Despite washing your face religiously with a gentle facial cleanser and using skincare products to a bare minimum, that stubborn acne just won’t seem to go away. This problem can be quite frustrating, making you wonder what you could be doing wrong.

In all likelihood, you have done nothing but take care of your skin. Acne breakouts may not be the result of your lifestyle, but rather due to your genetic makeup.

Is Acne Hereditary or Genetic?

If you suspect that your genes may have caused the breakouts, you are probably right. Genetics can be a contributing factor to the development of acne, from the common whiteheads or blackheads to painful, adult-onset cysts.

If other members of your family are suffering from acne breakouts, then you are also more likely to have acne yourself. You may find blemishes during your younger years and frequent breakouts that become difficult to control during your adolescence or adulthood.

A study claims that your genetic makeup can potentially be 80% responsible for the flare-ups. For instance, if both of your parents struggled with severe acne sometime in their lives, it can increase your risk of having acne breakouts.

Your parents may potentially carry the same genetic components for acne or varying ones. There is a tendency that you may have inherited a hormonal condition gene that increased your risk for acne from one parent while received an overzealous immune response or other genetic factors from the other.

Heredity and Other Risk Factors

Although there is no single gene that makes you prone to acne breakouts, a study shows that a person’s genetic makeup can have a significant impact on your risk of developing acne problems. Health experts explained that genetics can influence how well your immune system can ward off Propionibacterium acnes (P. acnes), a type of bacteria that promotes acne. When your immune system fails to control these bacteria, it can stimulate the skin to produce more sebum in the follicle, which results in inflammation.

Inheriting one or more of these tendencies may also increase your risk of acne breakout:

• Faster skin cell turnover rate
• Increased production of acne-triggering androgen hormones, such as testosterone
• Decreased production rate of androgen-suppressing hormones, such as estrogen

Genetics are not the only ones to be blamed. Certain lifestyle and environmental factors can also make your face acne-prone to acne-covered. Unfortunately, if you are already struggling with genetic acne, adding these factors can worsen your condition:

• Diet – Indulging in greasy, fast food and dairy food products can increase your risk of acne breakouts.
• Environment – Pollution can also be a major cause of inflammatory acne. Living in an area with poor air quality can make you more susceptible to skin irritation or acne problems.
• Hormones – Hormone fluctuations or imbalance can also be a contributing factor. Women may experience frequent hormonal acne eruptions during their puberty years and at some point during their menstrual cycle. Entering the perimenopausal or menopausal stage can also trigger acne vulgaris.

Ultimately, the combination of hereditary, lifestyle, health, and environmental factors can be behind the breakouts. While it may sound alarming, it is actually good news because you can control your health, lifestyle, and environmental factors compared to your genetics. Simply making healthy lifestyle choices and avoiding environmental triggers can greatly reduce the severity and frequency of breakouts, especially when you pair it with a quality skincare routine and products.

How to Deal With Genetic Acne

If you’re experiencing this problem, you probably wondered how genetic can acne be cured. While it is impossible to modify your genetic makeup, you still have control over your lifestyle and personal habits. If you are struggling with genetic acne, it does not mean you will have them your entire life. However, it may be a little challenging to keep them from breaking out.

Here are a few skincare solutions recommended by professionals to keep hereditary acne breakouts at bay. 

• Do Not Overdo Your Skincare Routine

Going crazy about skincare products can be unhealthy for your skin health. Loading up on products that your skin does not need will only have a counterproductive result. If you have genetic acne, keep your acne skincare routine simple and consistent and use only mild and gentle skincare products if you have sensitive skin.

Whether you are looking for skincare, sunscreen, or makeup, always choose non-comedogenic products because they do not clog your pores and trigger additional breakouts. Look for products containing sulphur, benzoyl peroxide, salicylic acid, and glycolic acid. These ingredients are effective in fighting acne. They gently exfoliate dead skin cells as well as unclog sebum and dirt from pores. They can also be used to treat breakouts. If you’re not sure which products suit you, consult a dermatologist.

• Practice Good Hygiene

In addition to maintaining your skincare routine, it is equally important to practice good hygiene at all times.

• Avoid touching your face and never attempt to pop or pick your pimples with unwashed hands. This can spread bacteria, dirt, and oil that can potentially clog your pores even more.
• Change your bedsheets and pillowcases regularly. Dead skin cells, bacteria, dirt, and oil from your body and hair can accumulate on dirty linens.
• Always keep your hair pulled back away from your face every time you go to sleep or exercise.
• Take off your tight, sweaty clothes immediately after working out and wash your body and face as soon as possible.
• Manage Your Stress Levels

Stress does not directly contribute to acne, but it can make the problem worse. Stress can increase the cortisol levels in your body, causing the sebaceous glands to produce more oil that can clog your pores and trigger acne to break out. While it is impossible to avoid stress, there are several things we can do to manage it and protect your skin from blemishes.

Engaging in regular exercise, meditation, or enjoying a relaxing bubble bath is an effective way to manage your stress levels, bringing you some peace after a long tiring day.

• Settle Your Hormones

If you suspect that hormonal imbalance or high androgen levels may have caused your breakouts, make sure to discuss your medications and hormone therapies with your healthcare provider. Taking medications or undergoing hormone therapy can have side effects on your skin.

• Eat a Healthy Diet

What you eat can have a significant impact on the health of your skin. If you are fond of eating processed foods and refined sugar and carbs, it is high time to ditch them and choose healthy foods, such as fresh fruits and vegetables, healthy fats like avocado, and lean proteins to keep acne at bay. While it is okay to indulge in greasy, fast foods once in a while, make it a habit to eat nutritious foods most of the time. Keeping a food journal can effectively help you keep track of the foods that cause breakouts so you can avoid them altogether.

• Go Green

Whenever possible, use organic, chemical-free products, as they do not contain hormone-disrupting ingredients. Treat yourself with all-natural skin and hair products.

• Detox Your Skin

If you live in a smoggy, urban area, your skin may be choking with environmental pollutants. To detoxify your skin naturally, incorporate foods rich in detox properties, such as dark leafy greens, cabbage, beets, apples, garlic and onion into your diet to clear and cleanse your system. Drinking plenty of water can also help flush out toxins from your body.

Whether you are trying to change your lifestyle or manage your hormones, these healthy tips do not only make your skin healthy and happy but can improve your general health as well.

When to Seek Treatment

The consequences of untreated acne are more than skin deep. If you are struggling with any of these persistent symptoms, visit an aesthetician who can resolve your problem with the best acne treatment plan that helps clear your skin quickly.

Get treatment:

• When persistent severe acne develops
• When you start developing rosacea on your face.
• When over-the-counter treatments no longer help control breakouts
• When acne starts to appear after taking medications for depression, anxiety, and other conditions. Some drugs can trigger acne flare-ups or similar symptoms. Talk to your healthcare provider and the possibility of changing your prescription.

• When acne scars start to develop. A dermatologist can help get rid of acne scars using state-of-the-art treatments. Microneedling with PRP is the best treatment for acne scars. It uses fine needles to prick your skin, stimulating it to produce more collagen to heal small wounds.
• When acne starts to affect your self-esteem. Treating acne can effectively help restore your confidence and make you feel less self-conscious.

If you are looking to resolve your acne problems, em clinic can provide you with the right treatment. We use the latest technology and techniques to get rid of acne and rejuvenate your skin. We can provide you with a safe, non-invasive laser treatment to get rid of active acne and acne scars. Give us a call at (519) 668-7449 or email us at info@emclinicandspa.com. You can also fill in our contact form to send us your message or queries.