Breakouts are super annoying, but let’s get one thing straight: they are not random. Life doesn’t just decide to hate you and give you a pimple the day before your wedding. I mean, it definitely feels that way sometimes, but the reality is that pimples are just an SOS from your body that something inside is amiss.
We use a ton of products to keep pimples at bay, but we’re only treating the symptom, not the cause. Figure out the cause, correct that, and you’re looking at a breakout-free future. Here are a few things that can cause a breakout to sneak up on you.
#1 — What You’re Eating
Greasy food can definitely play a role in your next great breakout, but the real culprit goes beyond your mouth and all the way down to your gut. A breakout can be a signal from your body that it’s dealing with a toxin overload or a severe imbalance of bad gut bacteria. If you have a diet that’s heavy on these foods and frequent breakouts, you have your starting line in your next strategy against breakouts:
Sugar
Dairy
Complex carbohydrates
Processed foods
#2 — Hormonal Imbalances
Hormones can play a huge role in how many breakouts we get. Some of it’s beyond our control, like pregnancy, puberty, and menstruation, but many hormonal breakouts are a result of imbalances cause by dietary or environmental factors.
Many plastics and petroleum-based cosmetic ingredients have been linked heavily to hormonal imbalances. A little bit here and there generally isn’t too much cause for concern, but constant exposure can put your body into a constant state of fighting back, triggering breakouts, and even autoimmune dysfunction.
#3 — Pore-Clogging Skincare and Cosmetics
Even if you wash your face every night, what you put on your face afterwards can actually cause breakouts, too. Cosmetics and skincare products containing mineral oil, artificial fragrances, and silicones are notorious for clogging up pores and causing breakouts.
Give your face a break from makeup whenever you can, and switch to simple skin care products with natural ingredients. I’m a BIG fan of Annmarie Skin care — it’s a little on the spendy side but one of the few product lines that makes a visible difference the same day for me.
Try their Face Oil for Combination Skin if you’re looking for something to prevent those fine lines and wrinkles that won’t bod down your pores with heavy oils.
#4 — Too Many Acne Treatments
It’s ironic as all get out, but it’s true: too much washing and too many acne treatments can actually cause more breakouts. The reason is that when you overdo it with stripping oil from your skin, your body races to catch up, pushing out a ton of oil all at once and clogging your pores.
It’s a supply and demand game when it comes to your body chemistry, and believe it or not, you do need a steady supply of oil to keep your skin healthy.
#5 — Smoking
When you smoke, you introduce a heavily concentrated dose of toxins to your body that are not compatible with your natural chemistry. Aside from the nasty respiratory effects it can have, smoking can also trigger an autoimmune response while limiting oxygen at the same time. The result is a body that’s fighting to flush and purge these foreign invaders and a permeable layer of skin that isn’t getting the airflow it needs to do the job effectively.
This can manifest in a sort of biological traffic jam inside your pores, letting oil sit where it shouldn’t sit, causing a breakout.
#6 — Too Much Stress
Cortisol is another hormone that, when out of whack, can cause some serious physical symptoms. The stress hormone is linked to our natural fight or flight response and can be triggered by excessive exposure to social media (no, I’m not kidding), a stressful personal life, and even video games.
An imbalance of this hormone can also lead to stress-related breakouts. Shut down the negative Nancies in your life, disconnect from social media for a while, and take a break from video games — you may be surprised with how your skin reacts.
#7 — Detergents and Fabric Softeners
Too many artificial fragrances and chemicals in your detergent and fabric softeners can definitely lead to breakouts. If you’re sensitive to perfumes and soaps, take a look at what’s in your laundry and opt for something a little cleaner and greener.
#8 — Synthetic Sheets and Pillowcases
Your face spends 56 hours a week on a pillow — do you know what it’s made of? Fabrics saturated in flame retardant chemicals coupled with synthetic fibers can be hard on sensitive skin. With 70% of what our skin comes into contact with getting absorbed, you’d better believe your body’s getting some of what your pillow’s made of.
Have you figured out what causes your breakouts? Spread the word and stop the bumps with us — tag us on social media @AvocadoMattress
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