Are you investing heavily in acne-treating products but still seeing new breakouts? Then, pollution, hormones, or DNA nothing could be to blame. You might be doing some sinful skincare practices.
But you can improve your skin's appearance by changing your daily routine. Remember, not all skincare is necessarily good care for your skin.
In this article, you will learn 8 common skincare habits that can worsen acne and backfire on your skin anytime. You will also find dermatologists-recommended tips to help you change those habits.
8 Common skin care habits that can worsen acne
You are what your daily habits are. It's true that what you see in the mirror depends on your routine. Identify your bad skincare habits and work on them with recommendations.
Over-cleansing or using harsh cleansers
Anything that is way too much can turn out bad – the same goes for intense cleansing of your face. This, in turn, worsens your acne condition instead of benefiting you anyway.
Cleaning your face way more aggressively throughout the day can irritate your affected skin area. As over washing can strip off natural moisture content from your skin, leaving your face producing even more oil to compensate for the loss and causing more acne.
What to do
Wash your face twice a day — in the morning and before you go to bed. Also, clean your face after strenuous activity that makes you sweat to avoid clogged pores, dullness, and acne.
Not removing makeup before sleeping
Sleeping in your makeup can cause your hormonal acne even worse. If you don't want to develop new acne the next morning, then never go to bed while wearing your makeup.
No exceptions; if you have good makeup that suits your skin type, falling on your bed with makeup and not removing it completely at the end of the day clogs the pores, which helps acne-causing bacteria grow and multiply in numbers.
What to do
Most importantly, remove your makeup before you go to bed. Take it off well. If you're tired, simply use makeup-removing wipes before getting the much-needed rest. Just make sure it's a non-comedogenic one that is safe to use.
Sharing makeup brushes and applicator
Acne isn't contagious, but oil and bacteria are transferable from one skin to another. Even if you purchase and use expensive makeup products, sharing or lending from someone can lead to breakouts.
When you share or use other people's makeup tools like makeup brushes, sponges, or applicators, the acne-causing bacteria, oil, sebum, and dead skin cells from that person's skin stick in your makeup and end up on your skin whenever you use that makeup. This extra oil and bacteria clog your skin pores, causing your acne to worsen.
What to do
Resist the urge to try anyone's makeup. Instead of sharing makeup, make sure you're the only person using makeup brushes and applicators. Also, make tools and wands completely sanitized before application.
Not taking acne prevention in suspected areas
No matter what kind of topical acne treating-products you use, you need to use them properly to reap maximum benefits.
Applying prescribed acne medication only to your blemishes, scarring, and pigmentations makes sense. But this approach fails to beat acne in the long run and cannot help you prevent new breakouts.
Then, what to do
After taking care of your affected acne-prone areas, apply a small amount of products to your suspected areas to prevent future breakouts.
Take a pea-sized of your acne medication and spread a thin layer evsknly over your suspected areas. Let's say if acne breakouts on your forehead or chin, be sure to apply the acne treatment evenly to those areas as well.
Also, in your acne skincare routine, include a gentle cleanser, non-drying toner, acne medication, moisturizer, and sun protection.
Using oil-based products with pore-clogging ingredients
Acne develops when your oil glands go into overdrive and produce sebum — that ends up clogging the pores.
Apart from natural oil, many skincare products, along with some makeup, contain oil and some ingredients that can cause acne breakouts. Using them may cause blemishes to continue.
If you're using any pore-clogging products, then stop using them immediately. If you continue to use them, they clog the pores and cause further acne breakouts and blemishes.
What to do
Remember to read the labels while purchasing products. Switch to better makeup and skincare products that claim to be non-acne genic or non-comedo genic. It means that it won't clog pores and are safe to use.
Trying a new treatment every other week
You try new suggested treatments every week or so and might be thinking it will turn out to be good practice for your acne-prone skin. But this habit backfires and makes your acne even worse.
Consistency and patience will be the required attributes to reduce acne breakouts. Don't switch to new products more often if your new treatment is not improving your skin after a week. Because playing with your skincare products won't make them effective anymore.
What to do
If you want your acne to be under-controlled, then give your acne treatment time for 6 to 8 weeks. It takes that long for any product to work on your skin. Try another product if you don't notice any improvement by then. However, complete clearing usually takes up to 3 months.
Vigorously scrubbing your skin
Sometimes the little disturbance popping up on the face can be frustrating. Plus, it can be tempting to clean and scrub your skin vigorously to get rid of acne. But unfortunately, it cannot do any good to your skin. This intense scrubbing may only irritate your affected area, causing redness and acne flares leading to more breakouts.
What to do
Never scrub your skin with a washcloth, loofah, or harsh exfoliate to clean. It will cause significant irritation and worsen your acne-prone skin.
Be gentle when washing your face with acne. Use a mild, non-comedogenic cleanser and apply it lightly with your fingertips in a circular motion. Gently rinse it off with lukewarm warm water, using only your fingers. Then use a clean towel to pat your skin dry when you're done.
Touching and popping your pimples
Picking at your skin with a fingertip can be extremely irresistible. But it can be a source of significant bacterial growth at the same time.
It is because when you pop your pimples or squeeze breakouts, you're likely to push the built-up things move (e.g., pus, oil, or bacteria) deeper into your skin and from one pore to another.
These habits can lead to even more unnoticeable acne and increase redness, intensified inflammation, permanent scars, and sometimes scarring and pain. Even excessive touching of your blemishes makes them go worse.
What to do
Resist the temptation to pick at your skin and pop your pimples. Instead of touching them, let your pimples shrink back in size with the help of an anti-acne lotion or cream.
Skincare Habits That Can Worsen Your Acne – FAQs
Can vitamin C serum cause acne?
Vitamin C serums can cause purging if you are prone to acne. It is an initial breakout sign of acne showing with starting a new skincare product. To counteract this condition, it is best to start by adding it once a day in your routine and apply it with light moisturizers.
Can too much skincare cause acne?
If you switch between treatments every other week, your skin may become irritated, and as a result, you may suffer more breakouts. Give your acne medication around 6 to 8 weeks to work on your skin, and be consistent.
Does changing skincare cause acne?
Trying various new acne-prone skincare routines and switching on anti-acne creams frequently can irritate your skin, which in turn can cause more breakouts.
Wrapping up
You may be desperate to get rid of acne and tend to try various new acne creams available in the market.
However, investing more in products and switching more often can do no benefits to your skin. Even certain habits can worsen the condition too. Instead of following healthy skincare practices, day-to-day habits can greatly impact your acne treatments by controlling your new acne breakouts and reducing your visits to your dermatologist.
But if your acne problems persist, you may need to consult a dermatologist to help clear your acne.
Also Read: 10 Best Face Wash in Pakistan for Your Skin in 2023