Let's talk about those pesky little forehead bumps that won't seem to go away, no matter what you do. So. What even is acne? Acne is an excessive shedding of the skin cells. Acne prone skin sheds up to 5 times the average amount of skin cell shedding per day! Non- Acne prone skin… Only once. Yeah, It sucks! 

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Having acne prone skin is often genetic. Thanks a lot, mom and dad! Just kidding. Luckily there’s multiple ways to address this. As a licensed esthetician myself, here are my top three!

1. Check for pore clogging ingredients!

• A lot of times, our haircare and makeup contain hidden pore-clogging ingredients with the intention to create the “ silky” and “ moisturizing” effects. You would be surprised that your favorite hair cream is the cause of your breakouts. Checking the ingredients of everything you put on your face, body, and hair is crucial to expelling away your forehead acne! Use this list of pore clogging ingredients to check off your products! 
• Acetylated Lanolin
•  Acetylated Lanolin Alcohol
•  Algae Extract
•  Algin
•  Butyl Stearate
•  Carrageenan
•  Cetyl Acetate
•  Cetearyl Alcohol + Ceteareth 20
•  Chondrus Crispus (aka Irish Moss or Carrageenan Moss)
•  Chlorella
•  Coal Tar
•  Cocoa Butter
•  Coconut Alkanes
•  Coconut Butter
•  Coconut Oil
•  Colloidal Sulfur
•  Cotton Awws Oil
•  Ethylhexyl Palmitate
•  Glyceryl Stearate SE
•  Glyceryl-3 Diisostearate
•  Hexadecyl Alcohol
•  Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil
•  Isocetyl Alcohol
•  Isocetyl Stearate
•  Isodecyl Oleate
•  Isopropyl Isostearate
•  Isopropyl Linolate
•  Isopropyl Myristate
•  Isopropyl Palmitate
•  Isostearyl Isostearate
•  Isostearyl Neopentanoate
•  Kelp
•  Laminaria Digitata Extract
•  Laminaria Saccharina Extract (Laminaria Saccharine)
•   PEG 16 Lanolin
•  PEG 200 Dilaurate
•  PEG 8 Stearate
•  PG Monostearate
•  PPG 2 Myristyl Propionate
•  Plankton
•  Polyglyceryl-3 Diisostearate
•  Potassium Chloride
•  Propylene Glycol Monostearate
•  Red Algae
•  Seaweed
•  Shark Liver Oil (Squalene)
•  Shea Butter
•  Sodium Laureth Sulfate
•  Sodium Lauryl Sulfate
•  Solulan 16
•  Sorbitan Oleate
•  Soybean Oil (Glycine Soya)
•  Spirulina
•  Steareth 10
•  Stearic Acid Tea
•  Stearyl Heptanoate
•  Sulfated Castor Oil
•  Sulfated Jojoba Oil
•  Wheat Germ Glyceride
•  Wheat Germ Oil
•  Xylene Cotton Seed Oil
•  D&CRed# 17
•  D&CRed# 21
•  D&CRed# 3
•  D&CRed# 30
•  D&CRed# 36
•  Decyl Oleate
•  Dioctyl Succinate
•  Disodium Monooleamido PEG 2- Sulfosuccinate
•  Ethoxylated Lanolin
•   Laureth-23
•  Laureth-4
•  Lauric Acid
•  Mink Oil
•  Myristic Acid
•  Myristyl Lactate
•  Myristyl Myristate
•  Octyl Palmitate
•  Octyl Stearate
•  Oleth-3
•  Oleyl Alcohol
  

2. You may have fungal acne!

Fungal acne is not the easiest to tell apart from regular acne. Some characteristics of fungal acne are itching, may be hot to the touch, & small bumps that appear in clusters. The best way to know if you have fungal acne is to seek a professional analysis from a local esthetician or board certified dermatologist! If you do have fungal acne, it’s best to apply antifungal & anti-inflammatory products to your regimen such as Ketoconazole, or mandelic acid. Both are exceptional at fighting the fungus that just won't budge! Starting slowly with active ingredients such as mandelic acid is crucial, as we dont want to damage the skin’s barrier & outer layers. 

3. Your gut is trying to tell you something

The gut is actually connected to your skin! If you have trouble with specifically forehead acne, your answers may lie within the health of your digestion. The upper forehead ( the hairline) is connected to the bladder, and the lower forehead (above the brows) is connected to the intestines. Generally, problems that show up in this area are to be most frequently caused by a build up in the colon, bladder, and digestive system. Luckily food sensitivity tests & gut health tests exist! Both are amazing resources to find out what foods may be triggering your acne! 

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All in all, before purchasing anything, speak with a professional. There are millions of ways to treat acne, it is not one size fits all. Get a better understanding of your specific skin condition through a trusted skincare expert. Oh, and by the way, you AND your acne is beautiful! If you found this informational, or have any questions…. Dont hesitate to reach out to us on IG @samaraesthetics,

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Lots of love, Dania Samara.