Acne commonly develops on a person’s forehead, although it can also occur in various areas on the body.
In this article, we asked experts to discuss some of the most effective ways of treating and getting rid of pimples on your forehead.
Everyone is genetically predisposed to acne. 85% of the population in the world gets acne at some point in their life.
The process of the acne itself is the plugging of the sebaceous oil glands, which then fill up with the fatty oil secretion called sebum. When the sebum breaks down, it turns into an acid causing the skin to be inflamed, swollen, and even infected.
Characteristically, acne occurs in numerous parts of the body where oil glands work the most including the forehead, cheeks, jaw, chin, and even the back.
When dealing with forehead acne, it is important to determine if there is any obstruction precipitating factors
Determining the causes of obstruction can deter the clogging of your pores. Obstruction causes can be anything mechanical such as subconsciously putting your hands on your face at your desk, wearing a helmet or a headband over your head as you exercise, or even the use of a dirty pillowcase and sleeping face down.
Check your hair products
When encountering acne along the hairline and the upper part of the forehead, your hair products might be the culprit. Hair products such as gel, serums, or even the shampoo you use may contain ingredients such as sulfates, alcohol, and coconut oil which can clog your pores.
Consider other causes such as hormonal imbalances and stress
If you’re entirely sure your acne isn’t caused by your hand pressure or any obstructions as stated above, it may be time to consider other causes such as hormonal imbalances and stress.
Hormonal spikes and imbalances (estrogen and progesterone) in women can cause increased production of oil through the sebaceous glands. Stress can also cause hormonal changes with the same results.
Improve your skincare routine
Once you identify the probable cause and eliminate it from your routine, you can follow an acne prevention protocol. The treatments are tiered based on the severity of the acne. Topical treatments are best used to treat mild to moderate forms of acne.
Check if the skincare products you are using are non-comedogenic. Non-comedogenic skincare products are specifically formulated to produce the same results without clogging your pores.
Look for products that contain Alpha Hydroxy Acids, such as Lactic Acids. These acids work to exfoliate the top part of the pore that gets plugged and opens the pore up for cleansing.
Another component to look out for are products that contain Beta Hydroxy Acids, like Salicylic Acids. These go down into the pores to dissolve the oil in order for them to be released from the skin. I personally recommend the use of a non-abrasive exfoliant 1- 2 weeks (or as tolerated by your skin) to remove dirt, oil, and dead skin cells from your pores.
After carefully choosing your skincare products, be sure to build healthy habits
Always wash your hands before touching your face as your fingers can deposit oil and bacteria onto your skin and into your pores. Refrain from rubbing your face excessively during cleansing as it may aggravate your skin, spreading the acne to the rest of your face.
If you have oily skin, avoid the use of hair products that are oil-based since these products can seep into the skin, clogging your pores and exacerbating the acne.
Seek professional help
If even with good hygiene and carefully chosen products, the acne persists, it is possible that you have severe acne which may require the guidance of a skin specialist or a dermatologist.
After the consultation, your doctor might recommend one of the following: topical treatments like Alpha-Linolenic Acids, oral medication, or skin treatments.
For Alpha-Linolenic Acids (ALA), these go down into the oil glands that are causing acne. The ALA acids are then exposed to blue light that destroys the bacteria growing in the pores and in turn, makes your skin healthier.
If the acne is incessant, mechanical exfoliants like dermabrasion or chemical exfoliants like acid peels are used to cleanse the skin. In North America, Mesobotox is the latest procedure to help with persistent acne.
This is a treatment wherein small amounts of botox is injected into the skin and it blocks the oil glands from overproduction. With no oil being produced on the skin, the acne diminishes within weeks. Done frequently at all ages and all stages of acne, one treatment lasts about 4 – 8 months.
Oral medication
Finally, in the case of oral medication, your doctor might suggest the use of antibiotics, tetracycline, and doxycycline such as Accutane. It is advised however to double-check with your physician regarding the associated side effects as these side effects have the potential to be severe depending on each individual’s reaction.
Before we discuss how to treat acne, let’s first describe what acne is. Acne is an inflammatory condition of the oil glands and hair follicles, causing clogging of the pores and overproduction of oils and bacteria to build up in the follicle.
All of this leads to inflammation resulting in acne. Oil glands and hair follicles are prominent on the skin of the face, chest, and back and these are common locations where acne forms.
Acne presents in various ways. There are whiteheads and blackheads, medically known as comedones; red bumps and pus bumps, also known as papules and pustules respectively, and lastly deep painful bumps under the skin, known as nodular cystic acne.
Acne can affect any age group; it is not restricted to teenagers. In my patient population, I see a lot of adult females who are experiencing acne for the first time.
Treatment depends on the type of acne one has.
For comedones, one of the best treatments is a topical retinoid/retinol
This class of medication helps smooth the bumps and turnover of the cells of the skin so that clogging will not occur. Topical retinoids can be found over the counter or by prescription.
One side effect of this medication is that it can often cause dryness and irritation. I usually recommend the application of a pea-sized amount to the affected areas a few times a week as tolerated. It is important to see a dermatologist to learn how to properly apply this medication for the best outcome for you.
Other over the counter medications include topical salicylic acid and benzoyl peroxide cleansers and acne spot treatments
These products help to decrease bacteria buildup in the follicles allowing the acne to clear. All of these medications are equally helpful for papules and pustules as well.
Other acne treatments that can help include chemical peels and acne masks
Peels contain an acid that interacts with proteins of the skin to cause exfoliation and can improve the tone and texture of the skin and can clear acne. Usually, multiple treatments are done every 2-4 weeks. A common peel used for acne is a salicylic acid peel. Peels tend to work faster than over the counter products.
Facial masks are en vogue now. Acne masks that contain any of the following may help with forehead acne: salicylic acid, glycolic acid, benzoyl peroxide, niacinamide, oatmeal, sulfur, and/or clay.
All of these ingredients work on acne a little differently to help clear the skin. It may take some trial and error, but with patience and consistency, these products can work.
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