What Causes Pimples on Your Cheeks? The Complete Guide to Cheek Acne
While pimples on the jaw, back, and chest are common, spots on the cheeks can be particularly unpleasant because they're extremely visible. If you have this problem, you might feel embarrassed, but there's no need to worry. Cheek acne is actually very common, and it is preventable! In this article, we'll look at what causes pimples on your cheeks, how to prevent them from happening in the future, and what treatments are most effective in dealing with them when they appear.
What is Cheek Acne
Acne is a common skin condition that affects most people at some point in their lives, and cheek acne is just as it sounds: acne that appears on your cheeks. While acne can occur anywhere on your body, it most commonly occurs in and around your hair follicles. Fortunately, cheek acne tends to be more preventable and treatable than other forms of acne, such as those near the jawline.
What Causes Cheek Acne
One potential cause of pimples on your cheeks is a hormonal reaction. When your hormone levels spike—particularly during puberty, menstruation, pregnancy, or perimenopause—your body produces an excess of sebum (oil), and pores become clogged more quickly.
The alternative cause is when too much bacteria builds up in your pores, resulting in an infection to the hair follicle, which presents itself in the form that we know as a pimple.
Below we will outline the different most common causes of cheek acne.
Your Phone
As much as we don't want to believe it, our phones are some of the dirtiest things we own. We take them to the bathroom, hold them in our hands, share them with others, and leave them in our bags or on public tables. And if you are like 99% of cell phone owners, you probably have never washed it. Are you cringing yet?
Well, for this reason, talking on the phone for prolonged periods can cause cheek acne. This is because the phone transfers the bacteria and grime that it already has on it to your face while you use it.
Touching Your Face
It may sound counterintuitive, but one of the most common causes of acne is touching your face. If you're constantly fixing your makeup or picking at an existing pimple, you could be depositing oils and bacteria from your hands onto your face or spreading existing bacteria into new follicles. Consistently touching your face is a sure-fire way to cause a breakout.
A Dirty Pillowcase
A dirty pillowcase can also cause cheek acne. Your sheets love to harbor bacteria if you go too long without washing them. Every time you use your pillow, it accumulates bacteria from your face and hair, and that same bacteria will grow and transfer to your face, which can cause a cheek pimple. A clean environment is always important when dealing with any skin condition. Although, be wary of how you are washing your sheets; if you have sensitive skin, harsh detergents may cause or worsen your acne symptoms.
Hormones
Hormonal changes brought about by puberty and menstruation are a common cause of pimples and acne. Generally, hormonal acne appears lower on the face, closer to the jawline—although this is not always the case.
How to Treat Cheek Acne
We understand that cheek acne can be frustrating and embarrassing, especially when you don't know what the cause is. Fortunately, we have some solutions that can help prevent it from occurring in the first place.
Implement a Great Skincare Routine
The first step to overcoming breakouts is implementing a routine that works and sticking with it! We know that skincare can be overwhelming, especially when you are on the mission to treat stubborn acne. Truly Clear has a unique, 1-step acne bar that helps treat and prevent blemishes. No need to stock your entire bathroom cabinet with products that don't work. When it comes to treating acne, often, the more products you use, the worse it can be for the skin.
Use Acne Patches
Acne patches are not only great for treating existing pimples, but they are a great way to keep you from picking at existing ones and making them worse. Simply place them on your pimple before bed and peel them off in the morning to find pus and debris that the patch removed.
Due to the patch's subtle, flesh-like appearance, you can wear them during the day too. This is especially helpful if you can't resist the urge to pick at or pop the pimple.
Use Speakerphone or Headphones
While it's a great idea to try and keep your phone cleaner, we acknowledge that this advice is not always practical or easy to implement. For that reason, you can prevent phone-call-induced acne by defaulting to your speakerphone (when you're alone) or using Bluetooth headphones in the presence of others. This will make it so you don't have to press the phone to your face physically.
Although, this isn't always an option, so it's a good idea to try and keep your phone as clean as possible for those instances.
Wash Your Pillowcase Often
Wash your pillowcase often with perfume free detergent (at least once a week) to prevent cheek blemishes. If you don't have time to do laundry that often, have a second pillowcase on hand that you can swap out.
Wash Your Hands & Avoid Touching Your Face
We recommend that you avoid touching your face altogether if you are committed to eliminating cheek blemishes. But of course, practicing good hygiene can also help reduce the spread of bacteria. Wash your hands frequently, especially after using the restroom or touching public surfaces.
Talk to Your Doctor
While the above methods are great ways of preventing bacterial acne, if you suffer from severe, cystic acne or hormonal acne, you should consult your physician. They can recommend prescription treatments for more severe cases and prescribe birth control and other treatments for hormonal causes.
How Truly Clear Can Help
Truly Clear is an innovative acne treatment brand that can help you overcome even the most stubborn acne. Get started with one of our kits to calm and heal your skin and stop your acne once and for all.
