During exams and stressful times, you might find yourself breaking out more often. I once again turned to aesthetician, Paige Russell, to find out just what causes certain breakouts, here is what she had to say.
In order to treat acne you must first understand the basics.
1. All blemishes begin as a blackhead, but not all blackheads become blemishes. Blackheads can be prevented; therefore acne can be as well.
2. Adult acne & teenage acne are two entirely different things. The products you used as a teen won’t help you as an adult.
3. Avoid products such as Acutane & Proactiv. The negative side effects outweigh the “benefits”
The main trigger of adult acne is stress. Stress causes our adrenal glands to go into overdrive which causes excess sebum production. Here is a little guide for you to help keep your skin clear.
It’s helpful to know some adult acne triggers such as stress, overactive sebaceous glands (oil), dead skin accumulation, bacteria & inflammation.
Birth control hormones cause the sebaceous glands to overact & birth control pills with androgen in them can cause breakouts. Avoid bad cosmetics and look for products that say “non comedogenic.” (meaning the product should not clog your pores). Excess oil holds onto dead skin cells that are meant to shed. The follicle then becomes clogged with oil & deaf skin cells, when the pore is clogged it creates a breeding ground for bacteria.
Acne dos & don’ts
Do:
Cleanse! Using a calming and anti-bacterial facial cleanser will help calm inflammation caused by acne and help diminish the development and spreading of bacteria within the skin.
Exfoliate! Exfoliating removes that dead skin buildup that clogs the pores.
Moisturize! If your skin is too dry, it goes into overdrive to produce oil in an attempt to hydrate itself. Just because you think your skin is oily doesn’t mean you should neglect moisturizing. Be sure to choose an oil-free face lotion or cream.
Don’ts:
Don’t touch your face! The bacteria on our hands can easily be spread into the pores. Make sure you’re not resting your face in your hands while sitting at your desk. If you do need to touch your face it’s important to wash your hands with antibacterial soap first.
Don’t pick or squeeze! This promotes spreading of bacteria, causing more blemishes and can sometimes lead to more serious skin infections deeper into the dermis.
Avoid mineral oils! Mineral oil creates a mask over the skin which clogs the pores.
