Why do random breakouts occur?
Victoria Ito
“I didn’t break out as a teenager at all, then all of a sudden at 30 I’m covered with acne and even seeing cystic break outs!” Helen tells me with frustration. “My skin isn’t oily, so acne oriented products dry me out, and despite going vegan and lowering my sugar intake, I barely see any results.”
What Helen is experiencing is very common, and often results in a visit to the dermatologist in which they give the patient spironolactone or antibiotics like doxycycline, along with topical retinol. Though these can be very effective treatments, if they aren’t correcting the root cause of this sudden and seemingly random breakout, they won’t truly resolve it.
Though the “your body changes every 7 years” adage is known because every cell is replaced within that time period, your body can go through systemic changes at any point. Just as people develop new allergies or food sensitivities all the time, your skin can have an inherently new response to something that was seemingly fine before.
Products: What once worked for your skin, may not anymore. Sometimes a formula gets ingredient or chemistry changes without your knowledge, but sometimes your skin simply stops responding well to it, much like people one day attest to no longer being able to tolerate something they ate all the time.
Biological: The result of a systemic change in your body that is intertwined with your endocrine system, which regulates hormones.
The Overlooked: Not changing your pillowcase often enough, or the fabric you sleep on irritating your skin can cause a break out. Touching your pet and forgetting to wash your hands before you touch your face. Pollutants, new allergens in the air, and a number of truly invisible factors can play a role, as can stress you don’t realize you’re having in your life.
So, how do you stop a seemingly arbitrary break out if you can’t determine the cause? Simplify. Keep your skin care routine minimal, stop eating processed foods (I am a fan of the Whole 30 approach) along with sugar and alcohol, and take an inventory of your stress level and menstrual cycle. What once worked for you may not any more, and it’s wise to honor that change and adjust. The good news is, random break outs are rarely here for the long-haul, or more indicative that you’ve gone off your optimal routine some where along the way.