Preventing Breakouts 101
Acne breakouts can be a frustrating and confidence-crushing issue for so many people, especially when the causes and solutions are unclear. Whether you're dealing with occasional pimples or persistent acne, preventing breakouts involves understanding all the influential factors of acne. In this blog, we will discuss how understanding your skin type, incorporating the correct skin care regimen, and controlling external factors can all help manage your acne.
Understanding Your Skin Type to Prevent Breakouts
The process of figuring out your skin type involves understanding how your skin is at its normal state and how it reacts under different circumstances. You can distinguish what skin type you have by simply cleansing and observing your skin's reaction. Start by cleansing your face with a gentle cleanser, then wait for about an hour without applying any other products. This will help your skin revert back to its natural state. If your skin ends up shiny and feels greasy, you likely have oily skin; if it feels tight and flaky, you have dry skin; if your T-zone is oily but your cheeks are dry, you have combination skin; and if your skin feels balances without oiliness or dryness, you have normal skin. If your skin usually reacts to certain products by getting red or irritated, you may have sensitive skin.
Knowing your skin type is crucial in selecting the right products and routines. This is so that you can discover the root of the problem while acknowledging how your skin may behave with certain products. For example, if you have oily skin and you're using heavy products and thick moisturizers, then you may be clogging up your pores and causing more congestion and breakouts. Alternately, if your skin is sensitive, the products used have the power to either prevent breakouts or cause nasty breakouts. Furthermore, those with sensitive skin may want to avoid anything that is overly irritating or drying because it can damage the skin barrier and therefore leave more opportunity for breakouts to occur.
If you are having trouble figuring out your skin type, try using tools like blotting sheets to help determine the amount of oil your skin produces. If needed, a professional can help provide deeper insights and provide you with a curated skin routine for your exact skin type that will help prevent any breakouts and skin texture.
Here are some of our product recommendations to prevent breakouts based on your skin type.
Skin type kits:
Normal/Combination Skin: The perfect care combination for those with normal/combination skin. Our starter kit includes NeoCutis® Neo Cleanse Exfoliating Cleanser, Epionce Renewal Facial Lotion and Alastin Renewal Retinol .5.
Sensitive Skin: If you have sensitive skin, it’s important to use gentle and calming products. Here are some of our sensitive skin recommendations: Revision DEJ Face Cream, Epionce Medical Barrier Cream, Epionce Milky Lotion Cleanser, and the Alastin Silkshield All Mineral SPF.
Acne Prone Skin: Your skin care kit to combat acne and blemishes is here! Enjoy clear, radiant skin with this suggested routine: NeoCutis® NeoCleanse Exfoliating Cleanser, Epionce Purifying Spot Gel, PCA ClearSkin and PCA Intensive Clarity.
Oily Skin: Achieve the balanced, beautiful skin you deserve with our starter kit for oily skin types. This bundle includes Revision Pore Purifying Clay Mask, Lytic Gel, Alastin Ultra Light Moisturizer and the Alastin Resurface Skin Polish.
Dry Skin: Struggle with dry skin? We suggest this routine to properly care for and hydrate your dry skin. It consists of Epionce Milky Lotion Cleanser, Revision Hydrating Serum, and Epionce Renewal Calming Cream.
Acne-Prone Skin Care Regimen Necessities
Cleansing
Throughout the day, your skin is exposed to pollutants, bacteria, and dead skin cells that accumulate on its surface. Because of this, cleansing the skin is crucial for managing and preventing acne breakouts because it removes any dirt, oil, and other impurities that can clog pores and lead to harsh breakouts. If your skin is not properly cleansed every day, these contaminants can build up with the addition of excess sebum or oil, creating an environment conducive to acne-causing bacteria.
Cleansing your skin every morning and night helps to clear out these potential irritants, reducing the likelihood of blocked pores and inflammation. Additionally, cleansing prepares your skin for the absorption of your skincare products so that you can see greater benefits from them. By maintaining a consistent cleansing routine of twice a day, you can keep your skin clean and clear.
If you’re not sure where to start when it comes to an effective cleanser, our recommendation that works for every skin type is the Alastin Gentle Cleanser. This cleanser is gentle on the skin, yet ultra-effective at breaking up dirt and debris on the skin.
Moisturizing
After cleansing, moisturizing is the second essential step in any acne-prone skin care regimen. It may seem counterintuitive to moisturize skin that is already oily and acne-prone, however moisturizers help balance the skin’s oil production. If skin is over-producing or under-producing oil that stimulates breakouts, implementing a moisturizer will help balance the skin’s oil production and maintain a healthy skin barrier with consistent use.
Keeping your skin hydrated helps by maintaining the skin's natural moisture barrier, which is essential for keeping the skin balanced and healthy. An effective moisturizer will provide the necessary hydration without adding extra oil, which helps regulate sebum production.
Additionally, moisturizers often contain ingredients like antioxidants and anti-inflammatory agents that can soothe irritation and reduce redness, further preventing acne flare-ups. Choosing a non-comedogenic moisturizer ensures that it won’t clog your pores, making it suitable even for acne-prone skin. A lightweight moisturizer is ideal for acne-prone skin. Our acne-prone moisturizer recommendation is the Alastin Ultra Light moisturizer because it restores and hydrates the skin while preserving its natural barrier.
Exfoliating
Beyond cleansing and moisturizing, exfoliation is the final essential step when it comes to preventing acne and breakouts. Although it’s only done once to twice per week, exfoliating regularly can make a huge difference when it comes to skin texture and breakouts.
Exfoliating helps prevent acne by removing the buildup of dead skin cells, dirt, and oil that can clog pores and contribute to breakouts. When dead cells accumulate on the skin's surface, they can mix with your natural oils and clog pores, creating an environment where acne-causing bacteria thrive. Regular exfoliation erases these dead skin cells, promoting cell turnover and preventing clogged pores. It also helps to smooth the skin’s texture and can enhance the penetration of acne treatments and other products, which helps prevent breakouts even further.
However, it is recommended to exfoliate gently to avoid any irritation, which can in turn worsen your acne by disrupting your skin barrier. By gently exfoliating once to twice a week, you can keep your pores clear, reduce the frequency of breakouts, and achieve more clarity in your complexion. To gently polish away dead skin cells and promote radiant skin, we recommend the Alastin Resurface Skin Polish, a gentle physical exfoliator with dual-action exfoliation to manually remove debris and dead skin. In addition, the NeoCutis Nouvelle+ retinol correction cream brightens the skin’s complexion and reduces the appearance of signs of aging. On the other hand, this product is a chemical exfoliant which uses gentle acids to dissolve dead skin cells as opposed to physical exfoliation, like facial scrubs.
Controlling External Factors
Sun Protection
When it comes to preventing breakouts, wearing SPF daily is essential. The sun has been known to cause acne by increasing inflammation, stimulating oil production, and leading to the growth of acne-causing bacterias. Ultraviolet (UV) radiation from the sun can cause damage to the skin cells, which triggers an inflammatory response that can exacerbate existing acne and lead to new breakouts.
Additionally, sun exposure can cause the skin to become dehydrated, prompting it to produce more oil to compensate, which can clog pores and create an environment conducive to acne. Furthermore, while some may notice a temporary improvement in acne due to the drying effects of the sun, this is often followed by a rebound effect where acne worsens. The sun can also contribute to post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation, making acne scars worse than they were before. Protecting your skin with SPF is so crucial for managing acne and maintaining overall skin health long-term.
A non comedogenic sunscreen that’s perfect for acne-prone skin is the PCA Skin’s Weightless Protection SPF, a lightweight formula designed to protect your skin from UV rays.
Avoid Touching Your Face
Another controllable factor to prevent acne is to avoid touching your face. It sounds simple, but a lot of us mindlessly touch our faces throughout the day when we rest our head on our hands, adjust makeup, and more.
Touching your face often causes acne because it transfers dirt, oil, and bacteria from your hands to your skin, which can clog pores and trigger breakouts. Our hands come into contact with numerous surfaces throughout the day, accumulating germs and bacteria that can exacerbate acne when they contact the face.
Additionally, frequent touching can irritate the skin, leading to increased inflammation and the spread of acne-causing bacteria. Popping or picking at pimples can worsen the situation by causing further irritation, infection, and potential scarring. By avoiding touching your face, you minimize the risk of introducing harmful bacteria to your skin and help maintain a clear complexion.
Maintain a Healthy Diet
Eating healthy prevents acne by providing the body with essential nutrients that support overall skin health and reduce factors that contribute to breakouts. Diets rich in fruits, vegetables, lean proteins, and whole grains supply antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals that combat inflammation and promote cell regeneration. These nutrients help regulate hormones and reduce sebum production, preventing clogged pores.
Additionally, a diet low in refined sugars and high-glycemic foods can minimize insulin spikes that lead to increased oil production and inflammation. Having a diet rich in omega-3 fatty acids, like fish and nuts, also possess anti-inflammatory properties that can help calm irritated skin. By maintaining a balanced, nutrient-dense diet, you can support your skin's natural defenses against acne and achieve a clearer complexion.
Beyond just supporting your skin with essential nutrients and antioxidants, it’s important to remember that food sensitivities can affect skin health and irritation levels. Many people have food sensitivities to dairy, processed sugar, and other common food ingredients that can worsen acne and breakouts. It may be worth trying an elimination diet to see if you have any food sensitivities that are disrupting your skin health.
Stress Levels
Although some stress may be out of your control, managing stress to the best of your ability is crucial for maintaining healthy skin and preventing breakouts. Stress triggers the release of cortisol and other hormones in the body that increase oil production in the skin. Increased levels of cortisol in the body lead to clogged pores and acne due to the excess oil and stress on the body.
To manage stress effectively, it is important to incorporate calming and regulating behaviors into your lifestyle. For example, regular exercise helps reduce stress hormones and boosts endorphins. Practicing mindfulness techniques such as meditation and deep breathing can also promote relaxation and lower stress levels. Maintaining a balanced diet, staying hydrated, and ensuring adequate sleep are essential in supporting the body's ability to cope with stress. By adopting these habits, individuals can reduce the impact of stress on their skin, leading to an acne-free complexion.
Preventing breakouts often requires a combination of proper skincare and lifestyle habits. By understanding your skin type, maintaining a consistent skincare routine, and adopting healthy habits to control external factors, you can significantly reduce the frequency and severity of breakouts. Remember, patience and consistency are key–healthy, clear skin is an investment of time and effort!