10 Things That May Actually Be Making Your Acne Worse

No one wants pimples. It does not matter how old you are, acne is an unfortunate factor that many of us have to deal with. We know how to treat pimples with topical treatments and antibiotics and wash our faces often. Despite all that, there are things that you do every day that you don’t know is making your acne worse.

If you are treating your acne and doing everything you can to prevent pimples but are still experiencing breakouts, make sure you are not doing one of these 10 things that are common bad habits people have that are making their skin more susceptible to acne.

1) Touching your face while you sleep.

Touching your face while you sleep could be an issue you have and are not even aware of. Some people have a habit of holding their chin or sleeping on their hands; this can cause a transfer of oils to your face, causing acne or making your acne worse.

2) Not changing your pillowcase often enough.

Changing your pillowcase on a weekly basis is a good habit to get into if you want to make sure you are sleeping on a clean, bacteria-free surface. Even if you are washing your face at night, your pillowcase gets a buildup of sweat, dead skin, and products pretty quickly, so it is good to wash it often.

3) Eating dairy.

Unfortunately for ice cream lovers and cheese enthusiasts, dairy can actually make your acne worse. The hormones in milk cause inflammation in humans. Dairy can also lead to excess sebum production in your skin, which means clogged pores and more acne.

4) Getting too much sun in the summer.

Some people love to get tan; however, too much sun can be a dangerous thing. The dangers of skin cancer are very real, but exposing your skin to too much sun can also be bad for your acne. The sun and the heat cause your oil glands to go into overdrive, which will increase your chances of acne breakouts. Protect your skin every day with at least SPF 30.

5) Overusing your hair conditioner.

Your hair conditioner is full of pore-clogging ingredients and while it is great for your hair, it is not great for your skin. If you put conditioner too close to your scalp and around your face, it could be the cause of your breakouts. A conditioner is most effective on the roots anyway, so use your conditioner from the middle of your head down to the ends.

6) Only washing your makeup brushes every once in a while… or never.

It is super important to wash your makeup brushes. However, it is one of those things that women forget to do because it is easy to let it go for a few weeks or even a few months. If you don’t wash your makeup brushes, gross bacteria builds up on them, which you then use every day on your face to put makeup on. Needless to say, this is not good for your acne-prone skin. Wash your makeup brushes on a weekly basis if you want to avoid bacteria buildup.

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7) Eating too much sugar.

Eating too much sugar on a daily basis could be the reason behind your acne. High glycemic index (GI) foods encourage the body to make a hormone called insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF1). The hormone will basically increase the production of sebum and increase your chances of getting pimples.

8) Sleeping with makeup on.

It can be tempting to sleep with makeup on when you’ve come home from a long night out or have a super early morning and want to try and get away with the same makeup, but it really is making your acne worse. Your skin will get clogged, bacteria will build up, and it can cause inflammation. Just don’t do it!

9) Smoking cigarettes or being around people who smoke cigarettes a lot.

Everyone knows that smoking is bad for you in so many ways, and it is commonly known that it causes wrinkles, but it can also cause acne. Just being around cigarette smoke on a regular basis can be bad for your skin… so get away from it or try to find a way to quit!

10) Using too many products to treat your acne.

If you are trying to get rid of your acne and use a bunch of topical medications to do so, you may be disappointed to see that using too many products on your face at once will just keep making your acne worse. Your acne won’t clear up any faster and you may experience excessive redness, drying, irritation, and even peeling.

Getting out of the acne cycle takes a bit of work and attention, but avoiding these 10 things that are making your acne worse is a good place to start!

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