From teenagers on the cusp of physical maturity to adults struggling with moderate to oily skin, everyone has experienced acne at one point or another. It’s one of the most common blemishes individuals tend to develop. Yet, depending on your type of skin and general lifestyle, it can also be one of the most difficult conditions to treat. For this reason, it’s crucial that you take some time to assess your personal routines when trying to get your acne under control. Just as there are certain environmental conditions that can cause breakouts, there are also certain habits that make your acne worse.

These are some of those very actions and ways in which you can adjust your lifestyle to mitigate their effects on your skin.

Washing Your Face Too Much

Believe it or not, washing your face too much can be just as damaging to your skin as not washing it enough. Though acne is directly caused by the build-up of excess dirt and oil in your pores, using strong soaps on your face can actually encourage your skin to produce more oil. This is because washing too often can dry out your cells, which results in them producing additional oil in an effort to maintain some of that moisture. As such, the chances of your pores clogging steadily increases and you’re likely to suffer additional breakouts. So, in order to best maintain your skin’s natural balance and increase the effectiveness of treatment, it’s recommended that you limit your cleanings to the morning and nighttime.

Having Direct Contact With Dirty Surfaces

Since acne can also develop when harmful bacteria begins to build in your pores, many of our commonly-used items don’t often help the matter. Objects like cell phones, remotes, and light switches are all touched by multiple people, and, therefore, have bacteria constantly present on their surfaces. When you touch one of these items and then touch your face, you’re depositing these germs on your skin and allowing them access to your pores. Over time, this can inflame your skin and evolve into painful whiteheads that are difficult to reduce. This is why it’s crucial that you start washing these high-traffic surfaces regularly and, most importantly, keep them away from your face.

Touching Your Face Throughout the Day

Likewise, you should also refrain from touching your face without first washing your hands. This can be a challenge for many of us as it’s an easy habit to develop. Many physical or emotional reactions cause us to bring our hands upward—like when we need to sneeze or cry. It’s a natural instinct that will need to be resisted if you want to increase the chances of your skincare routine succeeding. By touching your face less, you’ll be preventing thousands of harmful bacteria from entering your pores and growing into a larger problem.

Additionally, if you’re already suffering from a breakout, make sure that you’re also resisting the urge to pick at or pop your blemishes. This action might get rid of the immediate issue, but it also causes them to come back worse than before.

Using the Wrong Skincare Products

Another noteworthy habit that makes your acne worse is using the wrong type of skincare products to correct it. Just because a product you notice on the shelf claims to help treat acne doesn’t necessarily mean that it will work on your specific skin type. In fact, certain substances can even make the problem worse depending on your skin’s reaction to it. Because each person’s skin is so different, it sometimes takes completely different regimens in order to generate a change. Therefore, you should always speak with a dermatologist to determine the best course of action for you.

Some potential solutions you may want to bring to their attention include salicylic acid, benzoyl peroxide, and alpha-hydroxy acids. These substances have been clinically proven to be successful in the treatment and prevention of acne. So, it doesn’t hurt to get advice from your doctor concerning them.

Overapplying Your Hair Products

Other products you use regularly can also have a negative effect on the state of your skin. Haircare products, in particular, tend to be sticky and can clog your pores upon contact if you overapply them. When using anti-frizz creams, hair spray, or other thick mousses, take extra care to avoid using them near your forehead. Otherwise, it can be difficult to keep a breakout from occurring. The forehead is also considered a hotspot for acne to develop because it’s easy for oils to collect there. This makes it especially important that you reduce your number of risks in that area.

Succumbing To a Stressful Lifestyle

But none of these other factors can take quite the toll on your skin like stress can. While we all live with a decent amount of stress in our daily lifestyles, experiencing too much stress and not knowing how to deal with it can quickly start deteriorating your health. With increased stress levels comes the faster break down of cells. Though this is most commonly linked with signs of premature aging, it can also make your skin susceptible to acne. After all, the more cells that become damaged and flake off, the faster your pores can clog, and the harder it is to keep it from reoccurring.

For these reasons, finding ways to manage your stress is of the utmost importance when seeking healthier skin. Whether it’s through meditation or adopting new activities to calm yourself and relax, this goes a long way in preserving your health as a whole. A stress-free body is the foundation with which you can begin treating your symptoms, and, eventually, achieving astonishing results.

Painful and persistent acne breakouts can have a large impact on the way you feel about your skin. Even the treatment process can seem never-ending and lead you to become frustrated with the lack of progress. This is why at Flawless Beauty and Skin, we’ve committed ourselves to helping you rid yourself of these eyesores for good. With years of desiccated research and our specialized skincare products for acne to show for it, we’re confident that we can assist you on the road ahead. For any specific questions about your personal skin health, reach out to your trusted dermatologist or physician.