You thought you’d left your acne days behind when you left high school.

So why do you have a new breakout across your chin all of a sudden?

Rest assured that this is perfectly normal. 85% of people ages 12-24 experience some minor acne, and many people have it into their 30s and 40s.

But this doesn’t answer your pressing concern, which is, “Why is my face breaking out all of a sudden?”

In this blog post, we’ll talk about some of the causes of sudden acne breakouts, and what you can do to help ease them.

Read on for more information on what could be causing this uncharacteristic breakout you’re experiencing.

Stress

Stress is one of the biggest factors when it comes to surprise breakouts. Of course, it’s not what you want to hear, as you’re likely already stressed enough without the added unexpected breakout.

When you’re stressed out, your sebaceous glands produce more oil, which. In turn, the oil clogs up your pores and causes acne breakouts.

If you’ve been experiencing extra stress lately, then it’s likely that your body is revolting by clogging up your pores and creating unwanted breakouts.

If you have extra stress in your life and you think it is the cause of the breakouts, you’ll need to try and control the excess oil without drying out your skin. There are many skincare products you can try to accomplish this, though it may be a bit of trial and error until you find the right combination for your skin.

Menstruation or Other Hormones

Most women notice that they break out during “that time of the month,” and it’s because your hormones are ramping up the production of oil on your skin. This isn’t just confined to females, as men may also experience breakouts due to hormones. Young men often experience breakouts due to higher levels of androgens in their systems, which then even out as they get older.

Although birth control pills can help ease acne for some young women, they can also increase it depending on how your body reacts. Every person’s body is different, so how another person reacts to contraceptives won’t dictate how your body will.

If you’ve just started birth control pills, or if you’ve just gone off of them, you may find yourself struggling with a sudden outbreak of acne.

Additionally, if you’re taking hormones for any reason, this may also cause an outbreak of unwanted acne. Those who are transitioning from one sex to another, for example, often experience severe breakouts.

Not Washing Sweat Off Your Body Well Enough

Acne itself is not caused by being dirty, and you can be the cleanest person in the world and still experience breakouts. It is important that people are aware that acne itself doesn’t make a person unhygienic or unclean.

However, you can experience acne breakouts, especially surprise ones, due to trapped sweat. For example, if you workout and don’t shower in a timely manner afterward, the excess sweat on your body may get into your pores and cause a breakout.

Or, if you’re wearing tight clothing like a tight sports bra, you may get sweat trapped underneath it no matter how well you wipe off after your work out.

The key is to shower as soon as you can after you workout or exercise. If you notice that you’re getting breakouts where certain clothing lines are, you may wish to alter what you wear during exercise.

If this still isn’t helping, you may wish to use acne body wash or a loofah for back acne or acne on another part of your body to ensure the soap gets everywhere.

Reactions to Creams or Lotions

Not every skincare product works for everyone, and if you’re experiencing a breakout due to using a new product, you know that all too well.

You may not be experiencing an allergic reaction per se, but sometimes new products can cause unwanted breakouts. If, for example, you’re prone to oily skin and you use a moisturizer that gives you a little too much moisture, you may experience a breakout where you used it.

If you are prone to acne, it is important that you choose skincare products carefully.

You can also experience unwanted breakouts due to certain makeup products, especially if you’re introducing a new one on your skin.

Dead Skin Cells and Debris

Have you been having a rough couple of weeks? Have you found yourself falling asleep for the night in your make-up? If so, this could be a reason why you’re breaking out.

You need to wash your face every evening before you go to bed to wash off dead skin cells and debris.

You also need to wash off the make-up you’ve been wearing during the day. Failing to do so can cause a build-up of the product on your skin, resulting in acne.

Why Is My Face Breaking Out All of a Sudden

We hope we’ve helped answer the question of, “Why is my face breaking out all of a sudden.” While we can’t give you tailored answers, these general answers cover the majority of reasons why people experience surprise breakouts.

In addition to washing well, we suggest that you try a new skincare regime to ensure that your face is well-hydrated and free from oils that cause acne.

Click here to browse our selection of top-notch skincare that can make your skin go from dull to dazzling.