By: Madeleine Woon
Ah, skin. Where would we be without you? While we can thank our skin for being the glue that *literally* holds us together, it’s not without its annoyances—a small but significant one being tiny forehead bumps. Not to be confused with milia, these forehead bumps are another form of acne. If you’re nodding along at this point in recognition of these pint-sized but highly annoying forehead bumps, you’ll be pleased to know treating them is easier when you know what you’re up against. And also, the reason they’ve decided to take up residence in the area above your brows.
What Are the Possible Reasons Behind the Small Forehead Bumps?
There are comedones, a.k.a. those small dots we know as blackheads and whiteheads; and pustules and papules, which take the form of either inflammatory red bumps or red mounds with white centers.
Because acne results from clogged pores, they can show up anywhere on the face where a pore is found. All breakouts start the same way: follicular occlusion (read: blocked follicles), oil or sebum in the clogged follicle, bacteria or fungus in the follicle, and inflammation. When these four things happen, breakouts can occur anywhere—in this case, the forehead. Below is a guide to permanently get rid of pesky forehead acne.
Exfoliate your face
If you get little bumps on the forehead, regular exfoliating with a non-irritating chemical exfoliant is the key to keeping pores clean and clog-free. Debris, like dead skin cells, contributes to acne-causing bacteria in clogged pores, which is why exfoliating is so crucial to proper, blemish-free health.
Exfoliating Products for Your Face
Might we suggest the PRESS REFRESH mask? It's important to exfoliate twice weekly. Our feels-like-skin sheet mask is drenched in exfoliating acids (Hello, salicylic acid! Wyd, glycolic and lactic acids?) that help to unclog pores, refine uneven texture and treat acne-prone skin.
Healthy skin diet
While there are differing schools of thought on the link between diet and acne, certain studies suggest that what you eat can play a significant role in acne development.
What foods cause your skin to break out?
Refined carbohydrates, dairy, fast food, omega-6 rich foods, chocolate and any foods that you might be sensitive to can all aggravate acne.
What should I eat to get healthy skin?
Probiotics, green tea, turmeric, vitamin A, D, E and zinc, paleolithic-style diets and mediterranean-style diets might help to keep your skin blemish-free.
Vitamins for skin health
Our golden child, the SKIN DISCIPLINE pill, is an acne supplement that works hard to banish your breakouts. Each of its ingredients—zinc, chromium, selenium, niacin, Omega-3, probiotics and vitamin B6—were meticulously hand-picked and supported by reems of research papers and clinical trials linked with acne reduction, improved gut health and lowering inflammation. So what can they do for your bumps on the forehead? Why, they can calm any breakout-causing inflammation, regulate sebum levels, balance your gut microbiome and accelerate skin cell turnover.
Avoiding Irritating Products
When it comes to reducing the occurrence of forehead acne, you’ll want to avoid anything oily or sticky that might make their way from your tresses into your pores. Also, keep your hair off your face as much as possible. (Bye, bangs!).
What are the products that cause skin irritation?
When you come into contact with a product and it causes a chemical reaction, this is called contact dermatitis. The most common culprits are often essential oils and certain artificial fragrances. Ever tried a buzzy new moisturizer or scented laundry detergent, and the next morning, you wake up with redness and irritation out of nowhere? Yep, probably not out of nowhere! This is why it's important to incorporate things into your routine slowly and not all at once. If something is causing irritation, you'll know it and you can quickly eliminate it from your routine. Your skin will thank you!
No touch-y!
We know it’s excruciatingly tempting to try and pop your pimples, avoid picking at all costs. This is especially important for forehead zits, as they’re often just congested pores. Picking at them will have the opposite effect that you desire—aka bidding adieu forever—exacerbating irritation and scarring, and causing breakouts to worsen.
Still don't know when to pull out your GOO GETTER patches vs. KILLA patches? Click here for a simple zituation breakdown.
