These 5 Factors Could Be Causing Your Isolation Breakouts!

If your skin is going through a tough patch right now, you could be experiencing what dermatologists are calling ‘isolation breakouts’. Unfortunately, breakouts are becoming a norm with everything that comes with isolation. This is despite the fact that your skincare routine is even more consistent, and your hydration game is probably better with the extra time in your hands.

As frustrating as that scenario might be, the surge of acne and breakouts at this time makes sense from a skincare perspective. Stress levels are first in line on the blame chart. No one is ever truly prepared for such circumstances. That means no one can point a finger if your stress hormones are just a bit higher on alert. A few more factors like touching your face more or quarantine snacking could be causing your breakouts. In our list of common triggers, you can identify your main culprits to help yourself act accordingly.

1. Increased Stress

Like we mentioned above, stress is highest on our list of the major causes of breakouts. If you suddenly have acne flares in isolation, your stress hormones could be acting up. The direct link between stress and acne might still be undocumented, but it’s a fact that cortisol and other stress-related hormones tend to lose balance sometimes. When that balance is lost, this can lead to acne flares and similar skin reactions like eczema. Of course, the stress caused by isolation or lockdown is not nearly our fault. Luckily, there are still a few tricks you can utilize to bring those levels down. For instance, a few home exercises and some daily habits can do wonders for you. Meditation is a great stress reliever and a great way to start your day. By meditating, you find a better way to get rid of your negative thoughts calmly and productively. Meditation is also proven to minimize stress and anxiety for a more composed state of mind. And it only takes a few minutes.

2. An Unhealthy Diet

During stressful times, we tend to reach for comfort snacks to replace healthy fruits and vegetables. This is usually a bad idea. Changing some of these bad eating habits is beneficial for your overall health and, of course, better skin. Some of the foods we turn to could excite your taste buds, and make you lazy and comfortable but at the cost of better skin.

For example, highly processed foods or sugar-rich foods not only increase inflammation, but they can also be a cause of breakouts like acne. Quite simply, eating highly greased foods will not help add some greasy shine to your skin. On the contrary, eating healthy foods like vegetables, vitamin-rich foods, carrots, fruits, and fish will make your skin beautiful. As such, it is vital to fill your diet with healthy, unprocessed foods and say goodbye to the isolation and stress diet.

3. Poor Sleep

Like other activities, sleeping patterns may change in stressful times. More than often, we don’t get the adequate sleep we need. Without proper rest, your skin and overall health are affected. You probably know that our skin and muscle tissue repair themselves as we sleep. As far as sleep and health are concerned, there is no way around it, meaning there is no possible shortcut to quality sleep. There’s no denying that spending time indoors can affect your body’s melatonin, also known as the sleep hormone. Usually, this type of effect is caused by the lack of natural sunlight. Alternatively, lack of sleep can also trigger the release of a stress hormone, cortisol. Too much cortisol can also affect our sleep patterns and, in worst cases, cause nightmares. Hence, it’s a good idea to maintain a consistent sleep and wake time. It can also help to sit outside or by an open window for some 20 minutes each morning to get that natural light going.

4. Drastic Skin Care Changes

Drastic changes to our skincare routine can affect our skin results and be a cause of breakouts. Whether you are adding or reducing products in your regimen, these changes can cause an imbalance and trigger breakouts. If stress has anything to do with it, then you may find yourself stopping your regular skincare routine. The same routine that has been keeping your skin beautiful. Whether you are wearing makeup or skipping it altogether, you still need to maintain a consistent skincare regimen. A routine will help hydrate, moisturize, remove dirt, and excess oils from your skin. Any dermatologist will tell you that a consistent skincare routine is the cornerstone of healthy skin.

5. Lack of Exercise

Unlike your skincare regimen, it can be understandable if your exercise routine has gone out the window.  Finding the motivation to complete full workouts at home is a lot harder than going to a real gym and meeting people with the same goals. However, for the sake of your skin, you still need to maintain at least 20 minutes of movement per day.

Exercise improves circulation and metabolism, which can have substantial, lasting effects on the skin. Even if you are not going out, you can always find ways to move at home. You can also consult a trainer on some best ways to train your body. Alternatively, many wellness apps come packed with an exercise at home workout routine and they should come in handy.

Conclusion

Even with some quality skincare products, the good old saying that good skin comes from within makes a lot of sense. If your lifestyle is healthy, your state of mind in the right place, then your serums and creams should do wonders for your skin. If it is the opposite, then your skin is likely to show all the unwanted signs. After all, your skin is your largest organ in the body. The good news is, every problem has its solution. Even in lockdown, you still have adjustments you can make in your daily regimen that will soothe and calm those breakouts.