If your breakouts have been giving you a hard time and not responding to a good anti-acne skincare routine and a clean diet, may be it’s time to take a look at certain common habits that could be the culprit.
Bacteria is one of the most influential factors in the formation and spreading of acne lesions.
The over production of sebum and accumulation of dead skin cells create the perfect environment for bacterial growth. Simple everyday activities and habits that you do without thinking can easily lead to transferring bacteria and end up exacerbating and worsening the acne condition.
Here is a close look at some of those habits:
- LETTING OTHER PEOPLE USE YOUR MAKEUP
- DIRTY MAKEUP BRUSHES
Friendship is a wonderful thing, but when you share your make up you are transferring bacteria from face to face and if you are prone to breakouts, those micro-organisms that live on everyone’s skin can become a problem to your skin. Also makeup brushes accumulate bacteria with every use, it is crucial to wash them at least once a week if not more often to prevent bacterial overgrowth.
- USING THE SAME TOWEL THAT YOU USE FOR YOUR BODY ON YOUR FACE
It is a great idea to use a separate fresh towel exclusively for your face regularly, that way you prevent to bring back bacteria into your skin.
- TOUCHING YOUR FACE OFTEN
It is impossible to have clean hands all the time, so the hands are carriers of bacteria that can easily end up on your face when you touch it often.
- NOT CHANGING THE PILLOWCASE REGULARLY
We tend to change the sheets often, but maybe buying a few extra sets of pillow cases can be a great investment so you can use a fresh one even more frequently. I know, this might not sound very pleasant, but we all drool to some extent while we sleep and saliva carries bacteria so you want to avoid those micro-organisms from reaching your skin.
- RESIDUE OF FRAGRANCE AND HAIR PRODUCTS
Ok I agree, hair products are an essential… a great hairstyle requires some good hair styling goodies, but many of them contain waxes, formaldehyde, plastic derivatives and other chemicals that can end up on your skin and clog the pores. Also, during your sleep since you rest your hair on the pillow and then turn around during the night, your face will be laying right over the residue of the product.
The same happens with fragrance. It contains multiple ingredients, many could be sensitizing to the skin, as you touch any part of your body with fragrance residue and then touch your face, it can cause irritation and turn into breakouts or an allergic reaction.
- OVER SATURATING THE SKIN WITH PRODUCTS THAT ARE TOO RICH FOR YOUR SKIN
Dry skin needs lipids (oils), oily skin on the other hand, already produces enough sebum (oil). If you add more oil to a skin that is already producing it in excess, chances are that you can get pore congestion and/or breakouts.
- RESTING YOUR CELL PHONE ON YOUR FACE
Who can survive now days without a cell phone… not that many people. We are spending a lot of time on our phones and without even noticing, it ends up resting on the face. Think of all the places where you take your phone to. Public places and bathrooms for example.. sound familiar…. With that in mind, the phone is the last thing you want to bring close to your face, especially if you suffer from acne. Use a Bluetooth and clean the phone regularly keeping it away from your face as you talk are fantastic habits to practice if you want to improve your acne.
- SUNGLASSES
If you have noticed that your breakouts are localized mainly on the upper cheeks and lower part of the forehead, think of sunglasses… especially the over sized ones.. They are lovely and very fashionable but oil and sweat carry bacteria which transfers to them as you wear them. If you don’t clean them regularly they will re-introduce the bacteria into your skin when you wear them back again, triggering new breakouts.
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I don’t want to sound like you need to live in a bubble to prevent acne but it is important to be conscious of how easily bacteria can spread and to avoid common habits that could be holding you back from getting clear skin. That these habits are the cause of your breakouts? Only you can find out by avoiding them and seeing how your skin responds. But one thing is certain.. avoiding the build up of bacteria on your skin, is always a good thing when you are prone to acne.
Thank you so much for being here.
Until next time,
Dora Salazar
Medical Aesthetician
