So, WTF is going on?
Well, first things first, stress is a major factor.
"When you’re freaking out, your stress-related hormones spike and send your oil glands into overdrive,” dermatologist Joshua Zeichner told Cosmopolitan. “These spikes then lead to inflammation, pimples, dryness, extra oiliness, and even rashes.”
Even if you feel like you're not particularly worried about COVID-19, we're living in a time of uncertainty. All that second-hand stress from the news or people freaking out on social media can take more of a toll on your mental health than you realise. Plus, you've likely been thrown out of your normal routine — which can always be tough, even if your new one involves watching 10 x more Netflix.
Then, there's diet. Now, we'd never tell you not to indulge in a few leftover Easter choccies — a girl's gotta do what a girl's gotta do!
But unfortch, when the scales tip a little too in the favor of 'sweets and treats' and not enough fruit, veg and other good stuff, it can affect your skin.
"Succumbing to junk food may feel good in the short term but will wreak havoc on our gut, which will in turn wreak havoc on our skin," told Cosmopolitan.
Spending more times indoors can also mean we're exercising less, which can play a role too.
“When we sweat, blood circulates and comes to the surface, and blood has all the good stuff in it," skin therapist Tegan Mac told Mamamia. "Exercise is a great way to get oxygen and nutrients to the skin, so if your exercise routine has changed, this could be impacting your skin, too.”
Lastly, there's the fact that spending more time on your skincare routine might mean you're experimenting with different products than usual. While it's great to shake things up, it's possible that some of the products you're using are irritating your skin, or that it's not used to them yet. One way to combat this is to try to opt for products specifically created for sensitive skin, or to stick to an entire skincare range rather than picking and choosing (as they're normally designed to be used together)
So basically, if your skin is more rebellious than Jughead in Riverdale RN, the best things you can: take care of your mental health through things like meditation, self-care and setting boundaries for your tech usage, make sure you're eating plenty of healthy food, make an effort to get active regularly and stick a consistent skincare routine.
BUT, it's also important to remember that on the grand scale of things, having a few (or even a lot) of pimples right now ain't really a huge deal. Be kind to yourself and remind yourself that it's normal, and that it will pass. And in the meantime, get some awesome #acnepositivity accounts on your feed to help give you a little self-love boost!
