Skip to main content
Skin Care Blogs

10 Things That May Be Triggering & Causing Acne Breakouts

10 Things That May Be Triggering & Causing Acne Breakouts
Gracee Tolentino
Writer and expert8 years ago
View Gracee Tolentino's profile

Even if you take great care of your skin, there’s still the unforeseen chance that acne prevails despite your best efforts. Following all the cardinal rules of skincare doesn’t always equal bump-free, clear skin. Some of the more common causes of acne don’t have anything to do with your skincare routine but are instead triggered by stress, hormones, and your environment. If you’re still wondering what causes breakouts and why you can’t escape them, keep reading to learn about ten acne triggers and what you can do to control them.  

Common Triggers for Acne Breakouts 

Acne is tricky and often what dermatologists call multi-factorial meaning that there’s no one definitive cause of acne. Instead, several factors can cause a breakout, and what acne looks like on one person’s skin may be differ. 

You use an oil-free moisturizer and avoid fried food and sugar in the name of clear skinand that helps. But it turns out that there are quite a few other things contributing to acne that you might be ignoring.  Read on to discover 10 things that could be aggravating your breakouts.

Common Triggers for Causes of Acne Can Include:

  • Hormones: Hormonal fluctuations during puberty, pregnancy, menstruation, and menopause can cause an uptick in sebum production. Increased oil levels and a build-up of dead skin and bacteria can clog the pores and cause acne.
  • Stress: High amounts of stress cause the body to produce cortisol. High cortisol levels swirling throughout the body can cause increased oil production and acne.
  • Medications: Some medications, like corticosteroids and hormonal medication may cause existing acne to worsen.
  • The wrong skincare products: If you're using pore-clogging, heavy skincare products may trigger breakouts without even realizing it. Breakout-prone skin should avoid thick, heavy oil-and wax-based cleansers, which can clog the pores and instigate pimples. Instead, stick with proven acne-fighting ingredients like benzoyl peroxide, salicylic acid, and tea tree oil.
  • Genetics: It's thought that acne has a genetic component, and chances are, if your parents experienced acneic skin, you may too.
  • Diet: For some, skin breakouts are a direct reflection of diet. Consuming high amounts of certain foods, like whole milk and whey protein, and diets with a high glycemic index can change the consistency of the oil in the skin, leading to clogged pores and pimples.
  • Dirty pillowcases, towels, and smartphones: Swapping out soiled towels and pillowcases for fresh ones may be your skin's saving grace. Towels and pillowcases hold onto dirt and bacteria, and pressing them into the skin can allow the bacteria to transfer. The same theory holds for smartphones, too.
  • Sun exposure: Believe it or not, the sun can do more to your skin than just promote premature aging. In acne-prone skin, the sun can heat the skin, causing excess oil production, clogging the pores, and bringing on breakouts. While sunscreen is a skincare essential, make sure that what you use is noncomedogenic.
  • Dirty makeup sponges, brushes, and tools: Just like how your towels and pillowcases can trap bacteria and spread them to the skin, the same occurs if you don't wash your makeup brushes frequently.
  • Pollution: Exposing the skin to high levels of pollution, smoke, and smog can clog the pores and cause acne breakouts.
  • Picking at your skin: Popping your pimples and picking at your skin can adversely affect your skin. That's because picking at your skin can transfer bacteria from one part of the face to another, leading to additional breakouts. Plus, when you try to pop a pimple or pick at the skin, you can push the bacteria in the pore deeper into the skin, causing additional inflammation.

How to Manage and Treat Your Acne  

While the causes of acne cover a gamut of different factors, the options are pretty much standard when it comes to managing and treating what causes a breakout. Controlling acne breakouts comes down to diligent skincare practices that include good skin care, managing your stress, healthy eating, and treating acne correctly. 

  • Proper skin care: Acne-prone skin needs special TLC, and using the right products is key. It’s also imperative to follow the proper skincare protocol to keep breakouts at bay, which includes using a gentle cleanser twice daily, regular exfoliation (about two to three times per week), using a non-comedogenic moisturizer to hydrate without clogging the pores, and applying a spot treatment with salicylic acid or benzoyl peroxide to pimples and areas that commonly break out.
  • Managing stress: Limiting stress is one way to keep the common causes of a breakout more suppressed. Anything from meditation to yoga and mindfulness practices, as well as other stress-reducing techniques, can help instill a calm state.
  • Pay attention to your hair products: Stubborn breakouts on the forehead and along the hairline can be related to hair products. Always wash your face in the shower after shampooing and conditioning the hair, and pull it off the face, especially if it is oily.
  • Eat healthy: If you wonder if your diet is what causes a breakout, it can. Eating fruits, lean
  • protein, healthy carbohydrates, richly-colored fruits and vegetables, and whole grains is best. Drinking plenty of water throughout the day is also recommended to stay hydrated.
  • Don't overuse makeup: Makeup may be a must-have in your beauty routine, especially if you want to cover up breakouts, but don’t overdo it. Less is more. Also, stick with lightweight oil-free, noncomedogenic makeup products that won’t clog the pores. Removing your makeup at night should also sit high on your skincare priority list.
  • Exercise and stay active: Daily movement improves blood circulation while reducing stress for healthier skin overall. Wash away any accumulated sweat and wear breathable clothing to prevent bacteria and sweat from getting trapped in the pores.

Ways to Treat Acne 

There are several ways to treat acne effectively and depending on the type of breakouts you experience and how frequently they pop up will likely determine the best course of treatment. For more severe cases of acne, your dermatologist may recommend oral medications with or without topical acne medications.  

Over-the-counter acne products are also effective. They can help heal active acne breakouts and prevent new ones from forming when used consistently. Spot treatments and anti-acne products that contain benzoyl peroxide, salicylic acid, glycolic acid, lactic acid, azelaic acid, and retinol are most effective. These ingredients help to kill acne-causing bacteria and reduce inflammation and redness. Still, some can be drying, especially on sensitive skin, so use them as directed and always with moisturizer.  

How to Choose the Right Skin Care Products for Acne Prone Skin

Using the right skincare products can make all the difference in controlling acne breakouts. You'll want to look for skincare products that contain any of the following proven acne-fighting ingredients, which will help prevent pimples and clear up existing ones. 

  • Salicylic acid: This well-known pimple-busting ingredient clears up problematic skin by exfoliating it to unclog the pores while reducing inflammation.
  • Benzoyl peroxide: Unlike acid-based products that exfoliate the pores, benzoyl peroxide kills bacteria on the surface to reduce inflammation. Benzoyl peroxide works well on inflammatory acne.
  • Alpha hydroxy acids (AHAs): AHAs, such as glycolic and lactic acids, are a type of exfoliating acid that helps speed up skin cell turnover and prevent clogged pores. AHAs are also helpful in lightening discoloration from previous breakouts as and acne scars.
  • Vitamin C: Antioxidant-rich vitamin C protects against environmental damage while promoting new collagen within the deeper layers of the skin. Vitamin C is often used to lighten acne scars and reduce the redness caused by breakouts.

Besides looking for acne products that contain proven ingredients, it’s also important to consideryour skin type to prevent clogged pores and unnecessary breakouts. Fragrance-free, oil-free, and noncomedogenic skincare products are always best for acne-prone skin.  

Choosing the Right Cleanser & Exfoliator 

A good cleanser and skin-appropriate exfoliator are mainstay skincare staples for keeping acne at bay, and the right ones can set your skin on the path to clear.  

Here’s what to do to prevent the skin from reacting and breaking out. 

  • Choose cleansers and exfoliators that are gentle on the skin yet effective to keep the pores clear and redness to a minimum.
  • Look for anti-acne cleansers with salicylic acid, benzoyl peroxide, glycolic acid, retinol, and niacinamide along with gentle hydrators like glycerin, hyaluronic acid, or ceramides which will prevent the skin from becoming dry and irritated.
  • For exfoliators, opt for ones with gentle chemical exfoliators like salicylic acid, glycolic acid or lactic acid, which will help speed up the rate of skin cell turnover and decongest clogged pores. Steer clear of abrasive scrubs which can tear and damage the skin.

 

Gracee Tolentino
Writer and expert
View Gracee Tolentino's profile
Gracee Tolentino is the former managing editor of the Dermstore Blog. After spending 10 years of her writing and editing career working in the travel and food industries, she finally found her true calling: beauty, health and wellness. In her spare time she enjoys trying out new beauty products, reading creative non-fictions, creative writing and exploring the world. Her number-one beauty rule: Never leave the house without applying sunscreen.
dermstore