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If you’ve ever looked in the office bathroom mirror after lunch, noticed a brand-spanking-new zit, and wondered, “Where the hell did that thing come from?”, this one’s for you. Some acne seems to come up out of nowhere and ruin your afternoon faster than you can slap a pimple patch on them, but chances are, those surprise pimples have been brewing for some time—and there are a whole lot of things that might have caused these sudden facial breakouts.
Ellen MarmurDr. Ellen Marmur is a NYC-based dermatologist and founder of MMSkincare.
Joshua Zeichnerdirector of cosmetic and clinical research in dermatology and associate professor of dermatology at Mount Sinai Hospital
Nava Greenfieldboard-certified dermatologist at Schweiger Dermatology Group in New York
Rachel Nazarianboard-certified dermatologist at Schweiger Dermatology Group in New York
“Acne breakouts are most commonly caused by excess sebum or oil, bacteria, and dead skin cells which clog pores and lead to acne,” says Tiffany Jow Libby, MD, a board-certified dermatologist at Brown University. “Changes in hormones, stress, and comedogenic skincare products may also exacerbate or bring on sudden breakouts.” In other words? There’s no single reason why you might be waking up with a fresh set of pimples. To help you suss out the potential sources, I chatted with dermatologists about the most common reasons behind sudden facial breakouts, ahead.
Common causes of sudden facial breakouts
1. Stress
If pimples are popping up before a big presentation or a nerve-wracking first date, stress is likely to blame. “We know that stress has a significant impact on our skin,” board-certified dermatologist Joshua Zeichner, MD, says. When you’re stressed, your brain releases a stress hormone called cortisol, which causes a few different things to happen to your complexion.
First, your oil glands go into overdrive. “These hormones lead to an increase in oil production in our skin, which can lead to breakouts,” says Dr. Zeichner. Additionally, NYC-based dermatologist Ellen Marmur, MD, says that stress can cause other conditions like dryness, inflammation, and psoriasis to get worse.”That’s called ‘transepidermal water loss,’ and it basically means that your skin barrier isn’t strong anymore and the water’s just evaporating. Then, you’re set up for infections and inflammation,” she explains. Where these types of breakouts show up can make them a bit easier to identify than other sudden facial breakouts. Most of the time, they show up along the “hormone belt” that stretches across your chin and jawline, as well as in the form of forehead acne.
2. Harsh skincare products
The right beauty products can often be your skin’s best friend, but the wrong ones can quickly turn into its ultimate enemy. If you’re not careful, certain skin care, makeup, and even hair care can lead to breakouts.”Heavy, occlusive products, including liquid foundations, can block the pores causing breakouts,” says Dr. Zeichner. An easy way to avoid this is by washing your face daily, removing makeup and SPF every night before bed.
In addition to avoiding pore-clogging products, you’ll also want to be mindful about using harsh formulas that have the potential to strip your skin. “Irritated and over-exfoliated skin loses too much of the stratum corneum, the upper layer of our epidermis,” adds Melanie D. Palm, MD, a board-certified dermatologist, and assistant clinical professor at University of California San Diego. “Exposure of deeper layers of the epidermis exposes skin nerves, recruits inflammatory cells, irritates blood vessels, and disrupts the normal turnover of the skin.”
Using too many harsh actives (like retinoids and chemical exfoliants) can strip your skin barrier, which turns down its defenses and makes it easier for acne-causing bacteria to enter your pores. That, plus all the inflammation, is a recipe for an out-of-nowhere pimple to pop up. To avoid this, try practicing “skin cycling”—which involves using your most intense treatments on alternating nights—and supplement your actives with nourishing ingredients like ceramides, glycerin, and hyaluronic acid.
3. Your cell phone
If you’ve been wondering, “What does acne on cheeks mean?” we’ve got an answer that may blow your mind. We’ve all heard the intel that our cell phones are dirtier than toilet seats, and all of that bacteria isn’t exactly good for your skin. It can weasel its way into your pores, gunking them up and turning them into pimples. To keep your skin (and your immune system) safe, be sure to wipe your phone down with an anti-bacterial wipe regularly. Better yet? Take your calls on speaker or in your headphones to avoid the phone-to-face contact altogether.
How to prevent sudden facial breakouts
There are a few solid skincare practices that can help keep sudden facial breakouts at bay including cleansing your skin every morning and night, and giving it a good lather and rinse after you’ve sweat or spent time in dirty air.
Beyond that, look for exfoliating acids. On the AHA front, glycolic acid is a great pick, as it helps melt away dead skin cells from the surface of your skin, which makes it less likely for bacteria to become trapped. And salicylic acid, a beta-hydroxy acid that crystallizes to a super-small size, dives way down deep into your pores to clear away gunk from the inside out.
Also remember that it’s important to keep your skin moisturized—even if it’s prone to breakouts. “When the skin is dry, it can be more irritated and make acne look and appear worse,” explains Rachel Nazarian, MD, a New York-based board-certified dermatologist. “With acne, the issue is inflammation in the skin—most acne responds better and improves when you calm it down. Therefore, moisturizing is helpful.” Look for oil-free formulas that have been developed with acne-prone skin in mind.
“SpoiledChild’s M27 Glycolic Renewing Serum is a great product to keep in your routine to prevent breakouts and keep skin clear,” says Dr. Libby, who works with the brand. “It features glycolic acid, which can be less drying than salicylic acid, to resurface congested skin and target dead skin cells that can clog pores. It also features hyaluronic acid and vitamin B5 to hydrate and nourish the skin barrier, supporting a smooth, even complexion.”
Dr. Libby’s a fan of this cleanser, which “uses salicylic acid to help keep pores unclogged and help prevent acne.” It also includes AHAs, so you’ll get double the exfoliating power in a single application.
“This a great lighter option, especially in warmer weather, does not have pore-clogging ingredients, and has hyaluronic acid to pack a hydration punch,” board-certified dermatologist Michele Farber, MD, previously told Well+Good.
How to treat sudden facial breakouts
Thankfully for your bank account and shelf space, treating these sudden breakouts essentially requires the same products and practices as preventing them, so stick to keeping your skin clean and using exfoliating acids to gently melt away dead skin.
Dr. Libby also recommends adding a benzoyl peroxide spot treatment, which will speed up the process of getting the breakout under control. “Benzoyl peroxide has bactericidal activity (kills bacteria!), especially against the bacteria that can cause acne. It also decreases oil production and removes dead skin cells from the surface of the skin,” says Dr. Nazarian. And again: Don’t skip the moisturizer. Acne-fighting ingredients tend to be drying, so your skin will be thirsty for hydration when you’ve got them elsewhere in your routine.
Dr. Libby is a fan of this spot treatment, which pairs micronized (read: very small) benzoyl peroxide with lipo-hydroxy acid. Together, the two ingredients deep clean your pores and smooth out sudden breakouts.
Why is my face breaking out all of a sudden?
Likely because of one of five main factors: Stress, sweat, sugar/dairy, the weather, or your cell phone. While the causes behind these sudden breakouts may be different, you can treat them all the same.
While practicing good skin care, limiting stress, and making certain lifestyle tweaks can certainly help limit breakouts, the truth is that a lot of the time, they’re unavoidable. Do what you can to prevent them, and when pimples to arise, don’t let it get you down too much. After all: It happens to everyone! (Even the beauty editor writing this).
How do I know if my acne is hormonal or stress?
“Distinguishing between stress breakouts and other types of breakouts can be challenging, however hormonal acne tends to be more commonly located around the jawline, chin, and lower face, whereas stress breakouts can happen anywhere on the face and even chest and back,” says Dr. Libby.
Final takeaway
There are a number of different reasons why acne may pop up out of nowhere, and properly avoiding these types of sudden breakouts requires sussing out their source. Keep an eye on the breakout pattern, the types of pimples that are occurring, and how recently you engaged with any of the common triggers. Once you know the main culprit, you can treat accordingly, and do your best to avoid it moving forward.
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