These Hair Mistakes That Could Cause Acne

When people think of how to improve their skin, the first thing that comes to mind is cleansing and skincare, but what if I told you that how you take care of your hair has a lot to do with breakouts? Well it does! Believe it or not, there are actually tons of hair mistakes that cause acne. Once you learn these skin-saving hair hacks, you'll never go back to your old ways.

Odds are you probably never made much of connection between your hair and your skin. The two might seem like they're at two different ends of the beauty spectrum, but they're closer than you might think. According to The American Academy of Dermatology, hair is one of the main causes of adult acne, so the connection is a lot more important than you might realize.

In fact, what you put on your hair is just as important to your skin as it is to your strands. Think about it for a second. Your hair touches your scalp as well as your face and sometimes neck and shoulders depending on length. Simple things like wearing your hair too tight or not washing at the right time of day could be creating more skin damage than you may think. Here are a few hair mistakes that could be the reason behind your most recent breakout.

1. Wearing Bangs

Oil and skin do not make for the best combination. When you have bangs, the natural oils from your hair can actually irritate your skin and cause breakouts, Dr. Ava Shamban, author of Heal Your Skin, told Prevention. Try pinning them back whenever you have the chance to give your forehead a break.

2. Using 2-in-1 Shampoo

Dermatologist Doris J. Day told Skincare News that using a 2-in-1 shampoo could be causing your breakouts. Because the formula is so heavy, it can sometimes sit on the hair and can be transferred to your skin, which clogs pores.

3. Getting Hair Products On Your Skin

This one is so simple that it's easy to overlook. According to Refinery29, hair products can easily clog pores, so it's best to avoid getting them on your skin and wash your face if they do come in contact.

4. Not Checking The Labels

If you know there's a good chance that your hair products will get on your face, no worries. You're skin is better off with products that are water or glycerin based, according to Adult-Acne.net, so make sure to check your labels or you could be clogging your pores unintentionally.

5. Shampooing At The Wrong Time

If you're looking to get better skin, then Huffington Post says you should shower at night. When you sleep, there's no controlling where your hair will go, so make sure it's clean before you sleep on it.

6. Leaving Your Hair Down When Your Sleep

Washing your hair every day isn't the healthiest option, so the days when your hair is dirty, SheKnows suggests that you pull it back and out of your face while you sleep.

7. Using Too Much Product

Instead of spraying the products directly into your hair, which can can skin to breakout, apply them with your fingers or a comb instead, according to Adult-Acne.net. This lessens the amount of product you use while making sure it won't land on your face instead of your hair.

8. Showering In The Wrong Order

According to Teen Vogue, when showering you should wash your hair before you wash the rest of your body. This makes sure that the skin is clean after the hair products are rinsed from it.

9. Wearing The Same Hairstyle

Just like having bangs, wearing the same hairstyle every day can also be causing your acne. Because hair has natural oils, having your hair or even a ponytail constantly touching the same place on your skin could cause breakouts, according to skincare expert Mario Badescu.

10. Not Showering After A Workout

Even if you're not fully showering right after your workout, you should still at least be rinsing your hair. Sweat clogs pores, especially when it sitting around your hairline from a good workout.

11. Using Too Much Heat

The constant heat from blowdrying your hair can dry out your scalp and lead to acne just like leaving it too oil will. Instead, Facing Acne suggests you try using a diffuser to aim the heat on the hair and not your forehead.

12. Wearing Hats

Men's Fitness says that wearing a hat, especially if it's too tight, can also clog your pores and make acne worse. If you want to wear a hat, make sure that you're washing the accessory and your face regularly.

Who knew your hair was so important to your skin?!

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Images: Michel Fertig, Benjamin Combs/Unsplash