Let's begin, acne isn't necessarily the result of dirty skin!

Actually there are so many factor that can cause acne and blemishes such as hormonal fluctuations, diet, cosmetic use, using the wrong skincare products and stress. But, according to dermatologists the number one leading cause of it, it is genetics.

 Acne Causes

1. Crazy Hormonal Imbalance

Most people don't know that when you are having breakouts around your jawline those are the signs of a hormonal imbalance.

It’s estimated that 50% of women ages 20 to 29 have acne, about 30% of women in the 30's and about 25% of women ages 40 to 49.

Some women might even experience acne during pregnancy or post pregnancy due to the hormonal imbalance during this period.

During puberty, hormonal acne often appears in the T-zone. This includes your forehead, nose, and chin. Hormonal adult acne typically forms on the lower part of your face. This includes the bottom of your cheeks and around your jawline. 

For some people, hormonal acne takes the form of blackheads, whiteheads, and small pimples that come to a head, or cysts. Cysts form deep under the skin and don’t come to a head on the surface. These bumps are often tender to the touch.

Fix : This one is definitely not an easy fix, as it might involve oral prescription and even birth control pills. You will need to visit your doctor to do the proper recommendation for your skin.

Medical treatments such as chemical peels and photo-rejuvenation treatments are recommended for best effective results.

2. Bad Diet

Eating sugary foods increases levels of insulin, which is a hormone that shuttles sugar out of your blood and into your cells where it can be used for energy. This stimulates the release of other hormones, such as insulin-like growth factor .

1. This increase in hormones leads to hyperkeratinization and excess sebum production, which can worsen acne.

Milk and dairy products promote insulin secretion and the production of hormones, such as IGF-1, which is known to be a major contributor to acne development.

Fix: Removing sugar and dairy from your diet and opting more almond milk, rice milk or oat milk instead. Watch help to clear out your skin.

3. Cosmetic

Also known as acne cosmetic is another big factor why you might be experiences blemishes and blackheads. The reason for this, because most cosmetics are talc based, such as powders and foundations to give you that matte effect and coverage in the skin.

Talc is actually highly comedogenic, which means it clogs pores not allowing for the skin to breath. It blocks the recreation ducts that moisturize the skin, which creates bumps in the skin.

Fix: Try using instead mineral makeup with titanium dioxide and zinc oxide. Make sure both of this mineral are present at the top of your ingredient list to know they have a high content of mineral and no talc in the ingredient list.

4. Wrong Skincare

Sometimes you could have the right skincare routine but one of the biggest fail I have seen, is having the wrong products for your skin type.

With now, more and more social media influencers and sharing what has worked on their skin, people are starting to purchase the wrong products for the skin. How is that? You maybe asking yourself. Well, we don't all have the same skin type and needs, so you can't assume what has worked for someone else with a different age, skin type and climate they live in, that it will work for you the same.

Fix: Going to a professional such as an esthetician for a proper skin analysis can help you determine what is your exact skin type and what are the appropriate products that you need to achieve the best desired results.

5. Stress

Stress affects overall our health; so this is no brainer on how this can impact your skin. Stress is regulated by the thyroid glands which regulated our cortisol levels. When we lack of sleep our cortisol levels get high which causes our thyroid to be over stimulated or under stimulated which affect our hormones directly causing more acne. 

Also when we are under chronic stress, affects our sleeping pattern so the body doesn't get to fully self regenerate.

Fix: Practicing meditation, using essential oils, relaxing music, bath, massages and breating techniques are known to decrease stress and induce relaxation. 

6. Skincare Routine

I have seen this many times! Sometimes you could be recommend it the right products for your skin by your skin therapist but one big mistake could happen. Using your products in the wrong order.

You can start so great by cleansing and when it is time to nourish the skin, you apply your serum after your cream. Another scenario, you apply sunscreen under your moisturizer. Those are 2 NO! NO!

Fix: Always ask your skin care professional such as esthetician or dermatologist. 

Published by Glow By Ive