Why Do I Get Acne in the Winter?

There is no good time to get acne, but the holiday season is one of the worst for breaking out. With all the holiday office parties and family gatherings, you can count on photo after photo being taken.

If your acne seems to get worse in the winter, you aren’t alone. There are a surprising number of sneaky culprits that can make you break out during the holiday season.

Here are three of the things you ought to know:

1. Cold temperatures can cause dry skin, which can lead to acne.
2. Acne can be caused by pressure, heat and friction from clothes and snow gear.
3. Adjusting your winter skin care routine can help reduce acne breakouts.

Cold Weather Is Drying Out Your Skin

The harsh winter weather has a nasty habit of stripping away the skin’s lipids in the outermost layer of the skin. Your skin relies on this natural protective barrier for a multitude of reasons (see claim: “…Two of its functions are (1) to prevent excessive water loss through the epidermis and (2) to avoid that compounds from the environment…”), including the following:

• Keeping out acne-causing bacteria, fungi and viruses
• Trapping in moisture to keep skin hydrated
• Promoting healthy cell turnover

Without this protective barrier, your skin quickly loses its ability to carry out these functions. As a result, a buildup of dead skin cells and bacteria can clog your pores and cause acne breakouts.

The good news is that a men’s daily moisturizer may be the simple fix for your winter skin care woes. A daily men’s moisturizer will help hydrate your skin to restore its protective barrier and fend off acne.

Winter Clothes Rubbing Against Your Skin

Once the snow starts falling, everyone gets bundled up to stay warm. But if you’re a man who enjoys winter sports, you’re probably sweating underneath all that winter gear.

If your acne appears on your face, neck and back, a likely culprit could be your snow gear. The heat, pressure and friction of your snow gear is creating a breeding ground for bacteria.

Known as acne mechanica, this specific form of acne is especially common in male athletes. You can reduce the likelihood of breakouts by wearing breathable fabrics that wick away moisture.

Look for performance fabrics from athletic companies. For instance, a neck gaiter made with performance fabric blends will keep your neck and face warm without trapping sweat.

Neglecting Your Beard

Growing a beard for the winter? If you don’t normally sport facial hair, you might not be used to taking proper care of it.

Neglecting your beard not only affects your image, it can cause breakouts as well. If you forget to wash and scrub your beard regularly, you’re creating the perfect environment for bacteria.

Bacteria and dead skin cells can build up on the skin underneath your beard, just like anywhere else on your face. To keep skin under the beard healthy, remember to wash your beard regularly and use a gentle men’s exfoliator no more than twice per week.

Holiday Stress

The holiday office parties and family gatherings are beginning to pile up on your calendar. You’ve also got tremendous pressure at work to finish the year strong and still need to find gifts for everyone.

Although feeling stress during the holidays is normal, it’s not doing your skin any favors. Research shows that feeling stressed can make acne much worse, especially in males (see claim: “The study suggests a significant association between stress and severity of acne papulopustulosa, especially in males…”).

When we become stressed, hormones in our body trigger our oil production glands to produce excess oil. This oil can clog pores and become inflamed, causing us to break out in pimples.

It’s difficult to erase the stress that stems from the holidays. However, there are a few things you can do to significantly reduce your stress:

Exercise: Everyone knows that exercise is an effective stress reliever. Even though you’re up to your eyeballs in work and commitments, remember to schedule time for yourself.

Get a Massage: Better yet, get a men’s facial. Not only will you get a relaxing face massage, your face will be treated with powerful skin ingredients which can reduce inflammation.

Meditate: Meditation is a proven relaxation method that every man can benefit from. You can find free, self-guided meditation sessions on many college websites, such as UCLA or Harvard.

Put Your Best Face Forward

If your face isn’t ready for the season’s events, don’t stress! There is still time to achieve radiant, blemish-free skin for the holiday season.

After eliminating the obvious causes of winter acne, you may still have a stubborn pimple or two on your face. No worries, gentlemen—order Tiege Hanley’s super effective acne treatment system for men and give yourself the gift of clear skin!