1. Touching Your Face
Touching your face, even with clean hands, is one of the biggest causes of acne. “Touching can inflame the skin, and if you’re touching the same area, you might get an increase in oil production, so it’s three-pronged: it’s the bacteria, the inflammation, and the increased production in oil,” says Dr. Francesca Fusco, M.D. and dermatologist.
2. Your Workout Gear
Yoga might clear your mind but it won’t clear your skin if you are using a dirty mat. To avoid breaking out, put a clean towel over your mat when you practice. Also, workout gear or clothing that constantly rubs in a certain area can cause frictional acne. Constant rubbing makes you sweat, become irritated, and eventually develop tiny little red bumps. While it looks kind of like a heat rash, it’s really an acne.
3. Your Cell Phone
Cell phones are magnets for dirt and bacteria and tend to cause acne on the chin and around the mouth. Wiping down your Smartphone daily with alcohol or Clorox wipes will keep your phone—and your face—clean.
4. Your Beauty Routine
Applying cosmetics to an acne-prone area, such as the face, neck, hairline, and scalp may actually do more harm than good. Makeup brushes frequently collect excess makeup and gather bacteria and yeast, which can lead to a type of acne known as Folliculitis. Be sure to clean your makeup brushes once a week to keep them gunk-free and face-friendly if you want to avoid this. Also, make sure that your hair is oil or ointment-free when you hit the hay, because these oils can get on the pillow case and then rub on your face.
5. Your Prescriptions
Prescription medications, both internal and topical forms, have been known to cause pimples. One of the most common are oral contraceptives, which may be surprising given that many people take birth control in order to reduce their acne. However, whenever you introduce something new like a hormone to your body, there is usually a period of time in which the body must compensate and find balance. During that time it is not uncommon for acne to worsen. In fact, it can take up to six months to become regulated!
Acne offenders may also be present in medications used to treat poison ivy, allergies, and arthritis. The key ingredient here to watch out for is Prednisone, a tablet form of steroid. Other key ingredients to look out for include lithium, lithium chloride, and certain forms of iodine. If the medication is topical, check the ingredients for cortisone or hydrocortisone because overuse of either of these drugs can cause aggravation or “steroid acne”. Note however that moderate amounts of these ingredients should be just fine for your skin.
source and photo cred: womenshealthmag.com