Almost everyone has had some form of acne at one point in their life. Those annoying red bumps or white heads that pop up on your chin and forehead?

Yeah, that’s acne. Acne can occur anywhere on the skin, but is most commonly found on the face, back, and chest.

Forehead acne is most troublesome and unfortunately a common hot spot for breakouts. But exactly what is acne and how do you prevent a breakout?

Below, we will explain what causes forehead acne, how to treat and prevent forehead acne, and why maintaining good gut health may lead to skin improvements.

What causes forehead acne?

Acne is caused by inflammation of the oil glands and hair follicles. This inflammation occurs due to clogged pores from excess oil production and bacteria that gets trapped underneath the skin. The result is unsightly and sometimes painful bumps and blemishes that drive us nuts.

There are different forms of acne that appear on the skin, which one you get depends on your body’s ability to produce oil.

Comedones, also known as whiteheads or blackheads, are most often the cause of forehead acne. Red bumps or pus-filled bumps, also known as papules and pustules, may also appear on the forehead though not as frequently. Millia, though not technically acne, commonly appears on the forehead as well. Millia manifests in small white bumps that's caused by keratin getting trapped underneath the skin. Lastly, acne can present itself in the form of deep painful bumps under the skin known as nodular cystic acne.

Acne starts with excess oil production from the sebaceous glands. This excess oil production can be due to hormones, environment, or even be hereditary.

Additionally, excess dead skin build-up can clog pores along with sweating, certain hair care or cosmetic products, or food grade oils like coconut and olive oil.

Wearing clothing or accessories such as masks or headbands can also contribute to the formation of acne. Whenever your pores are prevented from expelling impurities (due to a tightly worn face mask for example), they get trapped beneath the skin and cause a breakout.

Treating and preventing forehead acne

Treating forehead acne starts with a consistent skincare routine. Washing your face regularly will prevent the build-up of oils and bacteria on your face. Make sure to use one that is non-irritating as cosmetics that aren’t compatible with our skin type can make acne worse.

It’s also important to exfoliate your skin to eliminate any dead skin cells that may be clogging your pores. A gentle, natural exfoliating product that will clear away dead skin cells without drying out your skin is best.

Using products that have a drying effect on your skin can lead to your body producing more oil to make up for the dryness. Therefore, moisturizing your skin with a light moisturizer is another important step in any skincare routine. Moisturizing will keep your skin soft and supple which sends a signal to your body’s sebaceous glands to halt on the oil production.

Lastly, an over the counter or prescription retinoid will promote pore cleaning by bringing oil trapped in your pores out to the surface. For more stubborn acne, your dermatologist may recommend a prescriptive topical cream or chemical peel.

Other tips for preventing acne include avoiding touching your face and washing off makeup before you sleep. Our hands touch a lot of things throughout the day and encounter a lot of bacteria. These bacteria will transfer from our fingers to our face if we are not careful about washing our hands regularly.

Makeup is often worn to help conceal acne but wearing makeup for long periods of time can make acne worse. Always remember to remove your makeup at the end of the day to prevent clogging your pores.

While any or a combination of these tips are helpful in fighting acne on the outside, acne problems should also be addressed on the inside. Through nutrition and supplementation, you may be able to reduce your acne symptoms naturally.

Improving gut health to improve forehead acne

The gut is where 70 percent of our immune system lies. Your gut is responsible for making nutrients and metabolizing hormones as well as detoxifying your skin.

A healthy gut is essential for making us feel well and is important in maintaining a healthy skin complexion. Your gut contains various microbes that regulate digestion as well as other important bodily functions.

When the microbes in our gut are off balance, we experience negative side effects like leaky gut, inflammation, digestion problems, and skin conditions like rosacea and acne.

Poor diet can lead to gut microbe imbalance, therefore leading to skin conditions like acne. To maintain a healthy gut, it’s important to eat a balanced diet containing fruits and vegetables.

Certain vitamins and minerals found in these foods aid in maintaining gut health. Additionally, we can use supplements to get the necessary vitamins and minerals we need for gut and skin health.*

SkinVite is an all-natural supplement that was formulated specifically for treating patients with rosacea and acne.* SkinVite contains 19 high potency vitamins, minerals, herbs, and supplements that support gut microbiome and aid in skin detoxification.*

Probiotics, vitamin A, vitamin C, and copper are just a few of the ingredients used in SkinVite that have been proven to be effective in maintaining both skin and gut health.*

This all-in-one supplement makes it easier to get the necessary vitamins and minerals that can help to reduce your forehead acne.* Supplementation along with other acne treatments is a well-rounded approach to fighting acne from both the inside and outside.*

Forehead acne: Bottom Line

Treating acne is a process that is different for everyone. Anyone can get acne at any age. This is why it’s important to understand what factors could be leading to your breakouts and how to prevent them.

However, when acne does occur, treating it is a multi-step approach. Maintaining a healthy diet, taking supplements, topical creams, and a good skincare routine are vital for a clear, glowing complexion.*

*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.