In the Know

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.