9 Habits That Can Make Acne Worse

Acne and breakouts can be unpredictable, unreasonable, and unfair to skin. With triggers such as genetics, stress, and hormones, acne is the most frequently diagnosed condition by dermatologists and affects nearly 85% of people at some point in their lives. Whatever your age, the psychological impact can be significant. People with acne suffer from embarrassment, frustration, and low self-esteem. Fortunately, while not curable, acne is treatable and controllable.

You may think you're doing everything you can to treat your acne and breakouts. Your acne gets better and then all of a sudden it takes a turn for the worse. What gives? Well, little daily things you may be doing can add up to make it worse. Do any of these 9 habits sound familiar?

Washing Your Face Too Much

If you’re a little obsessed with cleanliness, that obsession may be harming your skin. Some products, especially those used to treat acne, can be harsh on skin if used improperly. Washing your face using gentle motions 1-2 times a day is sufficient.

One of the biggest myths is…my face is dirty, so that's why I'm getting acne. Over cleansing or scrubbing your skin may cause it to increase oil production to combat dryness. When you do this, you are stripping your skin’s lipid barrier of essential oils, making it weaker and allowing your skin to lose water and lead to more pimples. Make sure to stick to lukewarm water temperatures when washing your face.

Several other important tips to follow when washing your face to avoid breakouts:

• Don't use a dirty washcloth when you wash your face. Bacteria can easily build up on them. Use a clean washcloth each time. 
• Always wash your hands first. If your hands are dirty when you wash your face, you end up rubbing MORE oil and bacteria into your skin, which can lead to pimples and breakouts.
• When using acne cleanser, make sure to rinse your face well so that no cleanser residue stays on your skin, causing breakouts.

Over Exfoliation

Exfoliating more than 2-3 times a week can have the same effect as over washing, but even worse when it comes to acne. Physical exfoliators can burst whiteheads if you aren't careful, causing bacteria to spread on your face. Any exfoliator, if used too aggressively, can cause irritation to already sensitive skin, causing acne to take longer than normal to heal. Over exfoliation can strip away your lipid barrier, making skin more susceptible to irritation and bacterial infection. With acne, it’s best to exfoliate in the evening. Freshly exfoliated skin is more sensitive to sunlight.

Dead cells can really stand in the way of how well ingredients are able to penetrate your skin. Exfoliation allows other products to be absorbed better. Think of the surface of the epidermis and those dead skin cells on it as a barrier. You have to remove those dead cells for products to get in. If you have blackheads or acne, it unclogs pores. If you have dry skin, your skin will be less dry because your moisturizer will penetrate better. Acne skincare products can work better if there isn’t dead skin in the way. Just don’t over do it!

You Give Up on Your Acne Products Too Soon

Skincare results are a lot like weight loss. You don’t get the best results unless you’re willing to be patient after consistent effort for at least 60 days. This is especially true when you’re dealing with acne, pimples, and breakouts.

Patience and consistency are key when it comes to having great skin, especially when it comes to acne. It can sometimes take at least 8 weeks to see real results, so give products time to deliver their benefits. Everyone wants clear skin yesterday, but we have no magic potion that works immediately. Acne treatments take weeks to start kicking in. To make matters worse when it comes to acne, it usually tends to make skin look worse before it looks better. If you notice your breakouts are getting worse with a new product, that probably means it’s working. Your skin is purging all of those breakouts that haven't come to the surface of your skin yet. However, if your skin doesn't improve at all after 8 weeks, then it's time to move on. You may need to see a dermatologist.

Product Overload

Don’t overload your skin with anti-aging or anti-acne products. Too much of a good thing can sometimes be bad for you. But, they can do wonders for your skin when used properly. Introduce premium acne skincare products to your skin gradually for best results over time. It's so important that you don’t over treat your skin with multiple treatments all at once. Patience is key. For example, you’re better off using just one product to fight a pimple rather than creating your own concoction using multiple products.

More zit cream is not necessarily better. Some ingredients can be very irritating to the skin. You may need less than you think. One small pea-sized amount is all you need to cover your entire face. Also, if you use an anti-frizz product, thickening gel, or pomade on your hair, make sure to apply it away from your forehead. Otherwise, you can get a line of acne right at your hair line.

Never use retinol during the day because the sun will sensitize your skin. You may have an isolated breakout and then go overboard trying to get one pimple under control and then end up with skin that is red, flaky, and itchy. This can be caused by mixing too many products together that should be used on their own. If you use retinol and add irritants and exfoliators on top of it at the same time, it’s a recipe for trouble.

Unfortunately, not every acne treatment and ingredients will work for everybody. Take note of what does and doesn't work for you. Don't waste your time and money trying different products that have the same active ingredients known to not work on your individual skin.

You Skip Moisturizer

No matter how oily your skin is, or how badly you want to dry out those pesky zits, never skip moisturizer. Moisturizing is such an important step in your skincare routine, especially when it comes to pimples. Normal, dry, oily, and combination skin all require hydration. The key is to select a product developed with your skin type in mind. Moisturizers for complexions that are oily or prone to breakouts should be more light weight and/or oil-free.

Acne treatments will dry out skin in addition to pimples, and your skin needs its hydration. Also, since many acne treatments contain ingredients that make skin sensitive to the sun, always wear sunscreen while on an acne regimen.

Your Cell Phone is Dirty

Sanitize your phone often with rubbing alcohol or alcohol wipes. It’s a magnet for microbes that can cause breakouts on your face. Your face produces oil and sweat, which gets onto your phone when you're on a call. If you don't clean that off, during your next call you're pushing it back into your skin, along with any bacteria that may be present. Pressure from holding your phone against your cheek can also cause breakouts by irritating your skin.

You Pick and Pop Pimples

Picking at and popping pimples is the quickest way to spread bacteria and cause scarring. Popping or squeezing pimples and blackheads can rupture the pore follicle and spread an infection, potentially turning the pimple into a cyst or creating more in the surrounding area. So, don’t do it! But if you must, go see a skincare professional and have him or her pop them the correct and sterile way so no scarring occurs.

You Eat Too Much Sugary and Starchy Foods

Sugary and processed foods such as white breads, white pasta, potato chips, cookies, and cakes may be linked to acne. Sugar is a known culprit of inflammation. Inflammation causes premature aging, dullness, and acne. Too much sugar can dehydrate skin. It causes a degradation process that can damage proteins, including collagen, and damaged collagen makes skin appear more lackluster and dewy.

While it’s okay to eat natural sugar in moderation, it’s best to limit your consumption of it and try to avoid white, refined, and processed sugar at all costs. Keep added sugar to no more than 10% of total calories. Keep an eye on hidden refined sugars in foods too, such as high fructose corn syrup, barley malt, corn syrup, dextrose, fruit juice concentrate, molasses, turbinado, glucose, sucrose, and maltose. Skin is an end organ of what you put into your body and poor diet choices can show. By keeping excess sugars out of your diet, you can enjoy the best beauty gift of all, smoother, more pimple-free skin.

Switching Dairy for Soy

Some studies have linked dairy products to acne, but this has not been proven. However, switching to soy may not be so wise either. Watch out for the dangers of soy. While a little bit of soy here and there isn’t harmful to your skin, too much of it can be a problem. Soy contains isoflavones that can mimic estrogens and worsen breakouts. Excessive amounts of soy can influence the body’s production of estrogen. When soy is the cause of breakouts, you’re likely to see large, nodular-like pimples on the bottom part of your face, often along your jawline, on your chin, or around your mouth.

Try to cut out or cut back on your intake of soy in all forms – tofu, soy milk, soybeans, etc. If you can’t break this habit, you will need to counteract the effects with an anti-acne product or spot treatment as needed. If you can’t pinpoint the problem or it appears to be a skin bacterial infection, you may require some medical advice. Go see a dermatologist for the proper antibiotics to take or what is needed to get your skin back in order.

Any additional acne habits I should add to this list? I would love to hear from you. Feel free to comment below or personally email me at agingbackwardsrf@gmail.com.