What are the long term side effects of rinsing your face with alcohol, to help fight acne?

My buddy had a mild break out on his face when I saw him. I saw him again two days later and his face was clear. He told me what he did was wash his face to open the pores, and then he rinsed his face with alcohol. His clear skin was evidence that this works, but what are the long term side effects?What are the long term side effects of rinsing your face with alcohol, to help fight acne?
alcohol will dry your face out after time isuggest proactive and daily oatmeal masks to draw out the bacteriaWhat are the long term side effects of rinsing your face with alcohol, to help fight acne?
This is a bad idea.


Alcohol strips your skin of all moisture. This will make your face put out more oil, and it harms it by robbing it of the oils it needs.


Wash with mild soap and clean water. Rinse well, with water. Follow up with toner or astringent (on a cotton ball, not splashing your face with it) to cut excess oil.


Use a topical cream for problem areas and use moisturizer a lot.


Long term side effects of rinsing with alcohol are bad. Ask a dermatologist if you want to know. I never found out what might happen because that's not something I would do.
I knew a girl who did this for years - she used surgical alcohol - she never had a problem. She was from a poor family in a developing country where acne medication wasn't easy to get.
careful your eyes are exposed to chemical induced imfalammation
Alcohol dries the skin, casing it to become irritated. The dryness may trigger an overproduction of oil, and more breakouts. If you want to use alcohol, follow up with a non-comedogenic moisturizer.
Nothing. Maybe a little dryness but that's all. Alcohol is the major component to after shave.
Severe dry skin is more prone to permanent scars. If he uses a moisturizer once a day he should be okay.
Alcohol can make your skin dry, which then encourages further oil production (sebum), and further outbreaks. Well worth a shot though!
The downside to using rubbing alcohol on the face to control acne is that it dries skin and upsets the pH balance, and the normal skin flora. Dry skin breaks out as bad or worse than oily skin. When your buddy washed his face, the pimples likely drained all by themselves- and a pimple that drains itself does heal faster and better, and doesn't cause new ones to form. The alcohol temporarily killed some of the bacteria, but it also would have dried his skin. If he does this on a regular basis, he can look forward to more zits and some really dry skin. As an acne control method it's not ideal. Plain soap and water, witch hazel to wipe and rinse, and tea tree oil directly to spots is better. Heat applied directly to a spot will help it drain as well. Your skin doesn't appreciate potions or poking, and it doesn't need the help. And food for thought- alcohol does kill bacteria, but it also kills skin cells. Anything strong enough to kill bacteria is not really good in large quantities on the skin. Bleach will also kill bacteria, but you'd never dream of wiping your face with it. Alcohol isn't a lot better for it either.
dryness and/or irritation
excessive dry skin
eventually your eyes fall out of your head and your nose will look like michael jackson.