Things To Avoid In Breakout Face

10 Possible Causes for Acne Breakouts

Though your hormones do play a significant influence in your breakout face, they are not the sole reason. So, suppose you want to understand better—and prevent—acne flare-ups. In that case, according to five doctors and an aesthetician who treat breakouts daily, you should evaluate your daily behaviours for possible zit triggers, such as these 13 frequent (and maybe unexpected) causes.

1. Your cotton face mask is causing you to break out

If you’ve observed more breakout face on your chin, jawline, and cheeks after applying your cloth face mask for prolonged lengths of time, you’re most likely suffering from mask acne, also known as maskne. Maskne is caused by a combination of sweat, oil, germs, and humidity trapped behind your mask, which causes not just pimples but also dryness, itching, and blotchiness (due to friction between your front and your skin).

How to treat it:

Change to a lightweight, breathable cotton face mask to help cure mask acne and avoid excess oil and sweat. Also, if you cannot commit to cleaning your cover after each use, try to stock up on a few face masks so that you always have a new one on hand to avoid dragging old oil and germs back into your skin each time you slide it on.

2. You don’t wash your face before going to bed

Even if you scarcely moved off the sofa, dirt and oil (and makeup, if you’re wearing it) naturally collect on the surface of your skin over the day. If you don’t wash your face before bed, you’ll transfer all that filth to your pillowcase, which will be transmitted back to your face the following night. According to dermatologist Joshua Zeichner, MD, a few nights on a soiled pillowcase may not result in zits, but continuous exposure may cause inflammation, irritation, and breakouts.

How to treat it:

To avoid breakout face, you should wash your face every night. To help break down some of the extra oil in your pores without leaving your skin dry and tight, use a 2 per cent salicylic acid cleanser. If your acne hasn’t improved after three weeks, consider using a 5% benzoyl peroxide wash twice weekly to help destroy acne-causing bacteria. If you use makeup, which tends to cling to your skin even after cleaning, consider double cleansing at night: first, remove makeup with an oil-based makeup remover (such as cleansing oil or balm), then follow with your usual face wash to eliminate any residue without drying out your skin.

3. Stress and a lack of sleep cause breakouts

According to board-certified dermatologist Jeanine Downie, MD, when stressed, your body creates stress chemicals like cortisol, which may encourage your oil glands to overproduce oil, resulting in blocked pores. Stress acne may be a vicious cycle in which you break out due to stress, feel even more upset because you’re breaking out, and then break out some more.

How to treat it:

Add a 1% hydrocortisone lotion to decrease redness and irritation if your zits are uncomfortable and beneath the skin. But what about the long-term solution? Sleep more and see a doctor or therapist for stress-reduction measures (such as meditation, exercise, self-care, or medication).

4. Your face is drying out

Dry skin is a crucial acne cause, whether caused by genetics, outdoor activities, or your skincare regimen, such as using too much—or too little—of specific products. Suppose you use spot treatments at the first indication of a bump, for example. According to licensed aesthetician Samantha Wright, you may be drying out and irritating your skin, leading to a damaged and broken-out skin barrier.

How to treat it:

Suppose your skin is continually looking and feeling parched. In that case, you should boost your moisturizers while decreasing the quantity of drying actives in your regimen (such as acids, retinoids, and so on). Apply an oil-free moisturizer every morning and night to help restore moisture to your skin’s barrier. Note: If you have oily skin, consider a gel-based solution that absorbs fast and does not feel greasy or heavy on your skin.

5. Your face brush is exacerbating your breakouts

If you scrub your face daily with a washcloth, a gritty acne face wash or face scrub, a loofah, or a cleaning brush, you may be worsening existing outbreaks while producing new ones. Why? Because abrasive scrubs generate tiny rips and irritation on the surface of your skin, they disrupt your skin’s protective barrier, which may lead to breakout face.

How to treat it:

Instead of abrasive scrubs, exfoliate your face with a moderate chemical exfoliator containing AHAs or BHAs, such as lactic, salicylic, and glycolic acids, to help break down dead skin cells that may accumulate in your pores and cause breakout face. Begin slowly, with two evenings per week at the start, then increase to three nights per week at most.

6. Your goods’ components are creating acne

Your acne might be caused by the substances in your products obstructing your pores. Mineral oil, for example, is a super-thick moisturizing component found in several face moisturizers and creams that, according to Dr Downie, may be excessively heavy if you have blackheads and whiteheads. If you have acne, coconut oil is infamous for creating outbreaks. Furthermore, fragrance (particularly irritating to sensitive skin) and sulphates (an oil-stripping surfactant) may be contained in many products, causing irritation and redness that aggravates existing breakouts.

How to treat it:

Collect all of your items and examine the ingredient labels for the following red flags: Mineral oil, coconut oil, sulphates (particularly sodium lauryl sulphate and sodium laureth sulphate), aroma, and essential oils are all included. Remember that while one component may cause my skin to explode in whiteheads, another may cause yours to shine and flourish. Skincare is often trial and error, but these substances are an excellent place to start if you’re prone to breakout face.

7. Hair care products clog your pores

Although butter and oils (such as jojoba oil, coconut oil, and plum oil) are great for softening and smoothing hair, they might trigger breakouts when they settle on your skin and scalp. (True story: my recurrent bacne throughout high school was caused by a heavy conditioner running down my back every time I bathed.) If you have sensitive skin, sulfate-containing shampoos may cause irritation, resulting in dry patches, blotchiness, and itching, all of which may aggravate acne.

How to treat it:

Switch to a sulphate-free shampoo and use sulphate-based clarifying shampoos twice a month. If you have breakout face along your hairline, consider rubbing a salicylic acid scalp treatment along your scalp once a week before you jump in the shower. To prevent acne on your body and face, thoroughly clean your body before leaving the storm. After your shower, wrap your wet hair in a towel or clip it up, then immediately rinse off your face and body to eliminate any residual conditioner residue.

8. Your sweaty exercises are producing pimples on your body

It’s natural to have sweat and filth on your skin after a workout. However, if you don’t quickly rinse it off, all that dirt, oil, germs, and makeup may irritate your skin and possibly lead to blocked pores. Said, the longer you remain in the same sweaty, sticky clothing, the faster your skin becomes a breeding ground for germs.

How to treat it:

Remove your makeup before exercising with a cotton round soaked in micellar water (or use your preferred makeup remover). Then, as soon as possible after your exercise, shower with a salicylic acid-based acne body wash (which may gently break down debris and oil to keep pores clean). If you can’t wash straight away, use a body wipe to physically remove some of the filth and oil accumulated on your skin’s surface.

9. Your laundry detergent is causing skin irritation

According to Dr Downie, some chemicals and perfumes in laundry detergents might be too abrasive for delicate skin. When you put on your clothing or use your bath towels, your skin may react to the residue left on the fabric, resulting in breakout face on your face, back, buttocks, chest, and other areas. If you switched to a new detergent and experienced a few flights, you may have discovered one of your issues.

How to treat it:

Choose a hypoallergenic detergent devoid of scents and colours (these will generally have “free and clear” on the label, making them easy to discover), then wash your clothing, sheets, towels, and beds twice with this new detergent. If you don’t observe an improvement in your acne, your acne may not be caused by your laundry detergent, so see your physician about alternative acne treatments.

10. Your favourite meals might be the source of your breakouts

Tomatoes and peppers, according to Dr Downie, contain acidic lycopene, an irritant that may disrupt the skin’s pH balance and cause outbreaks around the mouth. But it’s not only spicy meals that trigger acne; some people’s skin also responds poorly to dairy, gluten, and other foods. A recent shift in your dietary habits, such as being vegan and suddenly eating more carbohydrates or stopping being vegan after eating plant-based for a long time, might potentially be triggering breakouts due to a change in your glucose levels, according to board-certified dermatologist Karan Lal, MD.

How to treat it: 

Consult your dermatologist or a gastroenterologist to determine if the food you’re consuming is the cause of your acne or whether anything is wrong with your gastrointestinal system. They’ll probably ask you to keep a food diary and document your consumption and how your skin responds.