Acne is not a problem belonging only to teenagers. It also strikes adults quite often. It can be overwhelming to suddenly see breakouts of pimples, blackheads, or zits all over your face when you wake up in the morning. You might be too shocked to decide what to do first, haha!

Before you do anything else, visit your local, trusted pharmacist. Most of them are knowledgeable enough to recommend which skin care products or even supplements that will help cure your acne or prevent acne in the future.

After this, you might want to calm down and start thinking what triggered the breakout. Educating yourself about acne causes is very important, so that you are able to take preventive measures to prevent another acne breakout.

There are several possible causes for acne:

Hormones

Hormones play a major role in acne development. Many hormonal changes occur in the early teen years and those changes often cause constant breakouts of pimples, pustules, and even cysts. The adult years bring changes, too, especially for women. Premenstrual and pre-menopausal phases cause breakouts in many women. Because excess oil is produced during these stages, products that help to eliminate and reduce oil will be most helpful for this type of acne.

Medications

Some medications, such as steroids, barbiturates, and anti-seizure drugs, are thought to contribute to skin disorders. Don’t stop taking your prescribed medications, though, before first checking with your doctor to see if these medications could be causing your acne.

Emotional stress

Increasing evidence suggests that stress may contribute to acne and other skin problems. If you are stressed, try developing an exercise program and following it regularly. Exercise is a proven stress-buster.

Chocolate

Is it? Really? But chocolate is so yummy! Don’t worry, to date chocolate has not yet been proven to cause acne. Many people insist that eating chocolate will cause a break out in pimples, but no substantial research has ever proven this theory to be true.

Cosmetics

Since acne is triggered by plugged or blocked pores, we can safely assume that make-up and other cosmetic products containing oil will contribute to acne. Even “safe” products (those that are hypoallergenic and oil-free) may contribute to blackheads or zits because they cover up the skin. Any cosmetic product applied to the skin has the potential to clog the pores and interfere with acne treatment.

Frequently scrubbing your face

Acne-prone skin should always be kept clean, but only mild products should be used to wash it gently. Many people are under the impression that they should scrub their skin using harsh soaps when they have acne but this only aggravates and worsens the condition.

Pollution

High humidity and other unnatural environmental conditions (i.e. smog, fog) can promote acne as well as other disorders. If skin is exposed to humid conditions for a prolonged period of time, swelling occurs (which blocks the pores, thereby contributing to acne).

Dietary habits

Many people notice that certain foods they eat cause their acne to flare up. Your dietary habits can certainly contribute to breakouts and you should note the products causing the most problems so that you can avoid them in the future. Common food culprits thought to worsen acne include fats and dairy products. Diets rich in zinc should be beneficial if you have acne. Taking zinc supplements is one alternative you might consider for the relief or treatment of acne.

So, the best things you can do for your skin is to learn how to properly care for it, and try to eliminate the factors that are causing your skin to have acne.