I got 99 problems but my acne ain’t one.
The main reason for acne are clogged pores and hair follicles. There are also a lot of hidden causes in our daily life that cause acne which we all tend to overlook. Here are a few surprising reasons that might be the culprit in your acne situation.
Your Pillowcase
Your pillowcase gets zero afterthought as a cause for your acne. Your cotton pillowcase acts as a sponge for all your skin products, sweat, drool and hair products ( all because cotton absorbs moisture). All this harmful residue piles up night after night and clogs your pores causing your skin to get irritated and produce whiteheads, blackheads and acne.
Solution?
Switch to a silk pillowcase instead. Being non-absorbent and anti-bacterial, it ensures that your skin products are not absorbed by your pillowcase. Your skin remains sweat free, bacteria free and dirt free which reduces your acne over time.
A silk pillowcase will also ensure that you don’t wake up with a film of grease on your face due to overproduction of oil which happens when you sleep on a cotton pillowcase.
Dame Essentials' Rose Gold Pure Mulberry Silk Pillowcase (available in four other colors)
Your mobile phone
When your press your face frequently against the screen of your cell phone, your skin comes in contact with a lot of dirt, bacteria and pimple producing oils. Dr. Eric Schweiger, a dermatologist and clinical instructor of dermatology at Mount Sinai Medical Centre in New York City calls this ‘Acne Mechanica’. “It happens to violinists around the chin and football players with the chin strap- it is caused by not letting the pores breathe, and the repetitive motion causes friction. Now, we are seeing it with cellphones.”
Solution?
Cleaning your cellphone regularly with a sanitizer will reduce these acne causing oil and bacteria.
Your food choices
Having a poor diet affects your skin in more ways than one. Eating fried food, sugary and starchy food and having sugary drinks everyday can cause sugar induced inflammation that causes irritated skin and acne. These foods do not digest easily and stay logged in your gut for a long time due to lack of fibre. This causes unhealthy gut balance that causes inflammation and acne.
Solution?
Increase your fibre and probiotic intake, load up on protein and have at least eight glasses of water every day. Throwing in a supplement like vitamin C will make sure you have that enviable goddess like inner glow.
Your wash cloth
Your wash cloth becomes a breeding ground for acne causing bacteria thanks to the dust and moisture in it. These bacteria can also aggravate skin irritations.
Solution?
A wash cloth must be used only once and then thrown in the laundry. Replace it with a new one. Seems like a hard job to do? We’re sure your face would disagree.
Your make up brushes
We all love getting dolled up. Some of us on a daily basis while others, occasionally. What we don’t realize is that our make-up brushes have make up residue which along with the moisture and dust in the air can produce bacteria and cause acne and skin rashes.
Solution?
Wash your make up brushes, pressed power compact and beauty blenders on a regular basis and keep replacing them every once in a while.
Your hair styling products
Sometimes, the most random things can cause us to have breakouts. But surprisingly, breakouts caused by hair products are so common, there is a name for them: Pomade Acne.
Sometimes, styling products seep oil onto the forehead, which can cause acne causing bacteria in your pores.
Over oiling or leaving your hair in oil overnight can also cause acne, blackheads and whiteheads along your hairline and forehead.
When it comes to hairstyles, bangs or fringes can make your acne worse by bringing skin-clogging hair products right against your forehead.
Solution?
If you have acne prone skin, stay away from hair styling products or keep their use to a minimum. Use shampoos which are free from sulphates, parabens and SLS.
Keep your hair pulled back or away from your face if you live in a hot and humid climate which aggravates acne formation.
Once you start using an acne or spot treatment, stick to it if it works for you. A lot of people also suffer from acne because they switch their acne treatments more than 4 to 5 times.
Different chemicals present in these acne treatments can cause skin reactions and aggravate your condition instead of helping it.
A little focus on these overlooked things in life will leave you with flawless skin in no time!
Can you think of other surprising reasons that might cause a face full of acne? Let us know in the comments below or simply share your views. We would love to hear from you.
