your skin is fiercely irritated and screaming for help. I advise you to quit irritating it. My face was like that..I listened to my face finally for once in my life and started using that pond's cold cream instead of washing it..It stopped being red and irritated please read all myposts .. is your skin itchy?? I think most acne is really caused by infestation of mites..I am a long term veteran of curing this acne and i finally found something that fixes it in days not weeks months and years ..cheap things.