If you have struggled with acne-prone skin in your life, you are aware it can be hard to clear blemishes and maintain clear skin, preventing further breakouts. You can use different ways to get rid of forehead acne for acne-prone skin, and acne is characterized by blackhead, inflammatory papule, or a pimple or pustule.
What is Forehead Acne?
Acne is a condition caused by hair follicles of the face that primarily affects teenagers in puberty, where bacteria don't cause the condition but play a role in developing it. Acne will occur when oil and dead skin cells get trapped in a pore and clog it, and it's among the most common skin concerns that may affect adults and teenagers.
Forehead acne looks like solid red bumps known as papules, and you might see the bumps with a collection of pus at the top, called blemishes. No matter where you spot the acne where the forehead or on any other part of your face. Read on this article if you want to know more about forehead pimples, their types, and treatments.
What Causes Forehead Acne?
Forehead pimples are mainly caused by blocked pores on your skin since the forehead is an area of the skin that naturally gets oily from oil from your hair, its skin oils, or the use of skin care products that may block your pores. No matter where it pops up, all acne symptoms start the same.
Four things cause breakouts, including oil or sebum or an edible product accumulation in a clogged follicle, fungus or bacteria in the follicle, or follicular occlusion. Breakouts happen everywhere when these four things happen on the skin, and area-specific breakouts may be heightened when something near the skin has frequent contact with it.
a). Excess Oil Production
Forehead pimples or acne are similar to facial acne in terms of pathogenesis with namely heredity, hormones, and environment. Like all acne symptoms, forehead acne starts with excess oil produced by the sebaceous glands. The oils that lubricate and protect your skin from dryness is secreted by sebaceous glands called sebum.
An increase in its production leads to skin cells maturing and affecting them to plug the follicular pore, and if exposed to the air or covered with a thin layer of skin, the plug appears as a Whitehead. The extra oil is sent through the pores, and it protects and hydrates the skin; it may sometimes keep your skin hydrated, but it can become clogged on the way to the skin's surface, which causes a breeding ground for acne-causing bacteria.
b). Food Grade Oils
Food-grade products can also be problematic for anyone experiencing acne. For example, using olive oil or count oil on your hair and scalp may cause forehead pimples and acne as the edible products increase the growth of microorganisms on your skin.
c). Tight clothing
Even though not much clothing is worn on the forehead, this point refers to anything that may come in contact with your forehead, for example, hair, scarves, and headbands. For example, when you wear bandanas, headbands, or hats, and when they touch your forehead, they can occlude the forehead skin causing acne. This also applies to people who may hit the gym a lot or the people who often wear a helmet, such as bikers.
There is also a condition known as mechanical acne that occurs on the forehead from helmets and hats. This may be problematic with headgears such as cycle helmets and football. Acne lesions are caused by friction and heat from an object such as straps or a helmet rubbing up against the skin, and the friction irritates the skin disrupting the surface, which can clog pores with dead skin cells and lead to inflammation.
d). Sweat
Sweating is how the skin detoxes your body, and this potentially binds to and removes bacteria improving the condition when rinsed and not allowed to linger on the pores. However, sweating can cause your forehead acne to be worse because sweating increases oil in the follicles. If not washed off immediately after sweating, it can worsen the forehead pimples. Even a quick facial rinse after a sweat session can remove impurities on the skin's surface, so you need to avoid skin splashing your skin after any workout, especially if you notice breakouts.
e). Certain hair products
Hair products might find their way from your tresses onto your forehead, and this can be oily or sticky, irritating your forehead. Pomade acne results from hair products, especially the greasy or thick ones, and it's essential to ensure that your hair products are not worsening your skin health. Take protective steps or home remedies, especially if a hair care product is tied to extreme acne manifestations.
f). Dead skin cells
While most people may put the primary blame on the oil for causing acne, the fact is debris such as dead skin cells contribute to acne-causing bacteria in clogged pores, and this is why it's essential to exfoliate for proper skin health. Exfoliating your skin properly will help unclog your pores, and even if the clogged pores don't cause forehead pimples, removing dead skin cells from your skin can prevent unwanted buildup in your pores and a rough skin texture.
When pores get clogged, there is no fungal or bacterial growth and instead, what is formed is milia cysts, and they are a clogged pore of just oil, which is like small bumps or oil balls under your skin.
What are the Types of Forehead Acne?
Acne is mainly a result of clogged pores, and the acne symptoms can show up anywhere there is a pore on your face, but during adolescence, the forehead is among the first areas to develop acne. However, there are different types of acne, and some appear on the forehead more than others, and some of the types include:
a). Comedones
These spots are also known as blackheads and whiteheads. As much as acne comes in many flavors, the acne type you see in a person depends on the person's ability to produce oil. Additionally, the type seen on the forehead may be caused by occluded pores, and therefore, more whiteheads can be seen there.
b). Pustules and papules
Even though whiteheads are the main acne symptom on the forehead, raised red pimples also pop up in the forehead area. Pustules, red bumps with white centers, and inflammatory papules, red bumps, are less frequent than comedones.
c). Milia
This is not acne, but it's mistaken for it most times as the Milia can also take shape on your forehead. The difference between milia and acne is the way the two form. Acne forms when dead skin cells and excess oils clog pores and create bacteria, while Miria forms when keratin is trapped underneath the skin's surface. This creates tiny bumps that resemble whiteheads most commonly found on women and babies.
How Do you Treat Forehead Acne?
Now that we know what is causing the forehead pimples, it's time to find a way to treat it,
a). Exfoliate
Suppose you get little bumps on your forehead. In that case, you need to cleanse and exfoliate using a non-irritating chemical exfoliant regularly, and this will guarantee your pores stay clean and free of any clogs. However, keep in mind that physical exfoliants such as face scrubs may help your situation worse.
b). Moisturize
This is an easy way to tell your body to stop producing excess oil to replace any moisture that has been washed or treats away using a gentle moisturizer, which keeps the skin hydrated. Different moisturizers in the market that work for different skin tones and types, and find one that won't clog pores and will be great for your skin tone.
c). Try using a Retinoid
Retin-A is a prescription medication variant that helps open up clogged pores and hardened oil that comes to the surface. Differin is also another over-the-counter acne medication that may promote unclogging of pores.
d). Seek prescriptions for stubborn symptoms
For anyone struggling with moderate acne but with inflammatory papules and pustules, it may be helpful to add the oral antibiotic Seysara that is FDA approved for acne and provides an additional benefit.
e). Try combination therapy
Combination therapy works best for stubborn or chronic acne where you combine three solutions in one regimen, and that is cleansing, exfoliating, or treating your skin using a topical prescription.
f). See a pro for in-office treatments.
When all the above treatments are not working, you should give up but consult a dermatologist or a pro from effective treatments tailored to your skin to treat and prevent acne in the future. For example, suppose the over-the-counter methods fail to work to treat forehead pimples and acne. In that case, visit a board-certified dermatologist, and this is also to help prevent scarring. Also, you can have an in-office treatment that may consist of peels or extraction.
What are Some Tips to Avoid Forehead Acne?
There are several steps you can use to avoid forehead acne, and they include:
a). Wash your face twice a day
If your skin has frequent acne attacks, then it is sensitive. Washing your forehead more than twice a day can irritate your skin, making it dry by depriving it of its natural oils. Instead, dermatologists recommend washing your face if it's sweaty when you wake up and before you go to sleep.
b). Be gentle while washing your face.
Be gentle when washing your face; if your skin is dirty, you will be tempted to scrub it clean. Unfortunately, scrubbing your skin irritates it, and the acne can worsen.
Most skincare products like scrubs or a gentle cleanser contain salicylic acid or benzoyl peroxide, a mild peeling agent with antibacterial properties. In addition, the product removes dead skin, opening clogged pores. Other gentle exfoliants are products that contain glycolic and alpha-hydroxy acids and also salicylic acid.
c). Avoid skin care products that cause acne.
Be sure on the products you purchase to be specified not to clog pores, oil-free, non-acnegenic. Some of these products can cause acne to some people. That is why you need to sample up to the one that fits you and not cause blackheads and breakouts. In addition, there are natural remedies you can use instead of harsh skin care products, such as using apple cider vinegar and warm water.
Apply a small amount of the neem, coconut oil, and tea tree oil all over your forehead and wipe off excess to prevent oily skin that may clog your pores, leading to the formation of other pimples. Tea tree oil as a microbial agent helps clear out microbes that clog your skin. Make sure you use the diluted tea tree and neem oil to avoid burning your skin and worsening acne.
d). Avoid touching, picking, and popping your acne.
Please resist the urge to touch, pop a pimple as it may seem, a way to get rid of forehead pimple. Still, it will worsen your acne situation because of deep skin infections to bacteria and exposure to dirt and radiation.
e). Clean regularly any clothing that comes into contact with your forehead.
Maintain maximum hygiene when it comes to clothes and beddings that come in contact with your skin to prevent further infection. Apart from dirt, dead skin cells and bacteria build overtime on these surfaces, which can clog your pores. Changing your beddings such as sheets and pillows after every two weeks scan rectifies this situation.
f). Enlist a board-certified dermatologist.
After practicing this basic steps and your forehead is still prone to acne. It is time to visit a board-certified dermatologist for recommendations on suitable treatment options for the problem. In addition, a dermatologist can come in handy if you have deep blemishes that leave scars when they clear, or you have cysts or nodules on your forehead, and they provide medical advice.
How does a Doctor Treat Acne?
Ensure you seek medical advice if unable to control your acne. So that you can manage your acne, there should not be scarring to eliminate any signs of affliction. A doctor can prescribe oral contraceptives with low estrogen levels and have minimal effect on acne. However, some contraceptives have been proven to be effective in treating acne.
To flatten out large pimples and cysts fast, doctors inject them with cortisone. If you are looking for a brand to treat severe scarring, you can try Isotretinoin since many patients have used it since its introduction in 1971 in Europe and 1982 in the U.S. The injection should be effective on people with severe acne, mainly the cystic variety. If you are frustrated and want to knock out acne for good, you can try Isotretinoin. Some other ways include:
a). Light treatments
Acne has been proven to be treated effectively through unique lights in conjunction with photosensitizing dyes. These treatments are safe and effective. An example is a laser treatment which is an adjunct to conventional therapy but considered the most effective.
b). Chemical peels
Chemical peels are so effective in therapy by removing the dead skin and excessive oil from the skin. The primary ingredient in the peels is glycolic acid, and when you go through such therapy, it is beneficial.
c). Treatment of pimples and scars
Aside from pimple treatment, there is scarring for some patients whose pimples have gone away but left marks. These include surgical procedures that elevate deep acne scars through laser resurfacing to smooth out shallow acne scars.
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