It’s your food or the makeup you use on the skin. These are commonly spouted as the reasons you’re breaking out in more and more acne. There is, of course, the truth of your hormonal imbalances causing oil production changes in your skin.
However, did you know that there are other reasons your skin is breaking out? There are unusual suspects and reasons for acne forming on the skin. While some of them you can’t remove from your life, there are steps that you can take to reduce the risks of bacteria growth and acne breakouts.
Here’s a look at the 16 unusual causes of acne, along with the steps to avoid them creating this annoying problem.
Your Phone Is Worse Than Your Toilet
There’s no doubt about it. Your phone harbors more bacteria than your toilet. You just don’t realize it!
Your phone goes everywhere. In fact, you’ve possibly put it on the back of the toilet while using it as a safe place (because it would fall out of your back pockets and into the water, right?) and while there’s nothing wrong with doing this you need to think carefully. You’re transferring bacteria from the toilet to your phone!
Not just that but your phone picks up dirt, dust, grime, and bacteria from everywhere else. The kitchen counter tops the desk, the tables, and so many more places.
You won’t see the problem, but your face certainly receives the effects of it. You put the phone to your face and the bacteria transfers to your pores. That bacteria grows and multiplies and causes acne breakouts on your skin.
So, what can you do to stop it? The best thing to do is sanitize your phone on a daily basis. Give it a wipe down and get rid of everything that it’s holding.
Think About Your Headphones
Another common place for bacteria to grow is on your headphones. It’s common to overlook just how bad your headphones get. Think about where you put them! Many of them go into your ears, where the wax grows, but even the ones that go over the ears will be a growing area for bacteria.
While the headphones aren’t as bad as your phone, they still cause a problem. The bacteria still get into your pores and will lead to blockages and infections—and that’s really what the acne is.
Like with the phone, there is a quick fix. Sanitize your headphones on a daily basis. Get rid of the bacteria and keep them clean before you put them anywhere near your ears.
Not Getting Enough Vitamin D
Vitamin D is essential for the body, and not just to help you absorb plenty of calcium. Vitamin D affects your immune system. When you don’t get enough, your immune system isn’t able to fight off bacteria growth within your body. This includes the bacteria growth on your skin.
Many people with a vitamin D deficiency can find that they struggle with cystic acne than those without the deficiency. However, just normal individual breakouts are common on the face, chest, and back.
What can you do to fix this? Well, one of the best things is to get out in the sun. Stick to hours outside the 11am and 2pm window (the hottest and most damaging times of the day) and only get 15 minutes without any sunscreen. One of the best ways to get good levels of vitamin D is to use indoor tanning beds. They’re safer because the timing is more controlled and regulated.
You can also eat food that is higher in vitamin D. Look out for fortified milk, dark leafy greens, and consider vitamin supplements. If you’re worried about a medical problem that’s causing the deficiency, talk to your doctor to get yourself tested.
Your Shower Water Is a Major Problem
Shower water isn’t as good for us as other tap water. This is because of the extra metals that are found in shower water. They oxidize the skin and leave us prone to far more breakouts. The metals also leave behind a residue that affects and blocks your pores, meaning bacteria and dirt are trapped!
But there’s nothing you can do about shower water, is there? Well, while you can’t forgo your daily showers, there is some hope.
First of all, you want to make sure you get plenty of antioxidants. They will help to fight against the oxidative damage. Another thing you want to do is used distilled or spring water on your face. Yes, this is a pain, but it will help to remove the metals that are causing a problem.
You Have Too Much Caffeine
The amount of caffeine you drink will throw off your body’s pH balance. That means your hormones become imbalanced, your oil production is affected, and your skin starts to break out. It’s not just in the skin that the pH balance is thrown off.
Since caffeine is a soluble fiber, it will affect the pH balance within your digestive system. This is where the majority of your immune system is, meaning your body isn’t as effective at fighting off bacteria.
You want to limit the amount of caffeine you drink. Coffee is one of the worst offenders because of the amount of caffeine, so switch to tea or decaf coffee. Another option is to add some pH neutralizer to your drink. You won’t taste them—they’re like normal water.
Of course, the best thing to drink is water. Not only will this keep your skin clear but will also help to hydrate and support your whole body.
You Have the Wrong Makeup
It’s not just wearing makeup that causes breakouts. Using the wrong type of makeup will have an effect on your skin. The major issue is when your foundation is far too thick—or applied to a layer that is far too thick.
Makeup clogs the pores. There’s no doubt about that. It gets deep into the pores and allows bacteria to multiply. You end up creating the perfect home for the bacteria, and that means breakouts.
What can you do? Well, you don’t need to remove all makeup. Do cut down on the amount you wear. If you’re staying in the home, there’s no need for it. When you do wear it, think about the layer of foundation you’re putting on. This isn’t something you should feel. Your face shouldn’t weight down by it!
Look for light, oil-free options for your face. There are brands that you’ll barely notice, but they leave your skin looking and feeling soft.
You’ve Used Baby Wipes
Raise your hand if you use baby wipes to remove makeup. You will not be the only one looking sheepish right now.
Baby wipes do not remove makeup from your face. Sure, they remove the top layer, but there are so many deeper layers that have gotten into your pores. And scrubbing isn’t going to help.
The whole point of baby wipes is to wipe a baby’s bum. They’re gentle cleaners on thevery delicate skin. Your face may be delicate but not so delicate that makeup comes off with a wipe or too. Scrubbing will just lead to further damage. Your makeup continues to clog the pores, and you end up with breakouts.
To fix this issue, stop using baby wipes. There are makeup wipes available instead, but they’re still not overly effective. They’re good for cleaning while traveling but you want to use warm water and a gentle cleanser as much as possible.
You Forgot the Toner
I know plenty of people who think toners are a waste of time. Well, the truth is toners help to rebalance your hormones and pH levels. They help with the re-balancing of oils after cleansing the skin. If you don’t use them, you end up allowing the oil production to intensify, as your skin believes it is dry and in need of the oils.
This just means your pores become blocked. Your skin looks greasy, and you end up dealing with a huge breakout problem.
You’ve got a quick fix for this one: start using toner! Apply it after every wash. You will bring the pH level in the skin down instantly, improving the look and feel of your skin.
You’ve Switched Products Already
Let me clarify this first. Switching beauty products is good. You can prevent the skin getting used to a type of product or brand—the formula used. This means the products remain effective.
The problem is when you switch too frequently. As you’ve changed brand, you’ve started seeing a breakout. Rather than give your body chance to settle down from the change, you’ve switch to something else. The breakout hasn’t disappeared, so within a couple of days, you switch to another item.
Or you expect results and don’t see them immediately. Believing that the products aren’t working, you switch to another item.
It’s so important to give the products time. When you change the formula, your body will wonder what is happening. This can aggravate the stress hormones, meaning you breakout in more spots. If you allow the body to get used to the new brand initially, you’ll find the acne settles down, and it will start working.
You don’t want to switch products more than once every three or four months. Sometimes you’ll want to stick with the same brand for six months!
Your Acne Products Make It Worse
You’ve bought acne products to help get rid of the unsightly marks on your face. They’re tried and tested, and you just know that they have to work.
But after a few weeks of trying, you’re seeing your acne getting worse. There are pimples on top of pimples, and some of them are extremely painful. To make matters worse, your skin is drying out like crazy. It’s flaky and sore.
It’s the products that are causing the issue. Many acne products work by drying out the skin. The idea is that they stop the natural oil production, so the pores don’t become blocked. Of course, flaky skin can block the pores, and those with dry skin aren’t immune from acne.
You need an oil-free cleanser that will get into your pores and clean them out. Ditch the soaps and look out for charcoal cleansers or soft products that hydrate and moisturize instead of dry! You can also use a moisturizer on your skin to encourage normal oil production.
You’ve Got the Wrong Sunscreen
You know you need to use sunscreen, but you need to use the right one. The current sunscreen you have is full of ingredients that are irritating your skin. They’re blocking the pores and inflaming them to create a breeding ground for bacteria.
On top of that, your oil balance is completely affected because your body is trying to fight off the damage the ingredients are doing.
Don’t completely ditch the sunscreen! It’s time to look out for a soft, oil-free option. Check ingredients to see if there are any you’re allergic to and find a cream that is designed to moisturize as well as protect.
Your Facial Brush Is the Problem
You’ve bought a facial brush to exfoliate your skin. This is great, but it’s causing the problem of more acne.
This will depend on how you use the brush. It’s not the actual brush but the times you use it. If you have acne, you’ll want to avoid it. Exfoliating with acne just spreads the bacteria around your skin. The bacteria get into your pores, and you end up with a worse breakout than before. Of course, you keep using the brush, and it all gets worse.
Stop using the brush and allow your acne to clear. Only use it on clear parts of the body to avoid the spread of bacteria!
Your Sugar Intake Is the Issue
It’s not high-fat foods that cause acne. Your sugar intake is the big problem.
When you eat sugar, your whole body has to fight against it. Insulin is released to help deal with blood sugar levels, and your metabolism has to work harder to remove it. We won’t get into the health problems of eating far too much sugar or even the mental health effects. We’ll just focus on the acne issue right now.
That sugar intake—and the body’s subsequent effects—are causing your stress hormones to increase and your pH levels to imbalance.
Within the colon, the sugar causes yeast to grow. This bad bacteria causes inflammation and a variety of problems, including skin breakouts.
The best thing you can do is cut out refined sugar as much as possible. If you can cut it out completely, that’s great! But you want to cut down. Natural sugar isn’t as bad, but you still want to watch the amount that you eat.
Your Probiotics Are the Issue
Well, it’s not the probiotics. It’s the way your body reacts to them initially.
Any change in diet can have a similar effect. Your body doesn’t understand what’s going on and starts to resist the change. That means an increase in stress hormones, oil production, and acne. This is especially the case for probiotics, as they affect the gut directly—where the majority of your immune system is housed.
Most of us will switch brand or go back to our old ways as soon as possible, right? Well, it’s time to give the probiotics a chance. Wait a month and see if they are as bad as they seem. If so then make a switch and give the next brand a month. If not, you’ve got your winner!
You’re Not Sleeping Enough
Sleep affects everything about you. It affects your mood, your stress levels, your weight loss efforts, and your skin. Yes, it can cause your acne breakout.
It’s not just about the amount of sleep you get. It’s about the quality of sleep. If your body doesn’t get the rest it needs, then it will struggle to reset and act efficiently. Your body can’t fight against infections, so the bacteria in the skin are left to multiply.
Many of us tend to sleep with our phones close to our heads. It’s time to get rid of them. The light affects the sleep pattern, waking us up at odd times.
Ditch the phone and focus on a relaxing bedtime routine. You want to create the best chance of improving your quality to reduce your acne breakout.
Your Hair on Your Face
Wearing your hair down is affecting the oils on your face. By getting more oils in your pores, you create the blocks and end up with bacteria growth.
Those with oily hair are more at risk of this, but anyone with long hair that reaches the face will find they have some problem. Washing your hair daily isn’t enough—and it’s not good for your hair. You need to change how you wear your hair.
The simple fix would be to tie your hair up all the time. Of course, you’ll hear that this is bad for your hair. So you need to find a better way of managing the way the oil transfers. You could clip your hair back gently or cut it short.
When you want to wear your hair down, make sure you wash your face twice a day with a gentle cleanser. This way you get rid of the oil that has transferred. It’s going to be your most preferred option, right?
Prevent Acne by Knowing the Reasons
How many of those above did you know about? Some of the issues like bad makeup and poor diet may have already been considered, but it’s the details that you need to know about. By knowing the reasons for your acne—surprising or unsurprising reasons—you will be able to bring an end to the problem.
It’s time to look after your skin. Only you can prevent the breakouts happening. You may be surprised that your actions that you think help is making it all worse!
Leave a Reply