Chin acne is generally caused when the pores of the skin get clogged with sebum, bacteria, or dead skin cells. Hormonal fluctuations restrict the pores of the skin, trapping all the unwanted particles.
If you are looking for how to get rid of chin acne, there are some useful tips that you need to acknowledge. Treating acne needs treating the root cause. Let’s know about the causes of chin acne in detail.
Causes Of Chin Acne
#1. Hormonal Fluctuations
Your chin and jawline health is a direct representation of your hormonal balance. Any imbalance of the hormones can lead to acne.
Hormones, mainly androgens, stimulate the sebaceous glands to increase sebum production. When sebum production increases, it can clog the skin pores, resulting in pimples.
The androgens are at their peak during puberty, pregnancy, menstruation, and menopause. That’s why chin acne due to hormonal imbalance is more common in women than men.
Face Mapping technique by Chinese Ancestors shows the hormonal imbalance and the occurrence of chin acne.
Face mapping technique (also known as mien Chiang)
It is a 3,000-year-old practice, according to which, your face represents your inner health status. The face is regarded as a map with each section relating to different organs of the body.
If any organ of the body is unhealthy, it will result in acne in the respective section of the face. You can consider the image below for a better understanding.
If you are undergoing stress in your life or problems related to digestion, you are more likely to get acne breakout in the forehead region.
Similarly, chin and jawline acne are related to hormonal imbalance and unhealthy diet intake.
#2. Improper Exfoliation
Your healthy skin sheds off dead skin cells on its own to make room for new skin cells. This process is known as exfoliation which is essential for your skin’s health. But when the dead skin cells do not shed off properly, they clog the skin pores.
When the pores get blocked, it also blocks the secretion of sebum resulting in the formation of a plug or whitehead. These whiteheads later turn into blackheads when they come in contact with air. The air causes the oxidation of the oils resulting in blackheads.
#3. Cystic Pimples
When the blackheads accumulate any bacteria, they usually become inflamed and painful pimples. These cystic pimples penetrate deeper into the skin and contain pus which can drain sometimes.
#4. Nodules
Cystic pimples which are firmer, but contain less pus are called nodules. They mostly do not drain pus.
#5. Ingrown Hair
Ingrown hair grows back into the skin instead of out of it. If this occurs, the ingrown hair can resemble a pimple and swell or become red and painful.
#6. Medical Conditions Resembling Acne
Some medical conditions can be mistaken for acne. To rule out acne, you need to consult your dermatologist or physician. For example;
Folliculitis – It is the infection of the hair follicle which results in inflamed red spots.
Rosacea – This condition primarily affects the chin, forehead, and lower part of the nose. It turns the affected area reddish, with small red bumps resembling acne.
Keratosis Pilaris – Occurrence of small red bumps on the skin. However, these bumps are rough in appearance and mostly appear on dry skin.
5 Tips To Get Rid Of Chin Acne
#1. Cleanse Your Face With Mild Face Wash
If you have an acne breakout, you should cleanse your face regularly with a mild face wash. A mild face wash with salicylic acid and benzoyl peroxide will bring good results in treating chin acne.
Studies have proved that Salicylic acid helps the skin to shed off dead skin cells. It also clears off the excessive sebum on the face.
Benzoyl peroxide has antiseptic properties and helps in decreasing bacterial growth.
Neutrogena Rapid Clear Stubborn Acne Spot Treatment Gel
#2. Enhance Your Facial Skin With Retinol Cream
Along with anti-aging properties, Retinol boosts new cell production and helps in exfoliation of the dead skin cells.
Retinol face creams are mostly used as night creams and are advised to use after thorough cleansing of your face with wipes. This is to ensure that after applying night cream, you do not come in contact with dust particles or bacteria that may increase the spread of chin acne, rather than treating them.
LilyAna Naturals Retinol Cream for Face
#3. Do Use Hydrocolloid Patches
Hydrocolloid patches work the same as a bandaid. It not only covers your acne but also prevents the pimple from fetching any other infection. Hydrocolloid patches are effective for treating active bumps, but not in case of deeper acne.
However, it does not treat the pimple completely but it will surely prevent you from touching the pimple again and again. Because if ever your acne or pimple gets picked up by your hand, it worsens.
#4. Dietary Changes
Your food habits reflect your health status. A healthy diet will surely add up to your well being but you may be surprised to know that dairy products, which are known to be healthy, are not a good option if you have acne flare-ups.
Dairy products have proved to increase the levels of hormones testosterone and estrogen, causing an imbalance. As a result, more sebum will be produced and more chances of pimples or chin acne.
Foods such as oysters that are rich in omega-6 fatty acids, as in a typical western diet, proved to cause inflammation and acne. Western diet has few foods such as fish that have omega-3 fatty acids. This imbalance between omega- 6 and omega-3 fatty acid triggers an inflammatory response.
Foods with high-fat content, refined carbohydrates, and high calories also increase the possibility of getting acne breakout.
#5. Avoid Stress
Stress not only disturbs your mind but also fluctuates your hormonal equilibrium. Stress stimulates your adrenal glands to release stress hormones such as adrenaline and cortisol.
These hormones trigger the production of sebum, which in turn results in acne. Also, other skin lesions such as eczema or rosacea flare up in stressful conditions.
During stressful periods or pregnancy, due to hormonal turmoil, acne breakouts are very common. You cannot avoid it, but if you will try to relax as much as you can, you may prevent them from worsening. Try to de-stress yourself through meditation or a light walk around the park.
Conclusion
As it is said, “Prevention is better than cure”, you should know how to avoid recurrent chin acne breakouts.
- If there is any redness on your face or you feel like a pimple popping out, try applying ice packs over that area. Ice constricts the blood vessels and reduces inflammation.
- Exfoliate regularly using a mild exfoliating scrub to shed off dead skin cells.
- Always remove makeup and cleanse your face with a mild cleanser before sleep.
- Do not try new or different cosmetic products directly on your face. Always do a patch test before shifting to a new cosmetic product.
- If it seems that your acne flare-ups have become more severe and frequent, do consult your physician or dermatologist in that case.
