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In one of my previous posts (about whiteheads) I pretty much shared my story and my struggle with acne, pimples and bumps and the effects they had on my self-esteem. Truth be told, I`ve never had any major problems with forehead acne, but I had every other kind you can possibly imagine.
For those of you why haven’t read my previous post, here is a short summary – I had acne… a lot… on my face, chest and on my back. I had both whiteheads and blackheads and they had a devastating effect on my self-esteem, my ability to meet new people and function well in social situations.
Though I`m sure many of you can relate to my personal story, I know that that’s not why you are here; you want results! You want to find out how to get rid of forehead acne, bumps, and pimples and that is exactly what I will be covering in this article!
Before we go over some of the best treatments and home remedies for forehead pimples, I feel it is important to first talk about what are acne and how and why do they form.
What Are Acne – Whiteheads and Blackheads?
We can divide acne into two main categories:
Whiteheads –
Whiteheads form when dead skin cells, excess oils, and dead bacteria become trapped in a closed pore on your skin. The important thing to note here is that they are trapped in the closed pore and this is why they appear white; blackheads, on the other hand, appear black because the pore is not closed.
Main causes of whiteheads are clogged pores, hormonal changes, increased oil production, certain medication etc.
Blackheads –
Blackheads are commonly caused by a build up/overproduction of oil called sebum, despite a popular myth that they have anything to do with skin not being “clean enough.” The thing about sebum is that it contains melanin (a pigment substance which gives the skin its color); since the blackheads form in pores that are not completely closed, this pigment comes in contact with air and turns black.
The Most Common Causes Of Forehead Acne And Appropriate Treatment
We already briefly touched on some of the most common causes of pimples on our forehead, but now we are going to go a little more in-depth!
1. Clogged Pores
We can identify three main causes of clogged pores (on the forehead or any other part of the body), those are dead skin cells, dust particles and other impurities and increased oil production.
Dealing With Clogged Pores
Two best ways I came across, for opening up pores on my face, are steaming and scrubbing:
- Steaming – steaming is by far the best and most cost effective way to open up your clogged pores and flush them out of impurities. The steaming process is very simple and self-explanatory – just grab a pan, fill it up with water and place it on your stove. Let it heat up until the water starts generating steam, then take it off the stove, place it on the table and lean your head over it (you should also cover your head with a towel to really maximize the effect of the steam). Remain in this position for up to 15 minutes to allow the steam to work those pores. After, dry your face with a towel and go on to the second step:
- Scrubbing – scrubbing is the second crucial step in your skin cleansing routine and, ideally, it will come right after steaming, because your pores are nice and opened. Choosing an exfoliator can be a tricky business, especially since there are so many different products on the market today, which is why we advise reading one of our previous articles by clicking this link Best Exfoliators For Men
2. Oily Skin
I already said that I`ve battled oily skin for the most part of my teen years, which is why I take this problem very seriously and personally. To be honest, my forehead was not the biggest “oil hotspot” on my face but I faced a quite a few forehead pimples in my days!
It is important to point out that our skin needs the oil our body produces to stay healthy. In fact, there are studies showing that the oily skin tends to mature better and appear less wrinkly, so we have that going for us guys and girls! But there is a downside to this oil over-production – it causes more blemishes and flare-ups.
Dealing With An Oily Forehead
Most dermatologists say that the best way to address the problem of oily skin is to wash it regularly in the morning and/or at night.
Some of you might think that using a soap would be a good idea since it leaves that right clean feel, but you will want to avoid it and here is why… A soap will actually remove more oil than your skin needs so the skin will put the oil production in overdrive to compensate for this loss. And you are basically in the worse position than when you started out.
What you should do is replace your soap with a good face wash. You can find out more about the best face washes for men HERE.
3. Oily Scalp
I see many of you wondering what does my scalp have to do with these pimples on my forehead but if you have a particularly oily scalp, the oil may reach your forehead.
Managing Oily Scalp
Since the largest sebaceous glands are located in the groin area, face and scalp, it comes as a no surprise these are the most common problematic areas. So what is the best way to manage it? Well, ideally you will want to visit a dermatologist…
But if you are anxious and want to tackle this problem straight away, I would recommend choosing a natural (organic, if possible) product and stick to it for a few weeks and see what happens. My favorite organic shampoo is the one from Christina Moss Naturals.
4. Medication
There are certain drugs that can cause acne outbreak, such as – corticosteroids. barbiturates, anticonvulsants, steroids, medication that contains lithium, or iodides etc.
Of course, there is not much you can (or should attempt to) do on your own, but if you do notice a significant increase in acne breakouts you should consult your doctor and see if you can get some sort of a replacement.
5. Other
Of course, there are many causes of acne breakout on the forehead other than the ones we mentioned above. Those are:
- Hormonal changes
- Beauty products
- Stress
- Poor diet
- Alcohol and smoking etc
With these, you really need to use your brain and, first, try to pinpoint the exact cause and then see if you can do anything about it or consult a dermatologist.
Best Home Remedies For Forehead Pimples
Before I recommend any products, I’d like to give you a few home-made options and natural remedies I’ve used over the years, with varying levels of success.
1. Lemon Juice
Lemon might seem a bit counter-intuitive but applying it directly over your pimple and leaving it overnight is one of the most common natural remedies people use to get rid of a zit quickly!
Note: it would be a good idea to close your pores before you apply lemon juice – rinsing your face with cold water will do just that. Then you can apply the juice using a cotton ball. Remember not to expose your face to direct sunlight after you’ve applied lemon juice!
2. Vinegar
When it comes to vinegar, some people swear by it while other say it hasn’t helped them much. I have to say I haven’t used that much but I a few of my friends used it and it helped them. A top tip is to mix it with water to make it a little less concentrated.
3. Egg White Mask
Egg white mask requires a bit more determination and preparation, but it is well worth it! Besides the obvious eggs, you will need a tissue. What you need to do is cut the tissue to fit on your forehead, apply egg white to your forehead and place the tissue over it. Then take some more egg white and cover the tissue as well.
Let it dry for up to 30 minutes and peel it off. Repeat this process once every two weeks and you will see the blackheads disappearing before your very eyes!
4. Green Tea
Green tea is perfect for sensitive skin and this is why I love recommending it to people. You should use it both externally and internally! Ideally, you could avoid using fizzy drinks and replace them with green tea… but in reality, we all know this is not likely to happen so try to drink as much of it as you can… 2-3 cups per day.
As for applying it on your forehead acne, use a cotton ball and apply all over your forehead. Let it sit through the night and rinse in the morning.
5. Vitamin E
Vitamin E will not only help with acne breakouts but also with the scarring.
Saroj kumar says
Thank you
Anna Cesnjevar says
oh, i loved to read this. i have problems with my skin and i’m 29years.. it started around may this year… i don’t know what changed..
but i’ll try the honey wash – i’m more for simple things. if it helps i’ll be luckiest girl from the world!!