Jawline Acne Cause - How's Your Hair?

Jawline acne refers to acne that breaks out along the line of the jaw and plagues people of all ages. It can be embarrassing, especially if you have a career that requires you to deal with the public on a frequent basis. This type of acne can be very difficult to get rid of.

A big contributor to jawline acne is, believe it or not, hairstyles. If you wear your hair long it will brush against your jaw hundreds of times a day, depositing dirt and grime in your pores. The natural oil that protects the hair is also rubbed into the pores and causes infections that lead to acne. By cutting the hair short or keeping it away from the face, this cause can be controlled or eliminated. You may be tempted to try washing your hair more frequently rather than keep it away from your face but this is a self-defeating strategy. If you wash the hair too frequently its oil glands will react the same way the glands in your face do when you over dry the skin by producing even more oil.

Many people, especially students, rest their chin in their hand when working or studying. This bad habit will deposit additional oil into the pores of the jaw along with any dirt, dust or other matter that's been deposited on the palm of your hand. Breaking this habit is a good way to help avoid acne along the jawline and will improve the outbreaks that may already be there.

You often see jawline acne in physically active people such as joggers or jocks. This is because the perspiration involved in exertion tends to drip down the face and follow the contours of the jaw. On its travels downward the liquid picks up any dirt or pollution on the skin and seeps, grime and all, into the pores. Infection soon follows, even if the face is washed immediately after the activity is over. The best way to avoid this is wearing a sweatband to keep perspiration from running down the face.

But the biggest culprit may be makeup, something many women refuse to do without. Makeup sinks into the pores of the skin and can cause or aggravate jawline acne. If you absolutely must use makeup, choose a water-based brand rather then an oil-based one. Hypoallergenic makeup is also a necessity. It's been argued that oil-based makeup has a better appearance but it's important to avoid such products. Wearing as little makeup as possible and removing it at the first opportunity will make jawline acne easier to control or avoid.

Acne along the jaw line can leave disfiguring scars and because of its location, it can become more seriously infected than acne on other parts of the face. If you get an outbreak of jawline acne that does not respond to home treatment or OTC medications, it's best to consult a dermatologist. The infection may have become too deep in the skin to be treated conventionally and oral antibiotics may be needed.