Is My Hair Product Causing Acne?

Did you make the switch to a new hair product and notice breakouts popping up? Your first thought might be that your hair care product is to blame, given that it’s new to you. Could it be the culprit? We’ll explore that possibility in this article. We’ll cover how to know if your hair products are causing acne, what hair products are known to cause acne, and what you can do to treat and prevent acne from hair products. Let’s get right into it!

How to Know If Your Hair Products are Causing Acne

Before you can take meaningful steps to correct your acne problem, you need to know what’s causing it. Keep reading to know what to look out for if your hair products are causing your breakouts:

• Your breakouts are along your hairline or the nape of your neck. If your breakouts are situated around where you apply your hair products (along your hairline, for example), it could certainly be that your hair products are irritating your skin and causing your acne.

• Your breakouts pop up where your hair falls. Bumps found only on the back of your neck and down your back could signal that your hair product is not meshing well with your skin. Those with longer hair that hangs down their back are most likely to see this type of acne manifestation.

• You’ve got whiteheads or tiny, barely-there bumps. These acne types are usually seen in those with hair product-related acne. They appear when the oils in your hair products clog your pores.

What Hair Products Cause Acne?

To further assist you in determining whether your hair product might be causing acne, we’ll get into which hair products are most likely to produce this effect. Though virtually any product could theoretically cause acne or other skin reactions, some products that you should be particularly careful of include your shampoo, your conditioner, and other styling products that you leave in your hair.  

Why Hair Products Cause Acne

Acne that develops because of hair product use is called acne cosmetica, and it’s primarily caused by the oils in the products coming in contact with your skin. The oil gets into your skin and clogs your pores, increasing your risk of acne.

How to Eliminate or Prevent Acne From Hair Products

Preventing or eliminating acne from hair products isn’t difficult by any means. The main thing to do is ensure that your products don’t come in contact with your skin. To do that, take the following measures:

• Spray your styling products, leave-in conditioners, and other hair sprays away from your face.

• Don’t style your baby hairs with product.

• Stop using any products you suspect are causing your acne.

• Clean anything that may come in contact with your hair products, including any headwear you wear on a regular basis and your bedding (pillowcases, especially).

• Keep up with your regular facial hygiene routine. 

To get rid of your acne cosmetica, all you’ll have to do is stop using whatever product might be causing the acne and stay away from it. After you’ve done that, you’ll see the acne disappear over time.
 
So, there you have it – everything you need to know about figuring out whether your hair products are causing your acne, what to do about it, and more. We hope that you found all the information you were looking for and we wish you the best with your skin!

Author: Andrea Reyes

Andrea is a mother, wife, writer, and natural hair enthusiast of 15 years. Currently on her natural hair journey, she’s been trying countless products and techniques to understand and embrace her natural hair. She is the creator of NaturallyTextured.com, a new website featuring informative articles that share tips, tricks, and techniques aimed to help others learn to love their hair through proper hair care. She writes with the hope of making hair care easier to understand and implement.