6 Surprising Causes of Acne Breakouts
Growing up, we all thought that our teenage years would be the only time we’d have to deal with annoying, and sometimes painful breakouts. Here we are adults asking ourselves, “What is going on?”
Talking about acne is all too personal for me, as I have been dealing with cystic acne since I was 12 years old. I knew early on that I was predisposed to having acne as I had a family history of it. But don’t worry! Genetic acne doesn’t have to be a life sentence.
6 Reasons You May Be Dealing With An Acne Breakouts
Genetics are not the only reason why we might get adult acne. Hormones and lifestyle habits have a lot to do with it! Most breakouts are the result of the overproduction of oil, dead skin cells, and hormones. Our body’s androgens (sex hormones like testosterone) trigger oil glands to produce more sebum which along with dead skin cells can clog the pores can lead to the growth of C bacteria (formerly known as P bacteria).
This process can create inflammation in the follicle resulting in whiteheads, and sometimes cysts. How frequently we break out is based on the sensitivity of our oil glands (as we are all different), and our lifestyle habits that can trigger acne.
1. You Are Not Cleansing Your Face Correctly
Cleansing is the foundation of healthy skin. Cleansing daily prevents the buildup of oil, dead skin cells, and pollution and ensures that other products penetrate deeper into the skin. If you are using a cleanser with active ingredients such as salicylic acid or benzoyl peroxide, and washing them off immediately, you are not benefiting your skin. Active ingredients work best when they have some contact time with the skin. So, leave the cleanser on your skin for a few minutes before washing it off!
2. You Are Drying Out Your Face
We have been always taught (we don’t know by whom) that drying out our skin can prevent pimples or make them go away faster. Do you remember the toothpaste? If you haven’t noticed, we’re here to tell you, it doesn’t work. Your skin is the healthiest when it is hydrated and nourished, and that gives it the best environment to fight inflammation. Drying out your skin will lead to irritation, more dead skin cells, and excess oil production which can clog your pores.
Balancing out your routine is the best approach: use water-based hydrating serums and moisturizers. Spot treatments are also a great way to treat individual breakouts without drying out the skin. Our favorite is Circadia’s Spot Stop which is a gentle non-drying spot cream.
3. Stress And Lack Of Sleep Are Triggering Your Acne
When our fight-or-flight response is activated, our body releases stress hormones like cortisol and androgens. This stimulates oil glands to escalate the production of sebum. Acne bacteria feed off this sebum, which attracts the white blood cells to the area that in turn, produces an inflammatory response. Stress has a general depressive effect on the body's immune system that may cause acne to worsen by lowering the body's ability to fight inflammation.
Similarly, lack of sleep can lead to increased secretion of cortisol that will send your oil glands into overdrive. So even when you don’t feel stressed your sleep-deprived body can still produce stress hormones. It’s pretty crazy, right?
Different people have different ways of managing stress, find the one that works best for you. Create sleep hygiene habits and consult with a professional on the best skincare routine for your skin.
4. Ingredients In Your Skincare Products Irritating Your Skin
“There is nothing more frustrating than trying a new product that everyone has been raving about and waking up the next morning with breakouts and irritation”. This is what we often hear from our clients who sometimes steer away from their regular regimen to try something new. Of course, we would prefer for you to stick to the regimen we prescribed for your specific skin, but we also know it’s hard not to try the best new thing everyone is talking about.
As with all things in skincare, there is no one size fits all and not all these ingredients will affect everyone but there are a few for you to look out for, including beeswax, lanolin, dimethicone, Isopropyl Myristate, synthetic fragrances, and some natural oils like coconut oil and cocoa butter.
What we recommend is to add one new product at a time and carefully start tracking ingredients. That way, when trying new products, you can check your list to make sure it doesn’t have any of them and save yourself time, money, and hopefully a few breakouts.
5. Foods In Your Diet May Influence Your Breakouts
Food alone doesn’t cause or prevent acne but the link between diet and acne is evident. What you eat can play a significant role in the health and appearance of your skin and certain foods can increase the frequency of your breakouts. They can promote inflammation and affect the production of hormones in your body which can trigger breakouts.
You probably already heard of sugar and dairy to be a culprit in your sudden breakouts and unfortunately, it’s possible.
Foods high in sugar and saturated fats – like white bread, pasta, fried foods, ice cream, sodas, and anything else that converts into sugar – cause spikes in your body's insulin levels exacerbate inflammation and increase the production of sebum that contribute to the clogging of follicles.
Dairy, because it contains testosterone and natural growth hormones like bovine can alter the balance of hormones in your skin, and result in increased oil production.
Some other acne triggering foods include shrimp/lobster (high iodine), peanuts (androgen), soy (estrogen), seaweed (high iodine), eggs (progesterone, high iodine,biotin), and whey protein powder.
In addition, imbalance in your gut microbiome can also incites an immune response, one that ultimately results in systemic inflammation, including inflammation in your skin.
We know: it all sounds a lot, but the best diet for your skin doesn’t have to be complicated.
Our suggestion: eat lots of fruit, vegetables, healthy protein, and drink lots of water. Minimize sugar, dairy, processed food and alcohol. Observe how your skin reacts to different foods, and if you notice breakouts after consuming any of the above-mentioned foods, choose to avoid them.
6. Medication And Supplements You Are Taking
We would think that all vitamins are good for us, right? Any supplements and vitamins can cause acne if we are sensitive to them, but there are a few that are the biggest culprits.
Supplements like B6, B12, iodine, whey protein, biotin, and multivitamins can cause acne or worsen an existing condition. Similarly, prescription or over-the-counter medications that contain iodine, androgens, or steroids are often linked to adult acne. While it is important to follow a treatment plan you might want to discuss this with your doctor.
Professional Acne Treatments Can Help Your Skin
Getting regular facials are beneficial for the health of your skin, but it is even more important when dealing with breakouts and acne. To effectively treat problematic skin, you need to understand the causes, you have to use the right products and the right treatments. Trying to treat your skin concerns on your own might prolong the condition or can even make it worse. At JE’DERM skin atelier, we have several modalities and can customize approaches to effectively address your unique condition. Let us help you on this journey.