Acne Lesson 5: How Your Lifestyle Can Affect Your Acne

Your skincare routine is on point and you’re learning how to make the best food choices for clearing up your skin; now you’re ready for the next step. Taking a closer look at your daily habits and lifestyle choices is another way to pinpoint hidden acne triggers. Minor tweaks in your everyday activities--from how you do your laundry to how you can handle stress--can have a surprising impact on the health of your skin.

If you’re prone to acne breakouts, it’s important to pay attention to some key guidelines when doing your laundry:

The waxy residue found in fabric softener liquids and dryer sheets turns up on pillowcases, towels, washcloths, and sheets that have direct contact with your skin. This residue will clog the pores of acne-prone individuals. If you want something to stop static in your dryer, we recommend anti-static wool dryer balls.

The casing on laundry pods melts and coats clothing, similar to fabric softener, and leads to clogged pores. Opt for powders or liquids instead.

Detergents containing fragrances can irritate your skin. It’s best to use fragrance-free options such as Seventh Generation Free & Clear, Cheer Free, All Free & Clear, Tide Free, or Arm & Hammer Free. Charlie’s Soap is another great option in both liquid and powder formulations.

There is some evidence that water softeners can lead to acne, especially those containing high amounts of potassium chloride.

Acne-causing bacteria can spread to your face from your pillowcase while you sleep. It’s best to flip over your pillowcase to a fresh side each night, then inside-out if you don’t have a few extra pillowcases. Wash your sheets often, and keep whatever is reaching your face as clean as possible.

If you like sleeping in your favorite t-shirt, make sure that it’s kept clean as well. Wearing the same shirt to bed each night can harbor bacteria and cause “bacne” that can be difficult to get rid of.

Re-wearing your sweaty workout clothes, hats, and sweatbands might reduce your laundry load, but it will likely increase your breakouts. Washing your workout gear often will help to keep your pores clear of acne-causing sweat and dirt.

Struggling with acne can be stressful in and of itself. Unfortunately, both stress and sleep deprivation cause your adrenal glands to promote oil production, which can lead to clogged pores. Incorporating stress-reducing self-care tools into your daily routine will help keep breakouts to a minimum. Below are a few ways that you can reduce stress (and stress-related pimples) in your life. Read more about stress and acne in our blog here.

• Take a 30-minute walk somewhere beautiful
• Spend time in prayer or meditation
• Get at least 7-8 hours of sleep each night
• Practice yoga or stretching exercises
• Spend a few minutes slowly breathing in and out
• Take a break from your phone and other media
• Give yourself some distance from stressful people
• If you drink coffee, be sure to drink with a meal and not on empty stomach as to not raise cortisol levels

While some people like to get out in the sun, believing that it will help clear their skin, this isn’t always the case. Yes, sun exposure can cause some drying and scaling that encourages a fresh layer of skin to appear. However, overexposure to the sun can also damage hair follicles, exacerbate dark spots, cause skin cancer, and lead to premature aging.

Majorca acne, also known as "sunshine acne," is characterized by a rash of red, inflamed lesions when exposed to too much sunlight. Warm climates with heat and humidity can also exacerbate acne. It’s essential to apply sunscreen every morning, even if it’s overcast, cloudy, or raining outside. If you’re currently using an acne corrective serum, this will increase your sensitivity to the sun, causing you to burn more easily and increasing unwanted breakouts.

We carry a wide variety of sunscreen options for every age and stage of life. Feel free to check in with one of our skincare experts on live chat if you need help choosing the right one for you.

Skin problems can be a constant source of frustration for active swimmers. If you’re a swimmer who suffers from acne, it’s important to remember a few things:

• Choose an acne-safe sunscreen that will stay on during water activities such as TIZO 3 Facial Primer Tinted SPF 40 .
• Protect your skin from the iodides and chlorine found in swimming pool disinfectants by applying a thin layer of Vaseline to your skin before getting in the pool.
• Wash your face when you’re done swimming, then immediately moisturize to rehydrate your skin. Check out our acne-safe cleansers here.

Although it can be tough to resist, picking at your skin leads to increased inflammation, spreads bacteria, and increases dark spots and scarring. Instead of picking, try rubbing ice on pustules and pimples for about two minutes twice a day. When icing just one pimple, ice it for 3 seconds, then lift off for 3 seconds, repeat for about 2 minutes. Try to catch them when they are first forming, and they most likely will go away. After icing, apply Face Reality Acne Med or BiON Green Tea Clay Poultice on the pustule several times per day.

If you’re experiencing breakouts around the mouth area, there are three things you can do to minimize this:

Your fingers carry bacteria that, when introduced to your pores, can cause you to break out. If you’re using a comedogenic hand lotion and then leaning your face on or sleeping or sleeping on your hands, this could contribute to your acne. If you need to touch your face, remember to wash your hands first.

Since cell phones now go everywhere you go, they’re introduced to a host of germs that can build up over time. Holding your phone up to your face quickly spreads bacteria to your skin. Wiping down your phone daily with a damp microfiber cloth will help to prevent this.

Many lip balms, types of toothpaste, and even facial tissues have comedogenic ingredients in them. So, if you see breakouts around your mouth area, this is possibly why. We recommend Vaseline or Aquaphor for a lip balm and toothpaste without SLS (sodium lauryl sulfate). You can also check out our acne-safe lip products here.

Many well-known tissue brands are infused with things like coconut oil, isopropyl myristate, and SLS, all of which will clog the pores. Make sure to choose non-scented options or opt for reusable cotton cloths if you are a frequent tissue user, as friction can cause irritation as well.

Certain types of recreational, over-the-counter, and prescription drugs can both aggravate and cause acne in skin that might not otherwise be acne-prone. Always consult your doctor before you stop taking any prescribed medications. For personalized advice from one of our skincare specialists, please check out our online consultation program. Check to see if your medication is a possible acne trigger here in our drugs and chemicals learn page.

For your convenience, our products that are safe for acne-prone individuals have an acne-safe badge. While most of our product offerings will not cause acne, the safest options for those who have inflamed acne or blemish-prone skin are the products that display the acne-safe badge. For specific recommendations, feel free to ask one of our acne specialists on live chat or opt for an online coaching program.

Lesson 6 will help you hunt down hidden acnegenic ingredients in your personal care products.>>>