Acne is a skin condition that usually needs to be treated instead of making changes to how you live. But there are some things a person can do to help stop or lessen an outbreak.
There isn’t always a clear reason why someone has acne. But if you always get pimples in the same place on your body, like around your mouth, there may be a reason.
Some of the most common reasons for acne around the mouth are wearing makeup and touching the face a lot. Creams, ointments, and prescription drugs can help get rid of acne around mouth and chin.
This article has more information about how to get rid of acne around the mouth. It also talks about possible causes and how to stop them.
What Causes Acne Around the Mouth?
Oil, skin cells, and bacteria may come together to cause breakouts, but this buildup doesn’t just happen. Acne could be caused by a number of different things.
Hormones like androgens may be the most common reason why people get acne, especially when they are teenagers.
These androgens can make the body produce more oil, which makes acne worse and makes it more likely to happen. Among other things,
A diet high in sugar: Eating junk food, candy, soda, etc. can cause insulin levels to rise. Too much insulin can make your body produce more oil, which can lead to acne.
Premenstrual cycle: Changes that happen before your period can cause your hormone levels to go up and down. When there is an imbalance in your hormones, it can make acne worse.
Extreme stress: When you sweat the small stuff or experience stress for any reason, your body responds by making androgens. These hormones, in turn, make the oil glands in your skin work harder. Acne can be caused by too much oil and pores that are blocked.
Any of these things could cause acne around the mouth. But more specifically, it could be caused by:
Oil-based cosmetics: Creams, lotions, makeup, and other cosmetics that are made with oil can clog your pores. When this happens, oil, skin cells, and bacteria get together and have a party under the skin. What happened? Acne.
Pressure around the mouth and chin: If you have acne around your mouth, it could be because you’re always putting pressure on it or touching it with other things. This could happen if you use your cell phone a lot, for example.
Acne can be caused by anything that brings the area around the mouth into frequent contact with bacteria.
Acne can also be caused by polycystic ovarian syndrome, pregnancy, too much sun exposure, medications like lithium and anticonvulsants, and a genetic tendency to get acne.
Acne and hormones
If you have acne around your mouth, it could be because of changes in your hormones.
Hormone levels rise during puberty to help the body grow. We get hormonal acne because our hormone levels are too high.
Most of the time, hormonal acne is caused by puberty, but hormonal imbalances can also cause acne in adults.
According to a 2011 study published in Dermato Endocrinology, a rise in androgens, which are male hormones found in both men and women, has been linked to more active sebaceous glands and larger sebaceous glands. (See claim: “Local overproduction of active androgens is linked to acne.”)
Because these glands make more sebum, the skin gets oily.
That extra oil can block the pores and feed the bacteria that cause acne, which can lead to hormonal acne.
Hormonal acne in men
Acne isn’t just for teenagers. Men who are already adults often still have hormonal acne because of their high levels of male hormones like testosterone, which cause their skin to produce too much oil and cause breakouts like those around the mouth.
During the course of a day, a guy’s hormone levels can go up and down.
Also, things like stress and diet can have an effect on hormones and may cause acne breakouts.
Hormonal acne in women
Adult women can also have hormonal acne, especially around their period or when they are pregnant.
Acne can be caused by changes in estrogen and progesterone levels as well as rising androgen levels.
Drops in estrogen at the start of menopause are also a sneaky reason why women get acne as adults.
Products for the skin that might cause mouth acne
Not surprisingly, zits around the mouth can be caused by anything we put on our skin that could block pores, like oil.
Make sure that anything you put on your face is made with non-comedogenic ingredients. This means that it won’t clog your pores. Our men’s skin care kit has products that don’t clog pores, so that won’t happen.
Here are some of the biggest mouth acne triggers:
- It’s well known that lip balm can cause acne around the mouth. Some of the ingredients in lip balms might clog the pores and feed the bacteria that causes acne.
- Some brands of toothpaste may have ingredients like sodium lauryl sulfate, which may cause irritation that leads to acne, according to some people. As part of your skin care routine, read the label on your toothpaste and try to stay away from SLS if you can.
- Makeup: You probably don’t put on a lot of foundation or bronzer, but if you do wear makeup sometimes, make sure you use oil-free products that won’t clog your pores and cause flare-ups.
How to Prevent Acne Around the Mouth and Chin
Because blackheads, whiteheads, cysts, and nodules are so obvious, acne, especially around the mouth, is a skin condition that everyone would like to avoid.
Here are five things you can do to help keep the skin around your mouth and chin clear of acne:
Wash your face twice a day. Washing your face twice a day will help keep the top layer of your skin clean and prevent acne. This is important, especially if you sweat a lot during the day.
Use mild cleansers. Make sure you use mild cleansers that won’t irritate your skin. Acne can get worse with drying astringents and physical exfoliants. The Hers Deep Sea Cleanser is gentle on skin that is prone to acne and keeps skin from drying out by keeping it moist.
Avoid products with oil in them. Instead, use products that don’t clog pores, such as those that don’t contain oil. This just means that you should use moisturizers and makeup on your face that won’t clog your pores and make you need acne medicine later.
Keep your hands off your face. Touching your face often during the day can irritate your skin and introduce bacteria, which can lead to acne.
How to Treat Acne Around the Mouth and Chin
It doesn’t have to be hard to get your acne under control. In fact, there are a number of ways to help your skin clear up. Here are four ways to get rid of acne around your mouth:
Topical Retinoids
When you want to get rid of acne, you should keep retinoids like tretinoin and adapalene in your medicine cabinet.
These retinoids have anti-inflammatory effects and can stop comedones from forming.
Retinoids can also help other acne treatments work better on the skin and can help reduce hyperpigmentation that can happen when acne is treated.
Benzoyl Peroxide
Benzoyl peroxide can help both inflammatory and non-inflammatory pimples around your mouth, no matter how bad they are.
It can also kill the bacteria that cause acne, which makes breakouts less noticeable.
Antibiotics
Antibiotics, whether taken by mouth or put on the skin, have been shown to help with moderate to severe acne like papules, pustules, cysts, and nodules.
These medicines are used to get rid of acne around mouth and chin because they reduce inflammation.
Antibiotics like clindamycin, doxycycline, minocycline, and erythromycin are often used to get rid of acne around mouth and chin.
Antibiotics can also stop the growth of bacteria that cause acne.
Antibiotic resistance is a common problem, so talk to your doctor to find out if the drugs might be good for you.
Use antibiotics only when your doctor tells you to and in combination with other treatments, like benzoyl peroxide, that help clear up your skin.
Other Ways to Treat Acne
Water, apple cider vinegar, green tea, and garlic may sound like the start of an interesting meal, but these home remedies have been shown to help with acne.
Hers Acne Cream with Tretinoin can also help treat acne by combining tretinoin, clindamycin, and other ingredients that fight acne.
In Conclusion
When bacteria gets on the face, it can cause small acne breakouts around the mouth. Try not to touch your face to avoid this.
To get rid of pimples, it also helps to clean up food and drink quickly, wash facecloths often, and choose makeup that doesn’t cause pimples.
It’s easier to keep pores from getting clogged than to treat a breakout. But some over-the-counter treatments can help get rid of acne around mouth and chin. Choose products with active ingredients and talk to a dermatologist for information and advice that is specific to your skin.
Acne is a skin problem that may need to be treated by a doctor. If you have acne around your mouth and are worried about it, you should talk to a doctor or dermatologist about how to treat and manage it.