There’s nothing more disappointing than learning (the hard way) that you can still get bad breakouts as an adult like you did when you were in your teenage years. Battling acne as an adult can be annoying, and embarrassing for some. Here are some surprising causes of adult acne, and how you can get rid of them.
Causes of Adult Acne: Hairstyling Products That Wind Up On Your Face
Breakouts caused by hair-care products are called pomade acne. The oil in these products can seep onto the forehead and clog the pores and cause inflammation. Inflamed pores can lead to redness, pus, and eventually, result in blackheads and whiteheads in the forehead and along the hairline. Having bangs can also worsen acne because it brings hair products closer to your forehead. Hair products that use spray applicators are also more likely to wind up on your face.
To prevent this, use your hands to apply styling products to your hair, making sure that you don’t get them on your face. After applying, use a facial cleanser to wipe any stray styling product that winded up on your face or hairline.
Causes of Adult Acne: Facial Hair Removal Creams
Many creams used for facial hair removal can be comedogenic, which means they can clog your pores and cause acne to develop. However, note that the itchy bumps you get after hair removal might not be acne, but an irritated hair follicle that’s causing a temporary rash. Apply a warm compress to the affected area three to four times a day to relieve the rash. If the rash persists, consult your doctor.
Always make sure to clean hairy areas before shaving or waxing to prevent bacteria build-up on your skin, and make sure to use non-comedogenic products to prevent clogged pores.
Causes of Adult Acne: Too Many Skin-Care Products
If you’re a skincare junkie, you might like trying out several new skin-care products when they come out in the market. Sadly, this may take a toll on your skin. Regularly adding a new product to your routine before giving it a chance to work can cause irritation and breakouts because the new preservatives and active ingredients can challenge your skin.
What’s more, using too many anti-acne products at once can also cause blemishes because they tear your skin apart. When trying out a skincare product for the first time, introduce it into your skincare one at a time. Skin turnover takes about four to six weeks, so give each product that adjustment time to see if they work. Using too many skincare products at once, especially the wrong ones, can mess with your skin’s pH and cause redness and acne.
Causes of Adult Acne: Using the Wrong Makeup Remover (or Not Using One)
When pore-clogging cosmetics combine with your skin’s natural oil, it can lead to a breakout called acne cosmetica. However, you can also get breakouts when you remove your makeup the wrong way. Some people who wear mineral makeup think they don’t need to wash their face thoroughly before going to bed. However, keep in mind that makeup residue, oil, and dirt can build up after a long day and clog your pores, trap bacteria that cause acne, and trigger breakouts.
Look for a non-comedogenic makeup remover, and make sure to wash your face thoroughly before you go to bed. Apply your makeup gently, clean your makeup brushes weekly, and don’t share makeups.
Causes of Adult Acne: Traveling to A New Place
The change of environment when you go for a vacation can trigger acne. The sun, heat, and humidity is challenging your skin, causing it to react by breaking out. While you definitely can’t change the weather where you visit, you have control over how much sunshine you get. To prevent breakouts while on vacation, avoid excessive sun exposure, and use a sunscreen that has zinc oxide or titanium dioxide.
Avoid using new products when you’re on vacation so as not to add to the epidermal stress that your skin going through as it adapts to the environmental changes.
Causes of Adult Acne: Wearing Heavier Sunscreens
If you have acne-prone skin, it’s crucial to always wear sunscreen, but how do you know which sunscreen is right for you? Oil-free, non-comedogenic sunscreens best suit people with oily and acne-prone skin. Sunscreens that aren’t labeled oil-free are considered “heavier” and can clog the skin pores and result in more breakouts.
Sunscreens have two types of active ingredients. Chemical agents are absorbed by the skin to protect it against harmful ultraviolet rays, while the physical agents (or mineral sunscreens) work as a sun shield on the skin’s surface. For people with sensitive or medically challenged skin, we recommend physical sunscreens because they deflect the sun’s rays.
Sea Active Skincare’s SKIN GUARDIAN SPF 20 DAYTIME MOISTURIZER is a daily moisturizer that can protect against harmful rays from the sun. This physical sunblock organic formula is free of controversial ingredients that are potentially harmful to people with sensitive or medically challenged skin. Always wash your sunscreen off before bedtime as even the most lightweight sunscreen can clog pores when left on the skin overnight.
Eating Too Much Processed Food and Refined Carbs
When we were teens, we always thought that greasy foods and sweets caused our pimples. You may still need to keep that in mind now that you’re already an adult. Research show evidence that a high-carbohydrate diet may put you at high risk of breakouts. In particular, a diet high in refined carbohydrates, which includes food like white bread and white pasta, cake, and cookies) may cause severe breakouts due to their high glycemic index that affects the blood sugar levels.
Dairy products may also trigger acne breakouts, according to studies. Low-fat cow’s milk contains more sugar than full-fat milk and has a large amount of progesterone-like hormones that may cause a hormonal imbalance and lead to breakouts.
Swap your chips and ice cream for whole grains, veggies, fruits, and foods high in protein to keep acne at bay.
Too Much Stress
If work-related stress or relationship issues are keeping you up at night, it may worsen your breakouts. When you are stressed, your body releases inflammatory chemicals that can cause hormonal changes. Even too much excitement might trigger breakouts, which explains why you often get a huge pimple before a big day.
To prevent breakouts before a big event, try to calm your nerves through yoga, deep breathing, or watching your favorite series on Netflix.
Using Your Cell Phone Too Often
Keeping in touch with friends, family, and colleagues may be great for your relationships and career, but not so much for your complexion. Throughout the day, your cell phone is exposed to surfaces with bacteria on them, and you put these bacteria close to your mouth when you talk on the phone.
Using your phone too often can also lead to acne mechanica or pimples caused by friction produced from rubbing your phone against your face. Even when you only use your phone to text or use social media, the bacteria transfer can still happen when you touch your face after touching your phone.
Make sure to wipe your phone clean with alcohol daily, and give it a rest once in a while.
Having Dry Skin
Bad breakouts don’t only happen to people with oily skin. Acne-causing bacteria can also grow and multiply on the microscopic cracks and fissures caused by dry skin. Dry skin flakes can also clog pores.
Hydrate your skin with a non-comedogenic moisturizer suited for your skin type, like Sea Active Skincare’s Phytogardenology™ Quintessential Hydrating Skin Repair Balm. This moisturizing balm is specially formulated to heal and revitalize dry skin, including those that are enduring medical treatments like radiation and chemotherapy.
Your skin will also benefit from a gentle exfoliator, such as this Illuminaire™ Enzyme Exfoliant-Mask, also from Sea Active Skincare. This gentle exfoliant helps remove dull, dead skin cells to reveal nice and youthful-looking skin.
Say Goodbye to Your Adult Acne
Acne doesn’t have to take over your face in your adulthood. After identifying what’s causing your adult acne, the next step is to ensure that you’re using the right products to keep breakouts at bay. Whatever your skin type is, Sea Active can cater to your skincare needs. To find out what products work best for your skin, contact us through our website, or call us at (858) 676-9727.
