5 Habits That Can Worsen Your Acne

One thing that can prevent you from having perfect and flawless skin is acne. To counter this, a large number of treatments — whether over-the-counter-creams or dermatological procedures — have been made available to address it.

However, acne can also be affected by an individual’s lifestyle. Certain habits can aggravate acne; fortunately, you can improve your condition by determining which habits to weed out.

#1 Eating High-Glycemic Food

The food you eat can affect the quality of your skin. If you love to eat hamburgers, fries, potato chips, and the like, then you may be taking in a high amount of high-glycemic foods. These types of foods are known for quickly raising your blood sugar levels. When this happens, your body releases the hormone called insulin.

Having too much insulin in your blood can cause inflammation throughout your body. It can lead oil glands to produce excessive amounts of sebum, an oily substance in your skin. This, in turn, can result in acne.

To avoid this, you should eat a healthier diet that consists of low-glycemic foods to minimize sebum production. Here are some foods that can alleviate acne symptoms:

beans, peas, and lentils
brown rice
dark green and leafy vegetables
fatty fish
orange and yellow fruits and vegetables

#2 Using the Wrong Hair Products

Shampoos and conditioners may be great for your hair, but did you know that certain ingredients in your regular hair products can make your acne worse? If you have little bumps along your hairline, forehead, or the back of your neck, these might be due to your hair products.

Some shampoos and conditioners contain oil. This can enter your skin, clog your pores, and eventually turn into acne. To prevent this, try switching to different brands and/or types. When choosing your hair products, examine the ingredients carefully. Select hair care products that feature the following words on their labels:

non-acnegenic
non-comedogenic
oil-free

#3 Wearing the Wrong Makeup

If you wear makeup on a regular basis, you have to be careful with what you put on your face. Like hair care products, some ingredients can cause acne, particularly acne cosmetica. This is a mild form of acne typically manifesting as small bumps on your scalp, forehead, cheeks, chin, and neck.

Makeup can also lead to the development of whiteheads and pimples. Additionally, if your lips are suffering from small breakouts, then it could be due to your lip balm or lipstick.

This does not mean that you can longer wear makeup; however, you do need to make certain concessions:

Check the labels of your makeup. Take a closer look at the products you are going to use. Look for non-comedogenic or oil-free makeup products.
Be gentle. When applying makeup, do not use force. You might end up irritating your skin. Be gentle with your skin. Instead of using your fingers, make use of the appropriate brushes and/or sponge.
Clean your makeup brushes regularly. Over time, dead skin cells, bacteria, and oil can stick to your makeup brushes. When you use these brushes, bacteria can enter your pores, resulting in acne. Clean your brushes every week.

#4 Having the Wrong Skincare Routine

You can take care of your skin further with a carefully designed skincare routine. Not only can it help you remove makeup; with the right products, you can rejuvenate your skin and give it a healthier glow. Adopt a skincare regimen that’s centred on treating your acne.

There are a variety of things consider when it comes to selecting and using skincare products. With the staggering number of products available in the market, it can be a challenge to figure out which ones are right for you. When purchasing, make sure to do the following:

Determine your skin type
Avoid products with too much alcohol.
Avoid non-comedogenic products.
Include chemical exfoliants, gentle cleansers, moisturizers, and nourishing plant oils.
Do a patch test.

Here are some things you should keep in mind when using skincare products:

Cleanse your face twice a day. You might think that you need to wash your face throughout the day to avoid acne. Unfortunately, that can irritate your skin, and it can lead to more breakouts. Wash your face at most twice a day with a gentle cleanser.
Do not try new acne treatments constantly. You might be eager to get rid of your acne, so you end up trying different acne treatments every week. However, this can also irritate your skin and cause more breakouts. Instead, give your acne treatment 6 to 8 weeks to see if it works.
Moisturize. Skin with acne tends to be oily. However, while it may seem counterintuitive, you still need to moisturize. Dry skin can cause redness and inflammation, aggravating acne. Use a moisturizer for acne-prone skin twice a day after you wash your face.

#5 Working Out

Exercising regularly is an excellent habit that allows you to keep your body in great health and shape. However, exercising will lead you to sweat excessively. Sweat, unfortunately, can result in oil, dirt, and bacteria build-up on your skin, turning it into a prime real estate for acne.

Fortunately, there is no need to stop exercising to avoid getting acne. To counter the detriments of sweat, you need to practice good hygiene during and after you work out. Here are a few tips:

Use clean workout clothes. Unwashed clothes have accumulated bacteria and dead skin; wearing these as you exercise can clog your pores. If you only have a limited number of workout clothes, wash them frequently so they are fresh when you need them for your next session.
Do not wipe your sweat. The sweat you produce as you exercise can be distracting, especially when it’s rolling down your face. However, do not rub the sweat from your skin during a workout. Doing so can irritate your skin and cause breakouts. Instead, gently pat your sweat with a clean towel.
Be gentle with your skin. After producing so much sweat, you might want to scrub your skin clean to get rid of oil, sweat, and dead skin cells. Avoid doing this, as this can irritate your skin and cause acne to flare. So be gentle when washing your face.

Caring for your skin requires you to consider what you do on a regular basis. If you want to avoid getting new breakouts, then you need to make sure that both your habits and the products you use are good for your skin. Otherwise, they can end up worsening your acne.

If you want to get professional service to treat acne, look no further than em clinic. We will gladly offer you exceptional skincare. To book a consultation, please feel free to contact us at (519) 668-7449 or email us at sarah@emclinicandspa.com.