Breakouts can be so baffling. One minute your skin is perfect and the next it’s freaking out. Especially if you have sensitive skin. We’re all too familiar with this dilemma. We’ve all heard the common (sometimes mythical) culprits of acne: greasy food, sweating, not washing our faces, chocolate etc. But what if you’re taking really good care of your skin yet still breaking out
? Sometimes it takes investigative work to really figure out what’s causing acne
. Here are some culprits that my be causing your breakouts. Try eliminating one at a time to find the potential cause.
Stress & Lack of Sleep
When we stress
and don’t get enough sleep our bodies have a harder time repairing themselves. This is especially true for the body’s largest organ -our skin. Stress and lack of sleep not only makes you look tired, but it can also cause more acne and breakouts.
Moisturizers and Foundations with Sunblock
We all know we need SPF protection to guard our skin against the sun, but the flipside is that sunscreen
can be very comedogenic. (Even if it says it’s not). Some of us are simply allergic to it and there’s not a whole lot you can do about it besides wear a hat and avoid wearing sunscreen on your face all together. If you’re using a product with sunscreen, discontinue using it to see if your skin calms down.
Dirty Makeup Brushes and Pillow Cases
Bacteria loves building up on pillow cases and makeup brushes. Be sure you’re washing your pillow cases and makeup brushes at least once a week! Otherwise you could be breeding a nasty breakout.
Dairy
Yes, we love ice cream and cheese too, but dairy products
have been known to inflame acne and cause breakouts. Milk contains a lot of hormones from animals which can aggravate our skin. Try eliminating all dairy products. You might find your skin clears up quickly!
Talking On The Phone
Phones attract a lot of bacteria. If you notice you’re breaking on the side of your face where you talk on your phone, this could be the cause. Think about it, when was the last time you wiped your phone down with an antiseptic wipe? Keep your phone clean and away from your face when you use it.
Gluten
There’s been a lot of uproar about gluten lately -and for good reason! Many people are very allergic to it and it has become a front-runner for being a sneaky acne aggravator. You may find you’re also having digestive issues and lethargy if you’re allergic to gluten. Check with your doctor to get tested.
Hormonal Imbalance
If your skin and hair has suddenly become oily, it’s very likely something is up with your hormones. It’s best to go to the doctor to get checked as a hormonal imbalance could be caused by an underlying medical condition.
Hormonal Birth Control
Hormonal birth control
methods are notorious for causing acne and all kinds of undesirable side effects like moodiness, weight gain, and loss of sex drive. If you find your skin is breaking out when starting a new hormonal birth control method, it may be time to get off artificial hormones all together. Instead, try a copper IUD or use condoms until you can pinpoint the cause of your acne.
Lack of Moisture/Harsh Products
If you’re using hardcore “acne” products, they could actually be making your skin worse. Many products formulated for acne are simply too aggressive. Try laying off the harsh products for a few days to see if your skin improves. We recommend trying a Dermal Oil Change aka “the Oil Cleansing Method.” This technique is renowned for clearing up acne when nothing else works.
Your Boyfriend
We all know boyfriends can be annoying and stressful in their own right, but if your boyfriend also has acne and you’re canoodling and rubbing all against his mug, his bacteria is transferring to your face and could be breaking you out! Short of putting a paper bag over his head, this is a tough problem to deal with. You’ll have to get strategic when kissing him or just talk him into doing a Dermal Oil Change with you!
Toothpaste
If you’re getting breakouts around your mouth, your toothpaste could be the cause. Try switching to a natural toothpaste, such as Tom’s or Jason Naturals. You may be allergic to the chemicals in non-natural toothpastes.
It’s Not Acne
Many people see red bumps and automatically assume it’s acne. You may actually have rosacea or another infection not caused by legitimate acne bacteria P. Acnes. If you’ve been using traditional acne products to no avail, it may be time to see your doctor to see if your problem is caused by another strain of fungus or bacteria.
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