We will not be removing our face masks anytime soon and let’s face it — more often than not, we’ve been blaming our skin breakouts on mask acne (maskne). While wearing a mask does contribute to the cause, other common mistakes we make further aggravates the situation.
From washing our faces in the shower to using towels to wipe our faces, here are some common mistakes that lead to skin breakouts.
Using a towel instead of tissues to wipe your face
This is a common mistake that causes skin breakouts all over the world. Since towels do not require the extra step of throwing away, it’s convenient to simply wipe off the moisture from our faces after a good wash.
However, towels can easily build up with unwanted bacteria use after use, and using one to dry your face can cause bacteria to make their way to your skin, resulting in breakouts.
Plus, most towel fabrics are too harsh on the skin and wiping your face with them can cause skin redness and irritation. Instead, use a paper towel to pat your face gently. This will effectively remove the moisture and is also proven to be quite soothing.
Washing your face in the shower
Reading this probably made you go, “Huh?!” And we don’t blame you for that. After all, it saves time and makes complete sense to wash your face in the shower since you’re taking a bath…. Right?
If you’re showering at room temperature or warm water, it’s fine. But for those who love their scorching hot baths, hot water may irritate and dry out your skin. Use warm water for optimum results — it loosens the dirt but preserves your skin’s natural hydrating oils.
Touching your face too often
You’re probably guilty of this. Whether it’s supporting the weight of your head or the strange addiction of tracing the pimples and bumps that are already on your face, touching our faces is a common mistake that leads to skin breakouts.
Our hands come into contact with many things. Be it food, our beloved pets, or even the TV remote control, bacteria and germs from them can transfer to our skin when we touch our faces.
Not changing your pillow covers often
I’d hate to admit that mum’s right and I’ve to change my bedsheets regularly, but she does have a point. Besides maintaining the cleanliness of your room, changing your pillow covers can prevent acne as well.
Sebum, dust, and dirt accumulate on sleeping surfaces quickly and constant sleeping on them will irritate the skin. Another point to note is that silk or satin covers work better for people with sensitive skin, so swap your cotton sheets out if needed.
Sticking to your phone
Our phones are literal lifelines, but they’re also blamed for everything from sleep deprivation to loneliness. Now, there’s a new demon to add to the list.
According to dermatologists, cell phones carry ten times more bacteria than most toilet seats. The heat from our phones help germs multiply at a faster rate and they’re then transferred to our hands or faces.
Plus, if you’re sticking your phone up against your face all the time, it can irritate and clog pores. The pressure encourages oil glands to secrete more oil and also forces bacteria, dirt, and makeup into pores, where they get trapped. Yikes.
Applying acne treatment on an unpopped pimple
Sometimes, we notice small, swollen bumps on our faces and decide that the best call of action is to treat it before it blooms into a whitehead.
However, this is a common mistake that leads to a skin breakout as a spot treatment on a pimple that isn’t a whitehead yet will simply dry up the surface of your skin, rather than penetrating the pores to kill the bacteria.
Take note that a pimple has to be extracted before topical acne medication works.
Wearing glasses without cleaning them
If you’re wearing the same glasses every day, that could be causing your breakout. Just like cell phones, the dust, dirt, and even grime can breed bacteria on your glasses and be transferred to your skin.
Make the habit of cleaning your glasses daily before using them.
Bad lifestyle habits
This is almost a given, but a constant reminder is needed for us to always take care of ourselves. Smoking, consumption of alcohol, irregular diet patterns, and erratic sleep patterns result in acne.
There is also some research showing that a high-glycemic diet can lead to acne breakouts, as can too much dairy. It’s best to consume a healthy diet of antioxidants and leafy green vegetables since acne is an inflammatory condition.
Washing your face too frequently
Many people with naturally oily skin or acne feel the need to vigorously wash their faces. However, this is a common mistake that may backfire on you and cause a worse breakout.
Overwashing your face may irritate the skin, making it harder to use over-the-counter or prescription acne medications. It also strips the face of its natural oils, making it ultimately counterproductive.
Most people, unless they are perspiring heavily after sports or other activities, only need to wash their face twice daily.
Relying on only makeup wipes to reduce makeup/sleeping with makeup on
We see you. As shameful as it is, there really are some nights where we fail to function properly due to exhaustion, and eventually hit the sack without removing our makeup. Putting on cosmetics for a long period of time will accumulate dirt on your face and clog your pores, leading to a skin breakout.
It is also important to not rely solely on makeup wipes. Makeup wipes do not remove all of the makeup and even leaves behind a residue — unlike a cleanser, which shouldn’t leave anything behind.
You’re much better off taking an extra few minutes to wash your face with a cleanser after (or instead of) using a makeup wipe.
We hope that this article is of good use to you!
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I leave the office at 6PM on the . to rush home and play games. My boss has no control over me!!