Most of us know the key to having clear skin is a regular gentle cleansing routine. Often times, we do practice a regular cleansing routine and still get break outs. What gives? There are certain factors beyond our control that can cause acne. For instance, break outs can be hormonal or genetic. There isn’t much we can do to control that. There are many other causes though that are well within our control. Here are 5 causes of acne you may not have known about.
Cell Phones
If you notice that you are breaking out a lot on a particular side of your face, ask yourself, is that the side of your face you usually talk on your phone with? If you answered yes, chances are, your cell phone is causing those break outs. Your cell phone collects dirt, oil, and bacteria from your skin. Each time you use it, you deposit those impurities back onto your skin. It’s a good idea to regularly cleanse and sanitize your cell phone to avoid the nasty breakouts they can cause.
Touching Your Face
A lot of us do it and we don’t even realize it. An act as simple as resting your hand on your face while sitting at a desk can cause a break out. Our hands touch many things through out the day. Dirt, oil, and germs accumulate on them. Touching your face can deposit those impurities on your face and cause your skin to break out. If you are in the habit of touching your face a lot, it can be a hard habit to break. You really should make a conscious effort to avoid this though, if you are looking for clear skin.
Your Pillowcase
A pillow case is another object our faces come in contact with for an extended period of time. When you sleep, your face deposits impurities onto your pillow case. Even if you wash your face before bed, you can still be dirtying your pillow case. It’s not only oil but, if you sweat during the night, that sweat will make its way onto to your pillow case as well. Make sure to wash or rotate your pillowcases at least once a week to keep break outs at bay.
Dirty makeup brushes
Same concept here. Every time you use a makeup brush (particularly face brushes), some of the oil, debris and bacteria on your skin transfers to the brush. The next time you use the brush, you can be depositing those nasty things back onto your face. Break outs along the cheek bones and places on the face where you apply bronzer are usually caused by this. If you are sure the product itself is not causing you to break out, it’s probably time to wash your brushes.
Over Cleansing
This may sound a little crazy, but it’s true. Often times we do ourselves in trying to get rid of the breakouts we currently have. Over cleansing and using harsh drying chemicals can actually have a reverse effect. It can dry out the skin and strip it, causing an imbalance. This, in turn, causes the skin to produce even more oil which can lead to breakouts. It is best to choose a gentle cleanser rather than a cleanser which will dry your face out. Cleanse regularly in the morning and evening and your skin will be fine. If you absolutely need to use a treatment for acne, chose a product that does not contain alcohol, to lower the chances of stripping your skin.
Prevention is the best method when it comes to having clear skin. Anything that touches your face should be kept clean and sanitized to lower the risk of breakouts.
