5 Ways to Avoid Zit Breakouts – Advice From Experts
Zit breakouts can shatter your confidence in an instant. If you’re having constant trouble with pesky zits, you’ll be glad to know there’s a way out. Read these amazing advice from top dermatologists on how to keep zits from appearing on your skin.
Maintain a Clean Face
Regardless of it, you have zit breakouts or not, it’s incredibly important to wash your face regularly during the day to remove any impurities, damaged skin cells, and oil from your face.
We recommend washing at least twice per day to ensure that zit breakouts won’t happen due to a dirty face. You should use warm water and a gentle facial cleanser. Using a harsh soap (like body soap) can hurt the already inflamed skin and result in more irritation.
You should avoid washing your skin roughly with any material that’s rough. Gently wash it with a very soft cloth or your hands, and always remember to rinse well, you should then dry your face with a clean towel. If you have a breakout, use the washcloth only once.
Moisturize Your Skin to Avoid Zit Breakouts
Many zit treatments contain ingredients that will dry your skin, make it your top priority to use a moisturizer that reduces dryness and peeling of the skin. You should look for “noncomedogenic” on the label, which means it should not result in new zits forming. There are moisturizers produced for oily, dry skin.
Try an Over-The-Counter Zit Product
These zit products don’t require a prescription, and the majority of them will have ingredients like benzoyl peroxide, salicylic acid, glycolic acid, or lactic acid, which helps prevent bacteria and dry your skin.
This may result in drying or peeling of the skin, so it’s a good idea to only start with a small amount at first. You can also adjust to how much you use and how often, depending on how it affects your skin.
Use Makeup Rarely
If you have a breakout, you should avoid wearing foundation, powders or blushes.
And if you really have to wear makeup, make sure that you wash it all of at the end of the day.
You can also try to use makeup that is oil-free, without chemicals. They will be labeled as “noncomedogenic”, which means that it cannot cause zit breakouts to emerge.
Be Careful of Hair Products
You should aim to avoid using products like oils or gels in your hair, these will irritate your skin, especially if they get on your face.
You should only use products which are considered “gentle”, like shampoo and conditioner. If you have oily hair, it can make your face oily, which will result in a breakout. If you have long hair, you should stay away from oily products.
Avoid Touching Your Face
If you keep touching your face with your hands or putting your chin on your hands, this is a very easy way to have a breakout, your hands will gather bacteria during the day, if you touch your face, it’ll spread and cause a breakout – if you have a zit on your face, avoid popping it with your hands as it will lead to infection and scarring.
Stay Away from the Sun
The sun’s strong rays can cause inflammation and redness. Some zit medicine may make your skin more sensitive to sunlight, so you should limit your time in the sun.
It’s important that between the hours of 10 am and 2 pm that you wear protective clothing, such as a long-sleeved shirt, pants hat to avoid the sun from damaging your skin.
Whether you have zits or not, always apply a sunscreen with SPF 30 or higher at least 20 minutes before being exposed to the sun. You should look for “noncomedogenic” on the sunscreen label to make new zits less likely. Read the ingredients on the product label to know exactly what you’re applying on your skin.
- 9 Unexpected Causes of Acne in Adults
Thought acne breakouts and blemishes left you after your college? Think again. Acne in adults is more common than you think.
According to the American Academy of Dermatology, nearly half of women over 25 still suffer from acne breakouts.
And shockingly, if you never had them as a teen, it doesn't mean you are safe from breakouts.
Although the acne breakouts may look the same in adults, they're a bit different from the ones you may have had in teens.
Acne in adults usually appears on the lower half of the face. And they usually appear as cysts or under the skin which is impossible to drain.
So what exactly are causing acne breakouts in your 30s? One culprit is changing hormone levels. Others include premenstrual dips or fluctuations during perimenopause.
But did you know, there are many other unexpected causes of acne in adults? Sometimes your skin-care regimen is to blame, and sometimes your lifestyle plays a major role.
If you're confused about why acne breakouts are still frequent in your adulthood, here are 9 unexpected reasons you may be getting them.
Top 9 Unexpected Causes of Acne in Adults
Believe it or not, sometimes getting facial hair removal, or using excessive hair products can cause a breakout. If your hormonal balances are perfectly fine, then perhaps its time to revisit and reshuffle your beauty drawer a bit. Here are some common culprits.
Facial Hair Removal
Tweezing, waxing, shaving can all cause the skin tissue to swell. This opens up the way for acne-causing bacteria to enter deeper into skin pores.
Sometimes even topical products applied to your skin before hair removal can clog skin pores and promote a breakout.
To make sure this never happens, simply use 1% hydrocortisone cream before you remove facial hair.
Try to kill off some bacteria too by cleaning the hairy area thoroughly.
Makeup Removers
Cosmetics are notorious for clogging skin pores. They can combine with natural skin oil and cause breakouts.
But the real problem always doesn't lie with the product themselves. It has more to do with the way you remove the makeup too.
Oil and dirt can easily buildup on makeup after a long day. This can trap acne-causing bacteria within the skin that results in acne.
After removing your makeup, make sure to wash your face thoroughly. If the problem persists, try washing your face before removing makeup as well.
Stress
If you can't sleep all night because of a deadline or an important meeting the next day, you're probably stressed out. Although stress alone can't cause an acne breakout, it can accelerate the process.
Stress causes the body to release inflammatory chemicals and changes some hormonal balances. This triggers a breakout. So if you're experiencing huge cyst-like pimples that are redder, bigger, and painful, they are probably there because of stress.
The best way to deal with such pimples is to use products containing benzoyl peroxide or salicylic acid.
Sometimes cyst-like pimples can leave scars. Try these effortless home remedies to treat acne scars.
Sunscreens
Some sunscreens promote acne in adults Most sunscreens are made with two active ingredients. The first is a long list of chemical agents that protect your skin from ultraviolet rays. The second is physical agents that basically sit on your skin surface and create an invisible barrier.
This barrier is bad news for your skin.
Sunscreens that contain titanium or zinc oxide can promote excessive sweating underneath them which can cause acne.
So next time you are about to apply sunscreen, make sure to read what ingredients you're dealing with. Try to avoid sunscreens with pore-clogging physical agents.
Dry Skin
If you think oily skin is the only culprit behind breakouts, think again. Dry skin can cause tiny cracks in the skin which can open doors for acne-causing bacteria to enter and multiply, resulting in a breakout.
Make sure to gently exfoliate the skins at least 2-3 times a week. Some moisturizers can clog your pores, so be careful what you're applying. Always apply noncomedogenic moisturizers on dry skin.
Hair-Care Products
Hair spray can cause acne breakouts too Haircare products meant for styling commonly cause acne. These products increase oil in your scalp and forehead trapping acne-causing bacteria in skin pores.
Clogged pores can easily become inflamed and result in a breakout.
When applying hair styling products, make sure that you are applying it with your hands. Avoid using hair sprays because most of the times these products end up on your forehead.
After application, use a facial cleanser to remove any traces of the styling product from your forehead and face.
Skincare Products
Skincare products are made to provide nourishment and care for your skin, right?
The truth is many skincare products are made with synthetic chemicals and other harmful ingredients that promote acne breakouts.
If there's any skincare product that causes irritation, stop using it immediately.
Avoid switching too many skincare products rapidly. When you try a new skincare product, you are also providing your skin with new active ingredients, chemicals, and preservatives. These can irritate the skin which leads to acne.
Excessive Traveling
Traveling a lot means changing environments and new challenges for the skin.
Every city, or country has its own humidity, weather, and water elements. Environmental changes can sometimes trigger acne breakouts since your skin is not used to the new atmosphere.
Expert travelers recommend washing your face with bottled water. They also recommend avoiding hotel soaps.
Diet and Lifestyle
If you thought eating chocolate and Mcdonalds no longer messes with your skin, you may be in for a surprise.
The diet-related causes of acne are still true to your age. A recent study found that carbohydrates that have a high glycemic index can increase the severity and development of acne in adults.
So do your best to cut back on junk food such as burgers, pizzas, fries, and other fried food. Instead, make a switch to veggies, fruits, grains, and high protein foods. But do this gradually to give your skin enough time to deal with the changes.
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