We’ve all experienced it before, those pesky pimples that pop up uninvited on our face. Sometimes they come alone, other times they come as an entire football team-or two. And no matter what product we use or what food we avoid eating, we can never seem to get rid of them permanently.

When it comes to treating breakouts, most people attack the zits head on-using drying creams or outright popping them-in hopes of solving the problem, which it never does. Those methods never work, or at least not properly, because the breakouts are not the problem. They’re just a symptom of the problem. Just as a fever is a symptom of Malaria (and hence you need anti-malaria drugs to properly solve the issue), breakouts can only be handled properly if the cause of the issue is addressed.

However, just as a fever could also be the symptom of pneumonia or some other disease, breakouts can be caused by many different things. Here’s just a few;

1. Genes

Usually if our genes predisposition us to getting frequent breakouts, it does this either by causing our skin to shed dead cells more often than the average person or by causing our oil glands to overproduce and in both cases this results in clogged pores-and breakouts. Unless you’ve figured out how to rewrite your genetic code, there’s not much you can do to prevent these breakouts but with a proper skincare routine using salicylic acid to clear out your pores, you can keep those breakouts at bay.

2. Hormones

3 hormones; progesterone, estrogen and testosterone are present in every individual but in varying quantities and they influence the majority of the changes we experience in our body. When the balance of these hormones is upset, this causes certain unwanted changes including breakouts. Stress, pregnancy,  the menstrual cycle and certain medications are a few of the reasons why our hormones could be out of balance. The best way to go about handling this is to identify what could be causing your hormonal imbalances and fix it if possible or have a doctor prescribe certain medications to help balance it out. A good skincare routine will also help minimize the breakouts.

3. Products

Some skincare products and makeup contain ingredients that can sink into your pores and cause breakouts. These products are known as “comedogenic.” Keep an eye out for products labelled “non-comedogenic” as these are unlikely to cause breakouts.

4. Friction, heat and pressure

When your skin constantly rubs against an object or a material, the friction and heat generated can irritate your skin and lead to breakouts. You’ve been probably experiencing little breakouts as a result of wearing a nose mask and as going out without one is not an option, the best way to prevent these kinds of breakouts is to remain home where possible, gently and thoroughly wash your face after removing the mask and moisturizing adequately to reduce friction.

5. Microbial agents

Certain bacteria and fungi, when in excess on your face, can cause your skin to breakout. These kinds of breakouts are very similar to regular breakouts caused by clogged pores and are often difficult to identify but they are usually much larger and inflamed. They don’t respond to regular skin treatments and require specific ingredients such as benzoyl peroxide and sulphur. These ingredients can be extremely harsh however so seeing a dermatologist to ensure that this is what your skin actually needs is the safest thing to do.

Although there are multiple reasons why you could be breaking out, there are a few things you can do that are guaranteed to help minimize breakouts;

1. Build a daily basic skincare routine

Many suffer from skin issues simply because they are not treating their skin right and setting up this simple routine will give your skin the support it needs to function properly. A basic routine consists of a face cleanser, moisturizer and sunscreen. A face cleanser gently cleans your skin without stripping it, a moisturizer hydrates and nourishes your skin and a sunscreen protects your skin from sun damage.

2. Include a treatment product

One of the best ingredients out there for tackling breakouts of all kind is salicylic acid. It delves into your pores and dissolves any sebum, dirt or dead skin cells that could be clogging your pores hence treating and preventing breakouts. Include a good product with this ingredient and follow the product’s instructions on usage.

3. Educate yourself on skincare

There’s a lot of ways to take care of your skin to ensure it remains healthy for a long time. Take the time to gain skincare knowledge from trusted sources (even dermatologists have youtube and even tik tok channels these days) and learn not only ways to take care of your skin but also unlearn damaging skincare and lifestyle habits.

4. Know when to see a dermatologist

As much as there’s a lot of skincare knowledge out there, the skin is complicated and it’s easy to pick up wrong information on the internet. A dermatologist has gone through several years of training and is properly equipped to correctly identify your skin issues and provide the best course of action to treat it. Make it a priority to see one at least twice a year.  We know how expensive hospital visits can be though so we’re here for you: we have a team of skin specialists waiting to help you out at prices that will fit into your budget, just send us a message.

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This piece was brought to you by Bare in partnership with YNaija.

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