6 Factors that can Cause an Acne Flare Up

Do you suffer from adult acne? While you may be able to identify some of the triggers that cause your acne flare-ups, you may not be aware of other factors that can affect your skin's health. Here, so that you can avoid them in the future, are the major acne triggers that can cause breakouts.

1. Hormonal Changes
Primarily affecting women, hormone changes could be a monthly occurrence or something brought about by events like pregnancy or menopause. When testosterone increases as it does during the menstrual cycle or during perimenopause, the skin produces more oil, which can cause clogged pores and eventually, blemishes. Ask your doctor about your birth control pill, as some will flare up acne.

2. Diet
Conventional wisdom is that greasy food causes breakouts, but sugar and simple carbs, iodine and chocolate are more likely to trigger flare-ups, if for different reasons; (chocolate is controversial). Sugar and simple carbs cause inflammation and chocolate -- researchers still aren't sure, but research shows that men who consumed more chocolate had more acne breakouts than those consuming less or no chocolate, possibly because chocolates have sugar. 

Food allergies can also cause acne flare-ups; gluten is a common cause. As such, some people decide to avoid gluten because of problems with acne.

3. Stress
Stress causes the body to release the hormone cortisol, which signals the body to produce more oil that could clog pores and cause acne. It may be impossible to eliminate stress from your life, but there are effective ways to cope so that cortisol levels don't get too high. Lack of sleep stresses the body. Ideally, the body needs 7 to 8 hours of sleep a night. 

4. Beauty Products
Cosmetics, products for your skin or even hair can cause flare ups if they have ingredients that are comedogenic. You want to look for the label non-comedogenic, non-acnegenic, oil-free, or won't clog pores. Beauty products that are oil free and mineral based foundations have less tendency to irritate acne. Overuse can trigger excessive oil production that also has the potential to cause acne flare-ups.

5. Side Effect of Medication
Look at the labels of all medications you take to see if acne is a side effect. If you think your medication is triggering your acne, you can request a different medication. If there are no alternatives to the medication, you can see a dermatologist to find out how to treat the acne and keep it from erupting.

6. Medical Condition
Sometimes, an undiagnosed medical condition can cause acne flare-ups. If acne is a persistent problem for you despite trying different treatments, ask your doctor about conditions that might cause acne and how you might be tested for them. Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS) is one such condition for women for which doctors can test.

Family history can predispose you to acne flare ups, but proper treatment of the skin can minimize or prevent flare-ups entirely despite family history. Vivant Skin Care offers skin care products for all skin types that will treat and prevent acne flare-ups and keep your skin looking and feeling healthy.