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Acne is a condition that can take both a physical and emotional toll. While it’s common to invest in expensive skincare routines and treatments, many people find themselves stuck in a cycle of improvement followed by flare-ups.
What’s often overlooked is that everyday habits—some of which seem harmless or even helpful—could be the very things keeping acne from fully clearing. Below are eight habits that may be standing in your way, even when you're close to better skin.
1. Touching or picking at your skin
One of the most common—and most damaging—habits people with acne have is touching or picking at their skin.
Whether it’s popping pimples, scratching at scabs, or simply resting your face in your hands, this behaviour can aggravate your skin and introduce new bacteria into already sensitive areas.
Your fingers carry oils, dirt, and bacteria from every surface you touch—key ingredients for clogged pores and infected pimples. Even worse, picking at acne can push bacteria deeper into the skin, increasing inflammation and the risk of scarring.
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2. Overwashing or over-exfoliating
It might feel like scrubbing your face will get rid of acne faster, but overwashing and over-exfoliating can actually worsen your skin condition.
Stripping your skin of its natural oils triggers a compensatory reaction—your sebaceous glands will produce even more oil to make up for the loss, leading to clogged pores and more breakouts.
Using harsh cleansers or physical scrubs with large, abrasive particles damages the skin barrier, making it more susceptible to bacteria, inflammation, and irritation.
This can result in redness, increased sensitivity, and even tiny tears on the skin, which can become infected. Instead, use a mild cleanser with salicylic acid or benzoyl peroxide once or twice daily and exfoliate only 1–2 times a week with a gentle product.
3. Using too many products at once
When acne flares up, the natural reaction is to panic and throw every skincare product you own at the problem. Unfortunately, this approach can do more harm than good.
Overloading your skin with too many active ingredients—like salicylic acid, retinoids, and benzoyl peroxide—can cause severe dryness, peeling, and inflammation, which may mimic or worsen acne.
This practice, often referred to as "skincare layering," is risky because different products can interact negatively, reducing their effectiveness or causing irritation.
Furthermore, constantly switching products before they’ve had time to show results can disrupt the skin's healing cycle.
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4. Dirty pillowcases
You may be doing everything right with your skincare routine but still waking up with new breakouts. One overlooked culprit is your environment—specifically, items that come into contact with your face, like pillowcases and bed sheets.
These surfaces accumulate oil, sweat, dead skin cells, and bacteria, which can easily transfer onto your skin, clogging pores and triggering acne.
When you sleep on the same pillowcase night after night without washing it, you’re essentially resting your face in a breeding ground for bacteria. These small hygiene upgrades can support your skincare efforts and reduce breakouts significantly.
5. Not changing diet or lifestyle
While skincare products can help manage acne on the surface, what you put into your body is just as important.
A poor diet, chronic stress, lack of exercise, and irregular sleep patterns can all contribute to persistent acne by disrupting hormones, increasing inflammation, and weakening your immune system.
Dairy, especially skim milk, has also been associated with breakouts in some individuals due to its influence on hormone levels. ac
Start by tracking your food and lifestyle habits to identify potential triggers. A holistic approach often works best when it comes to clearing stubborn acne.
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6. Using hair products that clog pores
Haircare products might not seem like a threat to your skin, but they can be a hidden cause of breakouts—especially along the hairline, temples, and forehead.
Known as "pomade acne", this condition is triggered by the transfer of heavy or oily products from the hair onto the skin, clogging pores and causing inflammation.
Products such as leave-in conditioners, hair gels, oils, and edge control formulas often contain ingredients like silicones and mineral oil, which can block pores.
As you sweat or toss and turn at night, these products can easily migrate to nearby facial areas, worsening or triggering breakouts.
7. Not being consistent with treatment
Perhaps the most common reason acne persists is a lack of consistency with treatment.
Acne often takes several weeks—or even months—to respond to products, especially those containing ingredients like retinoids, salicylic acid, or benzoyl peroxide.
Many people give up too early or stop using products as soon as they see improvement, causing a relapse.
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Skipping treatments, changing products frequently, or not following your dermatologist’s instructions can delay healing and make acne harder to treat in the long term.
Inconsistent treatment confuses your skin, disrupts progress, and leads to frustration when breakouts resurface.