Causes of pimples on face in adults: Top tips on how to prevent face breakouts

If we had to choose a single thing we didn’t miss about being a teenager, the answer would’ve been unanimous: pimples. Taxes over breakouts, anyday. But just like understanding your finances, by delving into the causes of pimples on the face in adulthood, you can finally regain control of your skin. It’s time to show them who’s boss! Here are the 4 main causes of pimples on the face in adults and essential tips on how to avoid them:

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1. Buildup of skin cells, dirt and oil

Pimples, breakouts, whiteheads and blackheads are formed when a buildup of dead skin cells, dirt, oil and acne causing bacteria clog your pores. Leading inflammation, irritation and unsightly red blemishes. TOP TIP #1: Wash your face twice daily and exfoliating on a regular basis By regularly washing your face in the morning and night, your skin is free from the dead skin cells, dirt and environmental pollutants that have inhabited on your face during the day. An additional step in your journey to a clearer complexion is exfoliating. Chemical Peels are an effective way to target priorities such as

• Treating active acne
• Eliminating acne causing bacteria to prevent future breakouts
• Evens out your complexion
• Reduce the appearance of redness and inflammation
• Improves texture
• Tightens pores

Combined with the healing properties of LED Light Therapy, you are on your way to a blemish-free and radiant complexion. This treatment effectively destroys acne causing bacteria, soothes and calms inflammation as well as encourages cellular repair.

Your friend who’s regularly changing their pillowcase may have been on to something. Studies have shown that changing your pillowcase every few days can reduce the chances of your skin from breaking out. Why? Over time, your pillowcase becomes a haven for dead skin cells, dirt and oil from your clothes, face and hair.

What Is The White Stuff That Comes Out of A Blackhead?

You’ve seen blackheads before. Commonly found on your nose BUT what is that white stuff that comes out of a blackhead? Not to fear, we help you with your breakout free journey by presenting you the 3 commandments of blackhead banish 101.

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1. PICK: your skin battles

As tempting as it may be, popping any blemishes on the face never does your skin any good. Squeezing blackheads can cause any inflammation to be pushed deeper back beneath your skin as well as reintroduce bacteria into the open wound. Blackheads are formed when an open comedone is filled with skin debris and oil. When exposed to air, it oxidises and turns dark brown. Contrary to popular belief, it’s not dirt that’s trapped in your pores but old skin cells and oil. Whiteheads occur when these contents aren’t exposed to the air.

The ‘white stuff’ that comes out of a blackhead or more commonly in pimples is pus. Pus is formed from inflamed debris, dead white blood cells and is also produced as the body’s response to bacteria invading the system. This can it will heal on its own without treatment. However, skin treatments such as the Acne Beta peel can assist in reducing the risk of future breakouts.

Additionally, using harsh cleansers and rough exfoliants can cause further irritation, triggering your skin’s sebum levels to go into overdrive to compensate for the current lack of oil and hydration in your skin. An excess of oil can clog up pores which then interrupt the regular flow of oil from beneath to the surface of the skin and voila, a blackhead is formed.

Instead of irritating your blackheads and breakouts, the Acne peel will allow the dream team combo of salicylic and dioic acid to work their acne busting magic on your skin, leaving you with clear skin.

Acne Symptoms

Turn those “sighs”s and symptoms of Acne Symptoms into sighs of relief by understanding what causes acne and what treatments are available in helping you to return to clear and smooth skin.

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1. Blackheads

Blackheads appear as small dark brown to black spots on the skin and are commonly found on the nose, sides of your nose, forehead and chin. Contrary to popular belief, blackheads don’t contain dirt. Instead, they’re open pores filled with bacteria and oil which turns brown when oxidised (is exposed to oxygen).

2. Whiteheads

Whiteheads occur when dead skin cells and oil become trapped in pores that don’t make it to the surface. However, like the name suggests, they appear as white raised bumps unlike blackheads as no oxidation is involved (not exposure to oxygen).

3. Papules

This is caused when excess oil and skin cells clog an open pore. Papules appear as small red, tender bumps that develop from being infected with bacteria but do not contain pus.

4. Pustules

When a papule is left untreated and accumulates pus, this blemish turned into a pustule. Commonly referred to as pimples, pustules are papules with pus at their tips.

5. Nodules

Nodules are large solid lumps located beneath the skin. They are painful to the touch and any attempt to pop it should be avoided as it may lead to irritation. Nodules are the result of overactive oil glands, excessive acne causing bacteria and abnormal buildup of dead skin cells within a pore.

6. Cysts

Like nodules, cysts are also large lumps located beneath the skin. However, they’re filled with pus and painful to touch. It is important to avoid any temptation to pop the cyst as this can encourage bacteria to be introduced back into the skin, worsening the cyst.

Why is my face breaking out all of a sudden?

We all know that feeling when your skin care is going smoothly, then all of a sudden you’re experiencing break outs. This can be incredibly frustrating and it may be hard to detect the root cause.

Which in turn, leads to you wondering “Why is my skin breaking out now?” This is especially important when you’re trying to determine the next steps.

Luckily, Results Laser Clinic has you covered with our comprehensive guide. Our cosmetic nurses know that skin care is not “One size fits all“. This is why, we detail everything from the different causes to probable treatment solutions. This is so you can embark on the journey to clearer skin, sooner.

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What is a Break Out?

The first step to understanding, “Why is my skin breaking out all of a sudden?” is knowing what a break out is. For most people, a break out is just a pesky skin imperfection. However, this is defined as a skin abnormality, which includes pimples, blackheads and cystic acne.

This commonly occurs on regions of the skin with more oil glands. These include the face, chest and shoulders.

When you have a break out, you’ll find that you may experience redness, swelling or inflammation. This is because your pores are clogged with dead skin, oil, and (occasionally) bacteria!

Identifying Different Break Outs

When it comes to break outs, each one varies from each other. When you’re experiencing one, it’s important to understand the type your skin is prone to. This is so you can pinpoint the right treatment solution. For example, using a pimple treatment on blackheads can be a waste of time and money.

 

Pimples

If you’re experiencing pimples, you’ll find a spot with a white centre surrounded by redness. This occurs because bacteria is contained within a hair follicle on the skin.

Whiteheads

Although these can appear as small white bumps, it can also appear as yellow. This occurs because the comedone (Skin pore/follicle) is closed.

Blackheads

Just like the name, these are consistently black in appearance and come in small bumps. This is not to be confused with sebaceous filaments which can appear as brown or grey. These arise on the skin due to the comedone (Skin pore/follicle) being open.

 

 

What are the Common Causes of Breakouts?

So far, we’ve understood the types of break outs that commonly arise. However, you may be wondering “Why is my skin so bad all of a sudden?” When it comes to this, there are a range of factors to consider.

Our team has broken these down for you below:

• High Stress Levels: Stress does not directly correlate to you breaking out. However, this causes the stress hormone called “Cortisol.” This is because it enhances the production of oils.
• The Wrong Skincare Products: Have you recently started on a new product? The wrong skin care can cause inflammation and break outs on the skin.
• Poor Diet: Foods that spike blood sugar levels are important to avoid. These are otherwise known as “High glycemic” foods. This is responsible for enhancing skin inflammation and sebum production.
• Dehydration: If your water intake is too low, this can lead to the excess production of oil. This is because your skin is trying to make up for the dryness.
• Environmental Factors: Pollutants in the air and high humidity levels can trap dirt and oil on the skin. This can clog pores and trigger acne.

How to Treat Sudden Face Breakouts

Adjusting your lifestyle can help prevent acne breakouts in future. Take the time to reflect on your current skin care and dietary habits. This can help you identify certain areas, and make changes accordingly. Taking small steps at first can help you ease into this.

Skincare Routine

The right routine helps target blemishes, as well as protects and restore the skins barrier.

See our tips below:

• Look for products labelled as “Non comedogenic”
• Avoid oil based products
• Moisturise daily to maintain the skin barrier
• Cleanse daily to remove impurities
• Use a broad spectrum sunscreen for UV protection
• Exfoliate the skin weekly (Frequency of this varies)

Diet

Limit the consumption of foods that are “High glycemic” in your diet. This can prevent your acne from getting worse over time.

See our table below:

High Glycemic Food	Low Glycemic Alternative
White Bread	Whole Grain Bread
Regular Pasta	Whole Wheat Pasta
White Rice	Brown Rice or Quinoa
Soda	Sparkling Water with a Splash of Lemon

Stress Management

Have you noticed a shift in your stress levels? Turn to stress reducing activities such as yoga, meditation, or simply ones that you enjoy. This reduces hormonal acne triggers.

Over the Counter Medications

Try over-the-counter acne products to dry excess oil and promote peeling. Look for products containing benzoyl peroxide and adapalene as the active ingredients. You might also try products containing salicylic acid, glycolic acid or alpha hydroxy acids.

Prescription Medications

For persistent or severe acne, over the counter treatments can be ineffective. Instead, opt for a professional treatment plan. This can be done through consulting with your general practitioner, or dermatologist (Varies based on the treatment type.)

We’ve broken down some effective treatments:

• Topical Medications: These are concentrated ingredients applied to a certain bodily region. Some popular ingredients include: Salicylic acid (prevents growth of plugged hair follicles,) dapsone, antibiotics (Bacteria killing,) and retinoids (Treating mild to moderate acne.)
• Oral Medications: This is frequently used to treat more severe acne. These include isotretinoin (also known as Accutane,) anti androgen agents (For women only,) and antibiotics (Bacteria killing.)

Your Skincare Recap

Next time you ask yourself, “Why am I getting pimples on my face all of a sudden?” Remember this, your skin is as individual as you are.

It’s entirely normal for it to go through phases of purging, to being completely clear. Consider lifestyle factors like a lack of sleep, excessive exfoliating or drying skincare formulas.

These stress skin and imbalance the harmony of those prone to over-flow of oil, leading to stress acne. Acne breakouts which occur in adulthood as opposed to adolescence also possess a different underlying cause.

For further information, consult with a medical professional or your cosmetic nurse.

When Should I Turn to Cosmetic Treatments?

If you’re experiencing mild to moderate acne, it’s useful to consider professional treatments. At Results Laser Clinic, we offer a range of tailored facial treatment options.

These are designed to address skin concerns for a range of skin types and severities.

See some of our flexible skin treatments below:

• Chemical skin peels
• Microdermabrasion
• LED light therapy

For personalised advice and treatments, consult our cosmetic nurses.

Get in touch with us today!

FAQS

Why are my cheeks breaking out all of a sudden?

Where you’re experiencing breakouts can correlate to what’s causing it.

Here are some potential causes:

• Dirty phone
• Not changing the pillow case regularly
• Not washing your hair frequently enough
• Constant touching of the cheeks

Why am I suddenly breaking out even though my routine hasn’t changed?

Even if your routine hasn’t changed, stress or hormonal changes could still make you break out. Also, your skin might need different care now than before.

How to remove blackheads: DIY or skin treatments?

With Spring making a return soon, discover whether DIY or skin treatments are the better option in your blackhead removal journey to pore-fection! 

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What are blackheads and how are they formed?

When your skin is clear, the openings around a hair follicle are free from dead skin cells, allowing the production of oil to flow to the surface normally. Blackheads are formed when the opening around a hair follicle is clogged with dead skin cells and sebum(oil). What you should never do with blackheads

• Use abrasive cleansers and exfoliants as your skin can be irritated further
• Squeeze blackheads as the inflammation can be pushed deeper back into your skin and eventually cause scarring

How to prevent acne scars

We’ve all been there – scrubs, tears, every trick in the online skin bible in our pursuit in removing unwanted acne scars. To understand how skin treatments can resurface your skin back to smoothness, we explore the different types of acne scars and which treatments are best suited in the pursuit for your skin’s smoother future. Commonly associated with each other but fundamentally not the same, post inflammatory hyperpigmentation and acne scars are both visible, textural results that are often left behind from acne. 

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What is post inflammatory hyperpigmentation?

Post inflammatory hyperpigmentation occurs when there’s discolouration left on the skin. It’s a flat area that ranges in colour from red to pink, brown or purple dependant on your skin tone.  From disruptions in the healing process of wounds, rashes and pimples, inflammation arises from the trauma caused to the skin. When the skin heats up too much, melanin is produced, leaving a darker colour.  Not to despair, post inflammatory hyperpigmentation fades over time. However, if you have an event or just want to reduce the appearance of hyperpigmentation, certain skin treatments can help in smoothing out the skin tone and texture such as Skin Needling using the innovative DermaPen technology. A motorised head containing micro needles safely punctures the skin, to trigger cellular repair and renewal to effectively reduce the appearance of an uneven complexion, scarring and your skin’s texture.