While some doctors disagree on whether smoking causes acne or not, there is evidence to suggest it does. Researchers at the San Gallicano Dermatological Institute in Rome identified non-inflammatory acne (NIA) to be common among frequent smokers. They also found that smokers who had experienced acne in their teen years were four times more likely to have acne as an adult than non-smokers who also had acne in their teens. So if you're breaking out and still lighting up, reconsider your deadly habit. If not for your life, for your vanity.
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Habit No. 11: Spraying perfume
We talked about how fragrance in your makeup and detergent can cause acne, and your perfume can cause skin irritation too. Make sure to avoid your face when spritzing fragrance. An easy way to do this is to spray perfume on your wrists (instead of directly on your neck), then rub them against your décolletage and neck to spread the fragrance. Also steer clear of bath and shower products with added fragrance.
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Habit No. 12: Being lazy with your routine
Listen, we're not going to pretend like it's not super tempting after a long day (especially if you've hit a happy hour) to just slide into bed without washing and treating your face. But when you fall off the wagon and skip a cleansing and moisturizing, it can undo all the progress you've made with your skin. King stresses how important it is to establish a daily routine and to stick with it — no matter what's going on. She also says to not get frustrated with a current acne treatment routine, as it takes about a month to see improvement in your skin.
Every night you should be using a rinse-off cleanser, a hydrating toner or light moisturizer, and an acne treatment with salicylic acid or benzoyl peroxide. Use an extra spot treatment on current breakouts.
We've all heard that the sun dries out your skin and UV rays have an antibacterial element. But baking in the sun is not a sufficient way to clear up acne. And remember, over-drying your skin will cause it to produce more oil, not less.
Also, tanning causes your skin to increase cell production (which means more dead skin cells — the thing we are trying to avoid). So while you might get a bit clearer at first, tanning will end up giving you more breakouts — not to mention an increased risk of cancer and extra batch of wrinkles when you're older.
It's so unfair. You're well past the tumultuous years of high school (ugh, thank god), but you're still dealing with skin problems. Which begs the question: Didn't your skin get the memo that it's time to move on? The quarterback married somebody else and you no longer have the time or patience to worry about acne.
While a bad breakout no longer "ruins your life," like it did in the past, it's still embarrassing and frustrating. So why are you still suffering from breakouts? First off, Annet King, director of The International Dermal Institute, says, "acne-prone people are born with about four to five times more skin cells than the average person, and produce more oil than the average person as well." And it's the winning combination of these factors that are at the initial root of the problem. But there are other, sneakier, under-the-radar ways that you could be irritating your skin as well — ways you aren't even aware of. So if you're at a loss as to why you're getting zits, the culprit is likely your daily routine.
To dig deep, we interviewed a slew of acne experts for a comprehensive list of healthy skin-offenders. Along with King, we talked to dermatologist Tony Nakhla, M.D., author of "The Skin Commandments: 10 Rules to Healthy, Beautiful Skin", and dermatologist Ava Shamban, M.D., author of "Heal Your Skin." They all shared the little-known ways pimples can rear their ugly heads — and of course, how to prevent and treat them as well.
