What Causes Acne On Face

You’re Making Your Pimple Worse By Picking Your Face

Its tempting in the moment, but its never a good idea to play dermatologist because its nearly impossible to pick your own pimple and not make a red mark that could turn into a scar. Even worse, when you try to press the blackhead or pus out of your pore, you run the risk of pushing the bacteria deeper and making the problem worse. Oh, yeah, and you know when you rest your chin in your palm while youre sitting at your desk? That action of touching your skin also can transfer bacteria from your hand onto your face, Dr. Downie adds.

The zit fix:

Challenge yourself not to pick or even touch your face for unnecessary reasons. If you need to physically put something over your pimple to keep your hands off of it , try a pimple patch, which is a flat, flexible, drug-free patch that protects your spot and allows it to heal faster.

And when all else failsor ideally, before all else beginshead to your dermatologist to find out which of the acne causes is wreaking havoc on your skin. Its almost like they went to school to fix this kind of thing. Weird.

What Does Hormonal Acne Look Like

Whiteheads, blackheads, papules, pustules, cysts and nodules are all common hormonal acne symptoms. Normally, whiteheads and blackheads do not cause pain, inflammation or swelling, but if they do, then they are most likely forming into cysts and pustules. If you do not know what a cyst is, it forms underneath the skin. It is typically tender or sore to the touch. Inflamed acne can cause redness, swelling, soreness and pain.

While hormonal acne can appear anywhere on your body, typical places depend on your age and health. Teenagers tend to have these lesions on the T-zone . Adults who are 20 years or older have breakouts, usually at the lower parts of their face like the jawline, chin and bottom on the cheeks. However, hormonal acne can appear on the neck, back, shoulders and chest as well.

When Should You See A Dermatologist

Visit a doctor when the acne is severe, reoccurring, itchy or painful. It is also wise to see a dermatologist before you try any DIY products or over the counter items. A doctor can evaluate your acne and tell you what treatments are best for you and your skin. If you notice any allergic reactions or worsening acne cases, contact your doctor immediately.

Hormonal acne does not have to take over your life. Keep your face clear and stay confident by visiting your dermatologist. For more information, contact us today.

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How To Treat And Prevent Body Acne

You can use many methods to clear up mild body acne without the need for dermatological treatment. Once you’ve identified the primary cause for your breakouts, you can opt for any of these acne-clearing techniques.

Stop using cosmetic products that clog your pores. Take a look at the hair and body products you’re regularly using. Cut down on those that contain:

• Oils
• Silicones

Instead, choose grooming products that state on the label that they are non-comedogenic or non-acnegenic.

Do your laundry more often. Cosmetic products, sweat, and dead skin cells might remain on clothes and other fabrics if you don’t wash them regularly. Make sure to keep the following items clean:

• Pillowcases
• Sportswear
• Sports gear

âAvoid acne mechanica. Having bump-free skin while continuing to play sports is doable. All you have to do is pay more attention to certain details. Make sure to:

• Use padding to avoid friction caused by sports gear.
• Use clothes with dry-fit technology.
• Choose loose-fitting sportswear when possible.
• Avoid sharing your protective gear.
• Put on clean clothes more often.
• Wipe down communal workout equipment.

Beware of the sun. Make sure to apply plenty of sunscreen throughout the day if you’re planning on being outside. Look for an oil-free option that has the following characteristics:

• Non-comedogenic
• Broad-spectrum with SPF 30+

What Are Other Cystic Acne Treatments

Other treatments for cystic acne include:

• Corticosteroid injections: Used to quickly shrink large, painful acne cysts.
• Incision and draining: Helps to open up an acne cyst and drain the pus.
• Birth control pill or spironolactone: Used by women to lower hormone levels that cause cystic acne.
• Isotretinoin: An oral retinoid .

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Your Hair Products Are Clogging Your Pores

Those same pore-clogging moisturizing agents and sulfates that sneak their way into your skincare products can also be found in your shampoo, conditioner, and hairstyling formulas. And similar to how they can cause breakouts on your face, the ingredients can seep into the pores on your body and clog them, resulting in chest acne, back acne, and even pimples along your hairline or scalp acne, says Wright.

The zit fix:

First and foremost, switch to a sulfate-free shampoo already. Once you’ve moved on to the conditioning step, clip your hair up and off your back while you let the formula sit. When you rinse, tilt your head over and to the side to keep the potentially pore-clogging and acne-causing residue off your face, chest, and back.

Causes Of Acne In Older Women

If you’re frustrated by blemishes you thought you had left behind in your teenage years, you’re not alone. Many women have acne breakouts in their 30s, 40s, and 50s.

This article explores the causes of adult acne, as well as what you can do to prevent it. It will also explain when it’s best to reach out to your doctor.

The main factors that lead to acne for both teens and adults may include:

• Over-production of a type of oil, known as sebum, by the skin
• An excess of dead skin cells that block the pores
• A large amount of acne-causing bacteria within the blocked pores
• Inflammation of the skin

Adult acne is more common in women than in men. Acne can impact women even after menopause, which is a time when your periods stop.

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When To Contact A Medical Professional

• Self-care steps and over-the-counter medicine do not help after several months.
• Your acne is very bad .
• Your acne is getting worse.
• You develop scars as your acne clears up.
• Acne is causing emotional stress.

If your baby has acne, call the baby’s provider if acne does not clear up on its own within 3 months.

How To Use Topical Acne Medicines

• First, wash your skin with your hands using the soap suggested by your doctor.
• Rinse with water. Dry your face gently with a clean towel.
• Apply a thin film of medicine to all areas of acne, including the face, back and chest and rub it in gently. Do not wash off.
• Keep the medicine away from your eyes and the corners of your mouth.
• Some medicines work better during the day, while others work better when applied at night. Make sure to use the medicines at the recommended time of the day.
• Some medicines may cause dryness and redness. You may apply an over-the-counter face lotion that is oil-free and non-comedogenic.
• If the topical medicines are causing severe dryness or irritation, use them every other day. Keep using an oil-free, non-comedogenic face lotion.

Your doctor may also recommend that you wash your face with an acne wash that contains acne medicine. Benzoyl peroxide and salicylic acid are the ingredients commonly found in medicated acne washes. You do not need a prescription to get these washes. You can easily find them over the counter at most drug stores. Benzoyl peroxide and salicylic acid are the ingredients commonly found in medicated acne washes.

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Your Makeup Remover May Trigger Acne

Pore-clogging cosmetics can combine with your natural skin oil to cause breakouts called acne cosmetica.

The problem isnt only the products, but also how you remove the makeup, Frank warns.

Either women clean their skin in a cursory manner, or because theyre wearing mineral makeup they think they dont need to wash their face thoroughly, he adds.

After a long day, makeup, oil, and dirt build up. This is a triple threat that can easily clog your pores, trapping acne-causing bacteria and triggering breakouts.

Zip zapper Look for noncomedogenic products, and wash your face thoroughly and gently every night. Gently apply makeup, clean your makeup brushes every week, and dont share cosmetic products.

Where Are Your Pimples Popping Up

We often think of the T-zone as the main area for acne breakout, since the forehead, nose and chin are notorious for pumping out lots of sebum in acne-prone skin. But there are other areas of the face that experience acne breakouts. And where those breakouts occur may shed light on the source of the problem.

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Home Remedies For Sudden Acne Breakout

1. Topical creams like combinations of Benzoyl Peroxide, Retinoids and oral medicines can help in reducing acne naturally.

2. Dr Smiti also suggests chemical peels for reducing acne.

3. “Inflamed acne which need improvement in a day or two can be treated with Intralesional Steroid by a dermatologist,” she says.

4. Dr Rahul suggests that washing hair regularly can also prevent sudden acne breakout. Oil from your scalp on reaching your forehead or other parts of the face may be the reason for sudden popping up of pimples.

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You’re Drying Out Your Face With Too Much Zit Cream

Raise your hand if at the first sight of a bump, you load up the area with spot treatments . But Samantha Wright, a licensed aesthetician at the Dangene Institute, suggests not overreacting by over-treating. Topical salicylic acid, benzoyl peroxide, or sulfur over-the-counter treatments can dry out your skin and trigger it to produce even more oil and, in turn, zits. Additionally, the active ingredients can slightly burn the top layer of your skin, making it look red and raw if youre using all the things and far too often.

The zit fix:

You don’t have to toss your usual spot treatmentjust dont overdo it. Two to three times a week or every other night on your zit should do the trick. And if you have a reaction, switch to over-the-counter 1 percent hydrocortisone cream, like Aveeno One Percent Hydrocortisone Anti-Itch Cream, to calm the inflammation in the pimple and take down the redness.

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What Are The Different Types Of Acne

Acne can take several forms. They include:

• Blackheads: Open bumps on the skin that fill with excess oil and dead skin. They look as if dirt has deposited in the bump, but the dark spots are actually caused by an irregular light reflection off the clogged follicle.
• Whiteheads: Bumps that remain closed by oil and dead skin.
• Papules: Small red or pink bumps that become inflamed.
• Pustules: Pimples containing pus. They look like whiteheads surrounded by red rings. They can cause scarring if picked or scratched.
• Fungal acne : This type occurs when an excess of yeast develops in the hair follicles. They can become itchy and inflamed.
• Nodules: Solid pimples that are deep in your skin. They are large and painful.
• Cysts: Pus-filled pimples. These can cause scars.

All of these forms of acne can affect your self-esteem. Its best to seek help from your healthcare provider early so they can help determine the best treatment option for you.

Acne Prevention Tips: Causes Of Sudden Acne Breakout You Must Know

We speak to dermatologist Dr Smiti Naswa Singh, who tells us all about causes and effective home remedies to deal with sudden acne break out. She lists the following causes for sudden acne breakout:

• Hormonal imbalance: Fluctuations in hormones like during puberty, around ovulation or before periods, or hormonal imbalance because of being overweight or underlying health condition like thyroid and PCOD can lead to sudden popping up of pimples.
• Stress: Dr Smiti says that “Excessive mental stress during exams or job interview or nearing your own wedding date or physical stress like illness,” can all lead to sudden acne breakout and popping up of pimples. Now you got your answer!
• Crash diet or overeating with too much fat/fried/processed food, which is common during the festive season, can trigger acne and cause pimples.
• Certain medications like steroids/ hormonal pills/ some anticonvulsants/ Lithium can also be a cause of pimples and acne.
• Dermatologist Dr Rahul Sharma says that 25% of adults get acne because of excess sebum production.

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Can Nicotine Cause Acne

One study found that smoking may play a role for some women with acne. In this study, the women had noticeable whiteheads and blackheads that often covered a large area of their face. Some also had a few pimples.

The researchers found that many of the women in this study smoked cigarettes. They also found that the more cigarettes a woman smoked, the more severe her acne. Some of these women developed icepick-type acne scars when the acne cleared.

Link to smoking

Most women in the study who develop noticeable whiteheads along with a few pimples smoked.

Other studies have found that smokers are more likely to have acne than non-smokers. This repeat finding suggests that smoking cigarettes may trigger acne.

You’re Not Actually Dealing With Acne

To make matters even more complicated, sometimes the “acne” you’re trying to treat isn’t *technically* acne, which would explain why your usual acne treatments flat out aren’t working or are maybe even making them worse. If your breakouts are popping up around your hairline, forehead, chest, or back and look like small, itchy red bumps that are roughly the same size, you might actually have fungal acne . Although it might look like acne to you, this is actually an infection of the hair follicles and needs a different treatment approach.

The zit fix:

Your derm could help you determine if you have fungal acne and set you up with a prescription, but if you’re experiencing a mild case of fungal acne, a regular OTC dandruff shampoo that contains zinc pyrithione or selenium sulfide might do the trick. Apply the formula to the area of skin, wait 10 minutes, then rinse it off. And because fungal acne thrives on sweat, friction, and excess sebum, be diligent about washing your sweaty clothes and your sweaty body.

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What Causes Adult Acne

Adult acne, or post-adolescent acne, is acne that occurs after age 25. For the most part, the same factors that cause acne in adolescents are at play in adult acne. The four factors that directly contribute to acne are: excess oil production, pores becoming clogged by “sticky” skin cells, bacteria, and inflammation.

There are also some indirect factors that influence the aforementioned direct factors, including

• hormones, stress, and the menstrual cycle in women, all of which can influence oil production
• hair products, skin care products, and makeup, which can clog pores
• diet, which can influence inflammation throughout the body.

Some medications, including corticosteroids, anabolic steroids, and lithium, can also cause acne.

Many skin disorders, including acne, can be a window into a systemic condition. For example, hair loss, excess hair growth, irregular menstrual cycles, or rapid weight gain or loss in addition to acne, or rapid onset of acne with no prior history of acne, can all be red flags of an underlying disease, such as polycystic ovarian syndrome, or other endocrine disorders. Tell your doctor if you are experiencing additional symptoms he or she may recommend further evaluation.

Types Of Forehead Acne

Because acne is the result of clogged pores, acne symptoms can show upanywhere on the face where a pore can be found. “During adolescence, the forehead is often one of the first areas to develop acne,” says Kraffert. “It is also often one of the first areas to clear up as adolescence progresses too.” Some types of acne, however, tend to appear on the forehead more often than others.

• Comedones: Read: those small spots known as blackheads and whiteheads. Acne comes in many flavors, and the type of acne you see depends on the persons ability to produce oil,” says Patel. “Usually the type seen on the forehead is caused by occluded pores, so more whiteheads are seen there.”
• Pustules and papules: While whiteheads are by far the most common acne symptom seen on the forehead, raised red pimples are also know to pop up in the area. “Inflammatory papules and pustules are less frequent than comedones,” says Kraffert.
• Milia: Not technically acne although often mistaken for it, milia can sometimes take shape on the forehead as well. The difference between acne and milia? Acne forms when excess oil and dead skin cells clog a pore and create bacteria. Milia is seen when keratin becomes trapped under the surface of the skin to create little bumps that resemble whiteheads, most commonly found on women and babies.

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How Is Acne Treated

Your healthcare provider may suggest some non-prescription medications for your condition. Depending on the conditions severity, your age, the type of acne you have and how effective the over-the-counter remedies have been, you may need stronger prescription medications.

The use of certain contraceptives can sometimes help a womans acne go away. The Food and Drug Administration has approved three types of birth control pills for treating acne. All four contain a combination of estrogen and progesterone .

Various medications and therapies have proven to be effective. They target the underlying factors that contribute to acne. You might require at least one or multiple, depending on the severity of your condition.

Medications applied topically:

Medications taken orally :

Other therapies:

Depending on your condition, your healthcare provider might suggest one of these specialized therapies, possibly combined with medication.