4 Surprising Reasons You Keep Getting Pimples
By Kaleigh Fasanella. Photo by: Getty Images.
When it comes to keeping acne at bay, most of us are familiar with the basic tactics. Cleansing is crucial, makeup must always, always come off at the end of the night, and regular exfoliation is necessary to keep pores polished and void of blemish-causing bacteria.
That being said, so many of us often forget about the seemingly "little" things — such as keeping your sheets clean, for example — that can actually make a damn-big difference in the state of pimple-prone skin. In other words, if it feels like you've been doing everything possible to keep your skin clear and it's still flaring up like a mofo, then there may be an underlying issue, like the aforementioned, to blame.
Gross sheets seem like a given, sure, but what about the other underlying factors that you may not be giving a second thought? (There's no shame in the game — some of these things are seriously sneaky.) With this in mind, I tapped Joshua Zeichner, the director of cosmetic and clinical research at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York City, to deep-dive the under-the-radar reasons your acne just. won't. quit. Ahead, find four simple fixes you can make in your day-to-day grind, which could potentially save your skin.
Wash Your Sheets
As I mentioned above, it's so, so crucial to keep your sheets clean. And no, that doesn't mean washing them once a month or once every two months, but rather on a really regular basis to ensure the dirt, grime, and overall grossness is evacuated from your place of slumber. It's really that simple. You sleep on your sheets every night, and even if you're not a tosser-turner like me, your skin is still exposed to the bacteria that accumulates over time. Thus, if you're already prone to acne, sleeping on dirty sheets will only make the situation worse.
"Not washing your sheets means that dirt and microorganisms will be in contact with your skin as you sleep, contaminating your skin, even if you have washed [your face] before bed," Zeichner says, adding that it can also be helpful to sleep on your back, as your face will have a lesser chance of coming into contact with your pillowcase (i.e. a breeding ground for bacteria and fungus to grow.)
Be Wary of Where You Apply Your Hair-Care Products
This one might seem odd, but it's something people rarely take into consideration, as we tend to keep hair and skin in completely separate categories. However, Zeichner explains that your hair-care products — and more specifically, where you put them — could definitely be behind your perennial breakouts. "Pomades and other thick hair care products can affect your skin, as well as your hair," he says. "Take care not to allow it to get on to your temples or forehead, as they can block pores causing breakouts."
Keep Your Computer Clean
It's 2017, folks — a.k.a. the digital age at its pinnacle — so advising you to "stay off your computer" isn't the most realistic advice. While you should definitely make it a point to unplug and not spend your whole life online, some of us, especially those who work in computer-focused fields, like the media, don't necessarily have that luxury.
That's not to say we can't keep our computers as squeaky-clean as possible, though. Because as Zeichner notes, laptops and desktops both harbor heaps of bacteria, which can easily transfer from our hands to our faces. "Leaning on the palm of your hand as you look at your computer during the day can transfer dirt and oil from your palm onto your skin, [thus] causing pimples," he says.
Case in point: If you're someone who spends the majority of your days chained to a computer, get up right now and go invest in some disinfectant wipes. Oh, and do your best to keep your paws off your face.
Wipe Down Your Smart Phone
In the same way your computer harbors dirt, dust, and bacteria, so does your cell phone, which can actually prove even worse for your skin than your Macbook since you're constantly setting it down on different, potentially ~sus surfaces. "Your cell phone accumulates dirt and oil from your skin — and bacteria from the environment — as you put your phone down on a table or chair," says Zeichner, adding the very alarming fact that studies have shown cell phones may actually be colonized by more microorganisms that a public toilet. I repeat: A public toilet.
Do yourself — and your skin — a favor by stocking up on some handy wipes for your phone such as these or these, both of which will do the dirty-ridding trick.
If you've done all of the above and your skin is still acting out, might I suggest checking out some of our favorite skin saviors from Allure's Best of Beauty? Differin Gel, for instance, is the first-ever retinoid gel to be approved for over-the-counter use to treat acne. And Kiehl's Breakout Control Targeted Acne Spot Treatment is another killer option that contains blemish-fighting sulfur and niacinamide to shrink pores.
Follow Kaleigh Fasanella on Twitter.
This story originally appeared on Allure.
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