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July 3, 2019Acne: Is oil on hair the reason for acne breakouts?
There is hardly any teenager who has not dealt with acne outbursts. Apart from the puberty stricken population, many adults also confront acne on their skin, on a regular basis. Acne is often caused by hormones and sometimes due to genetic factors. Some doctors and experts are of the view that unhealthy eating habits deteriorate the condition of acne. Now before going any further let us learn about what acne is.
What is acne?
In layman’s term, acne is the manifestation of dirt and oil clogged pores on the surface of the skin. The natural process of the skin secretes a type of oily substance called sebum. In most cases, due to hereditary factors, stress, pollution, and even food habits, excess sebum are secreted by the skin. This excess secretion is mixed with the dirt build up on the skin and causes acne outburst. Acne in severe cases can cause other skin infections.
How is oil in scalp or hair related to acne?
Most people having acne on their skin also have oily hair type. If not, then they use oil to massage their hair. This excess oil seeps down to the person’s face and aggravates the acne outburst.
Think of the skin like a dirt and oil magnate. The already oily skin on your face will attract the oil from scalp and hair and increase acne breakouts. Oil on skin plus oil from scalp equals to acne boom on the face.
For boys, longer hair that falls on the face is often seen as a reason for aggravated acne conditions in the forehead region. Correcting the hairstyle and proper hair care will help you drastically reduce acne problems caused by oil from hair.
Should I stop applying oil on my hair to prevent acne?
Sometimes people with acne problems get so frustrated that they take extreme measures like stopping oil application entirely. However, this may not be the right solution. You scalp still forms oil and sebum so eventually, the oil will still get into your face. Pure Oils are good for your hair texture and scalp health, so stopping that does not actually help you much. Oils like sweet almond oils, moringa oils, black seed oil are good for hair growth and texture. Rather apply oil and wrap a towel or clean cloth to keep the hair contained and preventing it to get into your face. Afterwards, clean it up with a good shampoo and condition it properly.
How to prevent acne?
Acne has a direct relation with oil and sebum secretion. So if you are dealing with acne issues, you maintain general guidelines at all times, until the problem goes away. Here is what you can do:
- Keep your face clean from dust and dirt. To maintain healthy skin, wash your face with a mild cleanser, every time you expose yourself to dust and pollution. Do not think that cleaning your face before going to bed only, is enough. The more you let your skin have the dirt on its surface, the more prone to acne it will be.
- Use a mild cleanser to wash your face. Harsh chemicals from strong face cleaning product will over dry your skin. This will set off a false alarm within the sebaceous glands to secrete more sebum. And that means more acne. Try using milk cleansing milk.
- Avoid scrubbing your acne ridden face. Acne consists of puss and other impurities within it. If you use a scrub on your face, it might break the acne surface and spread the toxins on your skin. This will cause more acne apart from leaving behind nasty marks on your skin.
- Proper hair care is extremely essential if you want clean skin. For people who have oily skin and hair, must keep hair clean at all times. Wash your hair with a mild shampoo on a regular basis. Do not let the oil from scalp affect the skin.
- Stop using oil based hair styling products right away. The more you apply oil externally, the worse the acne will get. Do not apply hair gel, hair mousse, etc on your hair for the period you have acne.
- In severe cases consult a dermatologist. Take the prescribed medication. Often doctors will prescribe medicines containing salicylic acid. Try products that have this in their composition.
- Do not try to ‘burst’ out the acne in an attempt to make it go. When you touch the acne-ridden skin, you transfer the dirt from your fingers to the acne, making it worse.
- If you are prone to sweating, then clean your face often. If you have oily hair and acne at the same time then, keep your hair short so that you can wash it often. Wash your face with water every time you sweat. This will clean the skin surface.
If you look at the above points carefully, then the trick lies in keeping your skin and hair clean at all times. No excuse. In severe cases, you must stick to your treatment plan. In mild cases, acne can be managed with proper hygiene. Consult your doctor and he will definitely urge you to get a proper hair cut if required. In that case, visit your hairstylist and explain your problem for getting a good looking hairstyle that keeps hair off your face.
Most of the time acne prone skin feels rough and patchy. This is when people mistakenly use harsh scrub to clean their skin. Instead, you can use a mild scrub made of cold milk and oats. Just lightly scrub your face with oats and milk mixture. Apply minimum pressure. Rinse off with lukewarm water. Your skin texture will improve a lot. Do this twice a week.
So to wind up, it can be said that acne takes time to go. Do not lose hope and patience. Keep your face and hair clean for the most time. Stick to a healthy diet. And lead a relaxed life. You will surely feel the difference.
