Are Your Lifestyle Habits Fueling Your Acne?

Nobody wants to live with acne. If you deal with breakouts, you probably want to know what you can do to move toward a complexion with fewer blemishes. But because acne can come from fluctuating hormone levels, medications, stress, certain lifestyle changes, and other factors, it can be hard to hone in on the root cause and address it.

We’re here to help. Elaine Phuah, DO, MBA, FACOI, and our team at Hanami Medspa specialize in acne treatment. Here at our Fort Worth, Texas, office, we can help you explore different treatment options to find what works for you, no matter what’s causing your skin problems. 

In many cases, that means a personalized skincare routine and targeted treatments combined with lifestyle changes. Here are a few habits we recommend to avoid fueling your acne. 

Manage your stress

Recent studies have linked increased stress levels and increased breakouts. While scientists still aren’t precisely sure why stress makes your skin worse, you’ve probably dealt with enough pimples at less-than-ideal times to know there’s a connection here.

To avoid worsening skin, find ways to keep stress at bay. Some tried-and-true methods include:

• Working out on a regular basis
• Yoga
• Cutting back on caffeine
• Spending time with people you love

Find what works for you and stick with it. Over time, this can help you maintain clearer skin. 

Clean your phone and pillowcases

Think about the things that touch your face. Then, make sure they’re clean. The most common culprits here are phones and pillowcases. 

Even if you usually take calls on speaker or with headphones, it’s worth keeping your phone clean. You touch it a lot throughout the day, and probably end up touching your face, too.

Keeping high-touch items clean helps you avoid reintroducing acne-causing bacteria into your skin. 

Always wash your face after workouts and before bed

Sweat and makeup can clog your pores, contributing to breakouts. The longer you let these things hang out on the surface of your skin, the more likely they are to fuel your acne.

Right after you exercise, make it a top priority to wash your face. And make sure to remove your makeup before climbing into bed each night.

If either of these things feels challenging, consider buying face-cleansing wipes. Dr. Phuah can help you identify a good option to make it easier to keep your face clean. 

Ease up on the scrubbing

When you live with acne, it’s tempting to want to scrub your skin as much as possible. You might understandably think that this would make your skin cleaner, preventing future breakouts.

Actually, though, excess scrubbing and harsh face washes can strip your skin of its natural moisture barrier — the thing that should be keeping bacteria at bay. 

Gentle exfoliants and cleansers are a much better option. Again, Dr. Phuah can help you choose the right products to support your skin’s natural barrier. 

With some lifestyle changes and a personalized plan from Dr. Phuah, you can make strides toward your clearest complexion. To get started, call Hanami Medspa or make an appointment online today.