Acne usually appears on the face, especially on the forehead. Acne on the forehead is often experienced by those who have T-zone skin. T zone is a term used to describe someone whose forehead and nose are oily but other parts of the face tend to be dry.
Nevertheless, acne still has the potential to appear on all skin types, whether oily skin, dry skin or in between them. There is a saying prevention is better than cure. To prevent acne, it’s good for you to know the cause of acne. Below are some of the causes of acne on the forehead.
1. Sleep Deprivation
Lack of sleep tends to make the body in a stressful state. As a result, the body will produce more cortisol. Cortisol subsequently will induce the skin to produce more sebum so that the pores of the skin become clogged and eventually acne pops up.
That is why if you sleep late at night, your skin becomes more oily and vulnerable to acne. In addition research shows that sleep deprivation causes an increase in insulin levels which is associated with the cause of breakouts. So make sure you have enough sleep. Actually, there are simple ways how to overcome sleep deprivation.
2. Stress
Many people believe stress can cause acne. In 2003, a study conducted on college students showed that they had an acne breakout during the exam time compared to other times. Scientists try to explain this phenomenon.
When you are stressed, the body releases a hormone called CRH (Corticotrophin-releasing hormone). CRH will stimulate sebaceous gland to secrete more oil which at the end of the day can trigger acne breakout. In addition, stress also makes people have trouble sleeping and skip their daily skin care. It is inarguably increasing the chances of getting acne. Furthermore, there are other effects of stress in skin you need to be aware.
3. Genetic
If someone says acne is a curse, he/she has a point. Research shows that acne is genetic. This means if the parents have acne-prone-skin, chances are their children will be prone to acne as well
4. Hormone imbalance
It is safe to say that one of the most common causes of acne on the forehead is imbalance in the body, especially hormonal imbalance. It is well known that androgen hormone is associated with sebaceous glands that produce oil. Too much androgens will stimulate the sebaceous glands in excess so it produces too much oil. The oil inevitably will cover the pores of the skin resulting acne breakout.
Hormone imbalance normally occurs in women who are pregnant or menstruating. Too much androgen and too little estrogen. To cure this hormonal acne, doctors usually prescribe topical medications along with oral medications to lower androgen levels.
5. Bangs
The forehead is the greasiest part of the face. Bangs cover the pores of the skin thus blocking the evacuation of oil. So the oil will accumulate and clog the pores. Bangs also hamper the skin from breathing causing the skin to sweat. The combination of oil, clogged pores and sweat eventually causes acne to pop up. In addition, residues from hair products tend to stick to the skin, especially in the forehead, resulting in clogged pores.
6. Cosmetics
Cosmetics can trigger or aggravate acne. It is because the application of cosmetics on the face, or makeup, has the potential to clog the skin pores. In addition, some ingredients in cosmetics contain chemicals that can irritate the skin. Acne can also be a sign of an allergic reaction to certain ingredients in cosmetics.
To prevent cosmetic acne, choose a product that is labeled “non-comedogenic”, which means the product does not clog the skin pores. Wash your face regularly and make sure you always remove your make up thoroughly before going to bed. For your information, there are lots of benefits of washing face with warm water.
7. Digestive Problems
Because the systems in our body are interconnected, interference in one organ will affect other organs. Since long time ago, dermatologists have seen a link between inflammation in the gut and acne.
Although the mechanism has not been fully understood, studies have shown that inflammation in the gut causes a decrease in skin resistance. As a result the skin can not fight bacterial infections resulting in acne.
Inflammation in the gut is caused by an imbalance of bacteria in the intestine. This imbalance can occur due to :
- Stress
- Food allergies
- Toxins
- Alcohol
- Sugar
- Medications
To restore the balance, you should take a probiotic, eat foods that contain omega-3, avoid artificial sweeteners and refined carbohydrates, drink lemon juice or apple cider vinegar regularly, and eat more vegetables. To give yourself more choices, you need to know various vegetable salad for diet.
8. Liver Problems
Liver serves to regulate hormone production and cleanse the body of toxins. If there are so many toxins in the body, such as alcohol, chemicals, heavy metals, processed foods, polluted air, then the liver is under pressure and works harder.
The stressed liver is presumed to work less effectively in controlling the production of hormones. Furthermore the body suffers from hormonal imbalances resulting acne breakout. So in this case, acne is a symptom of a troubled liver.
9. Poor Blood Circulation
Good blood circulation is the key to healthy body, including healthy skin. Bloodstream delivers nutrients to the skin, carrying immune cells to protect the skin and carries away toxin. Therefore you can have a glowing face as well as fairer and even skin tone.
Poor blood circulation can cause acne indirectly. If the blood circulation is disrupted, the body’s organs will be deprived of nutrients and there will be a build up of toxins in the body. As a result the kidneys and liver will be forced to work hard to eliminate the toxins.
When the toxins are beyond the ability of the kidneys and liver, the body will experience inflammation, including skin inflammation. As a last resort the toxins will be forced out through the skin resulting acne. To restore blood circulation, there are two simple ways you can try, healthy diet and exercise.
Allright, those are some of the causes of acne on the forehead. By knowing it, you can prevent acne breakout so you can have a more confident appearance.