What Makes Acne Worse?

There are a number of possible triggers that can cause acne flare-ups, these include:

Reactions to cosmetic products

Cheap chemical foaming agents called sulphates and strong perfumes in many cosmetics can cause facial and neck skin to become irritated which can lead to spots and sensitivity.

With many women becoming increasingly aware of the dangers of UV damage to the face, the use of high factor sun creams on the face on a daily basis is now much more common than 20 years ago.

While wearing sunscreen on a daily basis is great for anti-ageing and reduces the risk of skin cancer, sunscreen can be an issue for acne sufferers. Most low-budget sun creams have chemical filters and are made from thick, greasy formulations which clog pores and can also irritate skin causing acne.

Alcohol

High alcohol consumption can alter hormonal balances in the body, which can contribute to acne breakouts. Increased consumption of alcohol is also thought to be contributing to wider spread incidences of rosacea in women as it contributes to vascular dilation in the skin.

Over cleansing

Due to the rise in the use of cosmetics, cleansing has become a more industrial process than simply cleaning skin. Makeup removers and cleansers that can take off thick foundations are a modern need.

However these cleansers, while effectively cleaning off the make-up, also strip the skin of its natural oils, meaning that over time the skin produces excess oil to compensate, causing a cycle that ends in excess oil production that leads to acne.

Research has shown that for helping manage acne, gentle exfoliation as opposed to harsh cleansing is the best way to minimise acne breakouts.

Fad Diets

Although whether what we actually eat plays a significant role in contributing is still unresolved, experts do insist that frequent radical diet changes from following fad diets such as shifting from low carb or low fat practised by many women (the average woman goes on 15 different diets in a lifetime) in order to lose weight may also be having a negative effect on skin as radical changes in diet can cause shifts in hormonal balances.

Certain medications

Medications such as steroid medicines, lithium (used to treat depression and bipolar disorder) and some drugs used to treat epilepsy can trigger acne.