Three Common Causes of Acne that You May Be Guilty Of

Many of us go through at least a few years where we have acne, and we hear all the causes of acne and so on, but there are some causes of acne that people don't usually talk about, and you could be doing them right now! If you are determined to find out what is causing your acne, read on for some surprising information!

It's Not The Chocolate!

How many of us heard chocolate is the cause of acne? Well, I am about to debunk that, actually dark chocolate can be good for your skin! In fact a few very upscale salons offer chocolate facials and chocolate beauty masks, but we are not talking about chocolate, I am here to reveal that more so than a Hershey bar, over washing your face can cause acne!

Yes, by washing the skin you may be causing irritation to flare up, oils to over produce (since they are being washed away too often, your skin in turn makes more oils!) Not only that but many of the products used for acne contain harsh ingredients, and applying them to the face in excess of twice a day can lead to a major breakout! Read the directions carefully, and only apply a small amount with each wash, no more than the usual recommendations of twice a day (morning and night) It's not like an antibiotic, if you forget, just skip that wash, you don't need to double up!

Stop touching Your Face!

If you only could take a microscope to your hands just one hour after washing them you would see so much bacteria, germs and creatures of all kinds growing, moving and living on your skin, under your fingernails and all over! You might think to wash your hands before you eat, or before bed, or after using the restroom, but take heed, you must wash your hands before touching your face! This can be hard, as many of us are unaware of how many times we actually make contact with our hands to our face, but we need to be in the habit of watching out for it!

Acne is caused by bacteria both on and under the skins surface, when we lather our face with unseen gunk from our hands, it seeps into the pores and mixes with sebum (oil) and stays trapped, before long your body tries to purge out the excess oil and dirt and forms the nasty little pus filled pimple we all dread!

Too Much Exfoliation

Exfoliation is great for your skin. it rids it of the old scales, bringing forth bright and shining more youthful skin to the surface. Exfoliating itself is actually a great way to prevent acne but just like washing...to much will have the opposite effect your looking for!

As with exfoliation also try to remember that your skin is delicate, you do not need to apply harsh pressure or "scrub" the skin. If your face burns, turns red, starts to break out more frequently after exfoliating, then give your face a break. A good mild pressure wash with an exfoliator is only needed no more than three times a week, and as little as just once a week. Remember do not over do it, your face isn't in need of a full resurfacing, just a little buffing!

There is also much to be said about eating healthy and staying hydrated with plenty of water. This goes hand in hand with skincare and overall health. If you are seriously battling acne, it may also be related to a hormonal imbalance and you may want to seek a doctor for help. There are many natural cures for acne as well as supplements, and it is best to use the gentlest approach that works the best for your individual skin type. Not all of us respond in the same way to certain facials cleansers, it is sadly much trial and error. Good luck!

Sources:
http://www.acne-resource.org/acne-articles/chocolate-myth.html

http://www.acneteen.org/2009/06/overwashing-face-makes-acne-worse.html