For a pimple-free skin, it is important to understand what causes pimples. They cannot be your fault all the time. Contrary to the popular belief, these pimples or zits are not always caused by external factors such as food, skin care regimen or exercises. They are caused by a combination of physiological factors as well. They also develop far beneath the skin’s surface that is beyond our control.
The forehead is the worst of places to get a pimple right after our chubby cheeks. People with bangs have a wonderful way of hiding them, unlike the rest. But how long can we hide it? This article is going to be exclusively about pimples on the forehead. Though I will cover their overall causes and remedies for pimples, I will be paying a little bit special attention to their causes.
When I had small pimples on the forehead, I never paid attention to it. I continued using my normal face wash and they were gone in a couple of days. That’s it. I was never interested to know more about them and I never knew that the forehead pimples are NOT the normal ones that occur due to excess oil production and hormonal factors. Regular appearance of the zits prompted me to do a mini-research on why I got regular pimples on the forehead unlike the other places. Before moving on to the main article, I would like to show this image to you all which is an acne-face map. This method was used in the ancient Chinese medicinal practice to map the external abnormalities to their actual internal root cause. They believed that the external abnormalities were actually triggered by internal factors and depicted them in this map.
Now you must be wondering what causes pimples, right? As you can see in the image above, according to Chinese medicine, forehead acne is related to digestive disorders. But there are also other causes that trigger forehead acne. Some of them are mentioned below:
The main and universal cause of acne! As the forehead lies in the T-Zone, which is known for its excess oil production quality, the pores tends to get clogged, leading to acne. Clogged pores can easily be dealt with a good CTM (Cleansing, Toning, Moisturising) routine, with a monthly session with the steamer. Please don’t overdo the steaming session, however relaxing or effective it is, as excessive steaming is not advisable for acne-prone skin.
Dandruff in the hair can trigger acne in the forehead. Try to get rid of the dandruff using a good anti-dandruff shampoo. Your acne will vanish like magic.
If you have an oily scalp, the oil tends to seep in and results in clogged pores and acne on your forehead. Make sure you wash your hair on alternate days to ensure an oil-free scalp.
Certain medications like birth control pills have a tendency to trigger forehead acne in certain people. Consult/question your doctor every time he prescribes you any medication relating to hormonal issues.
Digestive problem is probably the main cause of forehead acne, if you do not have the issues mentioned above. It needs to be tackled with a balanced diet. Drink lots of water and include green, leafy vegetables and fruits in your diet. Avoid fried foods and artificial tasters and almost anything that disrupts your tummy’s happiness. Exercising regularly helps too.
Stress is one thing that has to contribute to most of our illnesses in some way or the other. So, beat it by having a healthy lifestyle. Yoga and meditation help in reducing stress to a great extent. No time for yoga? Indulge yourself in a relaxing spa for an instant stress release. However hard you work, taking some “me” time definitely has its own merits, right?
Certain hair styling products like hair spray, heat protectant, serum etc have a tendency to trigger acne when they come into contact with your forehead. Ladies with bangs, beware!
There is an ancient south Indian proverb that says “if used excessively, even elixir will transform into poison”. Though exfoliating helps in removing the dead cells and keeping the skin fresh, overdoing it could result in skin irritation and acne. Exfoliation is best when not done more than twice a week.
If you are someone who drives two-wheelers, then a helmet becomes the most important need. And, we cannot clean our helmets like makeup brushes once in two days to keep them dirt-free. Hence, it is always advisable to cover your head and forehead with a clean cotton cloth or a dupatta before wearing a helmet so that your precious forehead is kept away from dirt and possible acne break out. Forgoing a helmet is highly dangerous.
The final and most difficult to deal with are the hormonal and genetic factors. One of my friends used to get acne on her forehead every time before her periods. Though such factors are difficult to eradicate, especially if you are in your teen years or expecting to start a family, they could surely be treated by proper medication.
Here are a few tested remedies that will help reduce the acne and pimples on the forehead, irrespective of the cause:
Make a thin clay mask with water. Add tea tree oil or lavender oil for a boost, and apply the mask on your forehead. Leave the mask on overnight and rinse it off when you wake up. Remember to throw a towel onto your pillow before you sleep. This simple mask can combat the most beastly pimples in just a day, and leave behind a fresh and supple skin that will win you compliments.
If you can lay your hands on a pack of apple cider vinegar, you have got yourself the perfect remedy for pimples on the head or scalp. You need to swab a bit of the apple cider vinegar once or twice a day onto the affected area. This works best on a single beastly zit or blemish. Remember, it is best not to rinse the apple cider vinegar, unless you really feel you should.
Dab a few drops of lemon on the zits and leave it on overnight. This comes as no surprise to many! One of the most commonly tried and tested pimple cures is the good old lemon. It is best to use lemon on the pimples at night, and avoid stepping out in the sun if you have to use it during the day. Lemon juice makes your skin photosensitive and can cause many more blemishes or sun damage.
Slather some mustard powder mixed with honey onto the zits. Mustard contains natural salicylic acid that is an active ingredient in most over-the-counter pimple medications. While you can use bottled mustard, it is best to make your own mustard pack by grinding together mustard and honey. Leave this pack on the zits for 15 minutes and wash off. Mustard is also rich in Vitamin C, zinc, and omega 3 and 6 fatty acids that will surely leave your skin glowing!
Do you love eating tomatoes in your salad? If you are someone who can die for a slice of tomato with a meal, you would be delighted to know that tomato masks can combat acne as well as acne scars. How wonderful is that? If you wake up one morning to see an unsightly eruption or two and have a tomato handy, simply cut it and rub it onto your forehead twice a day. Rich in antioxidants, the tomato juice will miraculously heal acne. Bear in mind that excessive use can cause dryness, so dilute the juice if you wish to use it more than twice a day.
Who doesn’t love to relax in a bath of lavender oil? Essential oils such as lavender oil can address acne while leaving your skin fresh and rejuvenated. Dab a bit of the oil onto the zits, and they will slowly diminish.
[ Read: Dermaroller For Acne Scars ]
Though this is not one of my favourites, this home remedy is, yet, my official recommendation. Eggs! You heard it right! Don’t turn up your nose on this one! As yucky as they may sound, smell and feel on the skin, eggs can indeed help alleviate symptoms of acne. After making a delicious omelette for breakfast, swipe your hand inside the egg shell and pick up some of the white gooey stuff, and dab it on your forehead. Leave this for as long as you like or can tolerate!
[ Read: Green Tea Helps To Reduce Acne]
“P.S.: All the remedies mentioned here should not be substituted for professional medical advice.
Hope you found the article useful.”