If you suffer from acne, you are already tired of waking up to seeing new pimples every day. Acne is one of the most annoying skin conditions for teenagers (and even adults). According to the popular wellness site Healthline, almost 10% of the population suffers from it. What is acne caused by, though?
Many factors influence why you get red pimples, and there’s no straight answer, but you can avoid some bad habits to have healthier, glowing skin. This article will review what acne is caused by and some easy solutions you can implement, from skin routines to CBD. Let’s begin.
TL;DR – Acne is caused by primarily two things: changes in hormones, or clogged pores.
What is Acne?
Acne is caused by your skin pores becoming blocked with oil, bacteria, dirt, or dead skin cells.
Occasional pimples are common – everyone has suffered from them at some point. But if you find yourself getting lots of them, you might suffer from more severe acne.
Acne can be more external, which is easy to treat with creams and moderate lifestyle changes. But it also can be more severe, requiring help from medication and doctors.
Acne Causes
Thankfully, acne is very treatable. But it’s also easily triggered. So, what are some bad habits or genetic conditions that lead to this condition?
1) Sweat and Heat
As the summer approaches, sweating is more frequent. Or maybe you’re an athletic person that enjoys a run here and there.
Sweating can block your pores or invade them with dirty particles, causing your skin to break out. The next thing you know is you woke up with three new zits.
2) Makeup
Some types of makeup, especially greasy foundations, can lead to breakouts and severe acne. There’s no need to get rid of your makeup routine, but try to find a lighter foundation.
Covering your pores with greasy products (or just products that don’t let your skin breathe) is a recipe for disaster.
3) Carbs
You may think that the entire “no carbs for acne reduction” is a myth, but it’s not. There seems to be a positive connection between consuming high amounts of carbs, like chocolate, and new pimples appearing.
It may be worth going for a low-carb diet for a week or two. Do you notice any skin improvement? If you do, you’ll already know what caused your acne in the first place.
4) Dairy products
The same goes for dairy products, especially when the milk is whole. Try to stick to semi-skimmed or skimmed products instead – you might notice an improvement, and the taste is not that different.
5) Stress and Cortisol
Although the connection is not crystal clear, some people experience breakouts when their stress levels go through the roof. Stress and anxiety are not good for you and your health, but especially not for your acne.
Excess stress for extended periods of time can raise cortisol levels, which can make your acne worsen as well. Over all, stress is just not good for us. Learn to manage your stress more effectively. Regardless of acne, it’s just better to live a stress free life – or as close to one as you can get.
6) Testosterone and Other Hormones
This hormone appears more strongly during puberty and the teenage years, and thus people that age experience acne more frequently. Unfortunately, you can’t really make a choice about testosterone – you either genetically have much, or you don’t.
Acne Solutions
1) Wash Your Face At Least Twice a Day
This advice is particularly important if you use makeup on a regular basis. Your pores are blocked at two key moments: first thing in the morning due to the night and at the end of the day.
Washing your face will reduce any oil and dead skin excess. Search for a face cleansing that works for you and your skin needs – from oily to normal to dry. For whatever reason, a ton of people do not regularly wash their face. Doing this alone can really clear up things like forehead acne.
2) Change Your Diet
We mentioned that some foods and macronutrients lead to breakouts and worsen your acne, including carbs and whole dairy products. Here are some foods to avoid:
- Chocolate
- Refined grains and sugar
- Whey protein powder
- White flour in rice or pasta
- Fast food
Switching to a low-glycemic diet and drinking more water to reduce toxins may help your skin glow and get rid of undesired pimples. Here are some foods to include in your meals:
- Fish like salmon and sardines
- Green vegetables like spinach or kale
- Nuts like walnuts
- Tofu or soy
- Hemp seed oil
3) CBD for Acne
Using CBD for acne is becoming a popular way to help both the redness and swelling associated with breakouts, and the clogged pores. The most commonly used pharmacological treatments (isotretinoin-based or birth control) lead to an improvement in symptoms, but they also have severe side effects.
As a result, some people prefer more natural solutions like giving up on chocolate or using CBD creams. Recent in vitro studies have shown that CBD can significantly improve acne symptomatology through different mechanisms:
- It reduces sebocyte proliferation
- It modulates and reduces the inflammatory response of the organism
- It acts as an antibacterial against acne bacteria
However, you should be careful when ordering these products online. The FDA (Food and Drug Administration) doesn’t evaluate them, and you may acquire creams or pills that aren’t worth the money.
Enjoy 15% off your order of 'glow' acne cream by entering coupon code glow15 at checkout!
Trust only reliable brands like New Phase Blends, and remember that the most appropriate way to use CBD to improve the symptoms of acne is topical.
4) Birth Control
Most women and teenagers are prescribed birth control by a gynecologist to treat acne. Androgens are hormones that lead to acne – the best-known androgen is testosterone.
Studies show that birth control pills that include estrogen and progesterone reduce functional androgen levels. These pills keep hormones at bay but beware. Not every birth control is suitable for acne, so make sure to ask your doctor first.
5) Schedule a Dermatologist Appointment
If nothing else works, schedule an appointment with your dermatologist. They will probably be who redirects you to a gynecologist to begin birth control, too, if that’s the route you want to go.
Dermatologists are skin professionals. They’ll run blood tests to ensure everything is okay and there’s no underlying reason that may be causing your breakouts. If you do get on medication, you should schedule revision appointments to get a check-up.
Summary
Acne is a common skin condition among teenagers and even adults, but that doesn’t make it any less bothersome. Many factors interact to produce acne, but mostly, acne is caused by a high-carb diet, wearing greasy makeup, and genetics.
You can do some things to get rid of pimples, like scheduling an appointment with a dermatologist or undergoing birth control. Other more natural solutions are CBD or introducing small changes in your nutrition.
References
Healthline: https://www.healthline.com/health/skin/acne
