Just as with hair, your skin can have good days and bad days. When your skin looks healthy and beautiful, it can boost your self-confidence and add a little extra pep to your step. Conversely, very few things can cause you to feel more self-conscious than your skin acting out. An unexpected acne breakout, itchy rash or splotchy skin can occur at any time. Fortunately, there are often some common reasons for these breakouts, and identifying the cause can often help you to reverse the problem as quickly as it developed.
Below are some of the most common reasons why your skin may be acting out unexpectedly, along with some recommendations on how to address the issue. If you’d like some skin care recommendations for more chronically occurring issues, Dr. Fitzgerald can discuss your options with you in detail during a consultation.
When your skin becomes irritated in this way, you may benefit from discontinuing the use of foaming cleansers. Instead, use a gentle emollient that can hydrate your skin and reduce the dryness or irritation you’re experiencing.
Stress can negatively impact you in many ways, and it can wreak havoc on your skin. Often, stress is correlated with unexpected acne breakouts. An effective way to treat these pimples is to inject a small dose of steroid into the region experiencing the breakout. This approach can often deliver results within 24 hours.
You might also want to address the underlying cause of the problem more directly, since reducing the amount of stress in your life will have benefits that extend way beyond your skin complexion. Some great ways to reduce stress include:
Eating poorly and keeping an irregular sleep schedule can boost the production of stress hormones. This can damage your skin, resulting in inflammation and acne breakouts. If you’re struggling to figure out why your skin keeps acting out unexpectedly, you may want to evaluate your diet and sleep patterns. You may find that altering your diet, exercising more frequently and getting on a regular sleep schedule will clear up many of the skin issues you experience.
Sometimes, changing up your skin care regimen can have a detrimental effect on your complexion. Not all skin care products are ideal for all skin types. It’s possible that the new products you are using may not be achieving their desired result. Instead, they may be the cause of your recent unexpected skin issues.
It’s always a good idea to test new skin care products on a small area to see how your skin responds. If you experience any skin issues, it is likely a sign that the product you’re testing out isn’t something you should add to your skin care regimen. If you’ve already experienced skin issues shortly after changing up your daily routine, you may want to discontinue the use of any new products to let your skin calm down.
Sweat is a common cause of skin breakouts. When your sweat interacts with the makeup, moisturizers and sunscreen you use, it can clog your pores and lead to unexpected breakouts or rashes. You can reduce the risk of this issue by washing off sweat more regularly throughout the day. It’s also a good idea to avoid using moisturizers on your face shortly before exercising.
Dr. Rebecca Fitzgerald is a board-certified dermatologist with more than 20 years of experience. She offers a wide range of skin care treatments to address just about any skin issues you may be experiencing. You can learn about your options and receive individualized treatment recommendations by speaking with Dr. Fitzgerald in person.
Please contact Dr. Rebecca Fitzgerald using the form on this page or call 323-464-8046 today to schedule a consultation. We serve patients in Los Angeles, Beverly Hills and the surrounding areas of California.
