14 Hidden Causes of Acne You Never Knew About

Some of the most common acne triggers out there are also very well-known. From hormonal fluctuations to naturally oily skin, those who are prone to acne breakouts will be aware of these contributing factors.

However, acne can also be caused by factors that aren’t quite so obvious. This is why, for some, identifying the root cause of acne breakouts can seem like an insurmountable challenge.

Fortunately, this is something that Lionesse can help with! Read on as we share 14 hidden causes of acne that most people don’t know about.

1) Heavy Sunscreens

It goes without saying that sunscreen is a must for everyone. Without it, you leave your skin susceptible to premature wrinkles, discoloration, and even skin cancer.

Where those with acne-prone skin struggle is in finding a sunscreen that doesn’t contain any heavy, pore-clogging ingredients. When a sunscreen causes you to break out, it can be tempting to skip the SPF altogether, yet this will only further aggravate your skin.

The solution is to look for a lightweight sunscreen designed for acne-prone skin. SPF moisturizers are often a good alternative, as are watery gel sunscreens. Go with a minimum SPF of 30 to ensure adequate protection.

2) Dehydration

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Many people with acne-prone skin think that they’re immune to dehydration-related skin problems. After all, surely all of the extra oil that your skin produces counters that?

Unfortunately, no. Oil is very different from water, and it’s water that provides hydration. While the oil that coats your skin will help to slow down the rate at which the water in your skin evaporates, it won’t do anything to replenish that moisture. In fact, once your skin starts to feel dehydrated, oil production will usually begin to rise in an attempt to keep that small amount of remaining moisture trapped in. This then leads to clogged pores and acne breakouts.

Prevent this by incorporating a few hydrating products into your skincare routine. Look for formulas containing humectants – lightweight ingredients that bind moisture to the skin without clogging up pores. The Lionesse Morganite Transforming Serum contains sodium hyaluronate, glycerin, peptides, and collagen – four of the best humectants around!

3) Traveling

Whether you’re traveling for work or you’re heading off on vacation, the last thing that you’ll want to deal with is acne breakouts. Unfortunately, traveling can sometimes trigger those pimples to erupt.

Why? Simply due to the sudden change in environment. Once you reach your destination, your skin will immediately have to adapt to the differences in temperature, humidity, pollution levels, and more. This, understandably, challenges the skin, causing it to react with breakouts.

To counter this, try to adapt your skincare routine to the needs that your skin will have in its new environment. If you’re visiting somewhere hot and humid, go for lightweight, non-comedogenic products. Likewise, if you’re traveling to somewhere cold and dry, ramp up the hydration that you provide. Keeping your skin feeling balanced as much as possible will prevent it from reacting in such an aggressive manner.

4) Hair Products

Have you ever heard of pomade acne? It’s acne that has been caused by hair care products – not just pomades but gels, sprays, creams, and anything else that you might apply to your hair. It’s common for residue from these products to end up on the skin, particularly around the forehead and temples. Due to the many pore-clogging ingredients that these products contain, it doesn’t take long for breakouts to erupt.

Does this mean that you have to start using different hair products? Ideally, yes. It’s almost impossible to completely stop your hair from coming into contact with your skin and spreading those products around, even if you apply those products away from your hairline. Ideally, look for non-comedogenic hair product formulations, which means that they won’t clog your pores when they end up on your skin.

5) A Poor Quality Makeup Remover

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You’re probably aware of how sleeping with your makeup can cause acne. However, use a makeup remover that isn’t quite effective enough and you may think that you’re going to bed with a clean face, only to wake up with spots caused by the makeup residue that’s still on your skin.

If you suspect that this could be the cause of your breakouts, try using a better makeup remover for a while. You could also opt for a powerful, sulfate-free cleanser that’s capable of removing dirt, makeup, and more, just like the Lionesse White Pearl Facial Cleanser. 

6) Talking on Your Cellphone

Think about the many different surfaces that your cellphone comes into contact with each day. Each time it does so, it picks up a variety of bacteria from that surface. The next time your phone touches your face, a large amount of that bacteria ends up being rubbed onto your skin. Once there, it will cause inflammation, resulting in acne breakouts.

Fortunately, there’s an easy fix to this one – keep your phone clean! Give it a wipe down once or twice a day with a wipe designed for that purpose and you’ll be able to keep your phone bacteria-free…to an extent!

7) Unclean Bedding and Towels

Just like your cellphone, your bedding and towels also come into contact with your face each and every day. If these aren’t kept clean, the bacteria that they hold will only end up triggering breakouts.

With that said, certain laundry detergents can also cause breakouts. Biological washing detergents and fabric softeners tend to be the biggest culprits. To prevent the inflammation that these products can cause in the skin, look for laundry products that have been formulated for sensitive skin.

8) A Skincare Routine That’s Too Long

The 10-step Korean skincare routine has taken the beauty world by storm in recent years, with many now swearing by long and complex regimens. However, for those with oily, acne-prone skin, this isn’t necessarily the best way forward…

As you’ll know, clogged pores are something to be avoided. However, the more products that you apply to your skin, the more likely you are to end up clogging your pores. There’ll also be a greater chance that you’ll apply an irritant to your skin. This will exacerbate inflammation, making acne worse.

This is why it can sometimes be best to keep your skincare routine short and sweet. Start with a cleanser, follow up with a hydrating serum, and then finish off with a lightweight moisturizer.

9) Topical Hair Removal Products

Topical hair removal products can be problematic for a couple of reasons, especially when applied to the face. Firstly, many of them contain comedogenic ingredients, causing them to clog pores and trigger breakouts.

Some of them can also irritate the hair follicles, as well as the surrounding skin. Any form of inflammation is bad news if you have acne-prone skin. This will only push any underlying breakouts along while encouraging new pimples to form.

10) Dandruff

People often don’t realize that there’s a strong link between dandruff and acne. However, those tiny flakes of dead skin that are released by your scalp can easily end up on your face or body. Once there, they clog up the pores, contributing to breakouts. Again, these spots are most common along the hairline and forehead.

It goes without saying that the best way to tackle this is by eliminating your dandruff. From anti-dandruff shampoos to specialized hair care products, get rid of the dandruff and the associated acne should come to a stop too.

11) Your Diet

Experts have spent years going back and forth about whether or not there’s a connection between diet and acne. This has led many to believe that the two are unrelated. 

However, there are now more and more studies emerging that point to a correlation between diet and acne breakouts, particularly when it comes to high-glycemic foods. These have been found to have an impact on the number of breakouts a person experiences, as well as how long those pimples last. If you’ve noticed that your acne seems to coincide with certain foods you’ve eaten, try cutting those triggers out for a while to see if your complexion improves.

12) Stress

Whenever you feel stressed, your body releases a hormone known as cortisol. This helps the body to deal with stressful situations, but it also stimulates the sebaceous glands and causes an increase in sebum production. 

To keep your cortisol levels low and your oiliness under control, work on minimizing the stress in your life. Find a few stress reduction techniques that work for you and turn to them whenever you feel your stress levels starting to rise.

13) Certain Medications

All medication comes with potential side effects. For some, those include acne breakouts. Whether due to how they irritate the skin, increase sebum production, or, in the case of topical medications, clog pores, the meds that you’re taking could be behind your acne breakouts.

Steroids are the most common cause while oral contraceptives commonly trigger acne too. Either way, if you suspect that your medication may be to blame, speak to your doctor about possible alternatives.

14) Working Out

There’s no denying that working out is good for both your skin and your body. However, if you allow the subsequent sweat to linger on your skin for too long after you’ve exercised, you’ll only be contributing to acne breakouts.

Instead, give your skin a wash as soon as possible after you’ve been sweating. Use a gentle cleanser so as not to irritate your skin with this extra cleanse. If you’re not able to properly cleanse, carry facial cleansing wipes with you to tide you over until you’re able to give your skin the TLC it needs.

Tackling the Appearance of Acne

While there may be plenty of products and medications that you can turn to in your quest to tackle the appearance of acne, you’ll never be able to put a stop to those breakouts for good until you’ve figured out the root cause of your skin problems. Hopefully, the list that we’ve shared above will help you with that, enabling you to achieve the clear and calm complexion you’ve been seeking!

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