prevent acne outbreaks by removing dead skin cells and excess surface layers oils from the skin, while discouraging bacterial growth.

But as Dial points out, "We've found that a large part of the confusion over cleansing regimes for acne-prone skin exists because for too long, the focus of the causes of acne has been superficial issues such as bacterial growth and excess oil production."

Noixia's new cleansing regime focuses on stopping pore congestion as opposed to purely bacterial control as a method to prevent acne outbreaks. The program defines the congestion level of the skin as severe, moderate or mild based on a number of factors including bump, blackhead, whitehead and inflamed acne lesion counts.

Next, based on an individual's level of pore congestion, the Noixia regime offers recommendations for deep pore cleansing practices like facial steaming, clay masks and exfoliation. Once the user defines his skin's congestion level, the Noixia cleansing regimes help him to establish a customized cleansing program to take his pores from congested to clear in four weeks.

After the user has controlled the level of pore congestion, he can then use the maintenance guidelines to stave off future acne outbreaks.

Noixia released these new guidelines as apart of its commitment to helping people intelligently, safely and affordably control their image. Dial explains, "The best way to improve your image and get beautiful skin is to customize your skin care regime to your specific skin needs." Noixia's simple guideline will help take the mystery out of how many people take care of their skin.