Acne around the mouth may develop due to the pressure and friction on that area caused by helmet straps, cell phones, etc. Frequent touching, hormonal imbalance, genetics, and diet may also play a role. You may also blame cosmetics, like lip balms, toothpaste, shaving creams, and other facial products for irritating the skin. This article discusses what causes acne around the mouth and how to deal with it.
In This Article
Causes Of Acne Around The Mouth
Acne occurs when dirt, impurities, sebum, and acne-causing bacteria like P.acnes and S. aureus get trapped in your skin pores (1). You may notice more acne on your T-zone (the forehead, nose, mouth, and chin) as this area has more sebaceous glands than the rest of the face. Those who have oily skin are more prone to acne around their T-zone.
However, if you are frequently breaking out around your mouth, there are many possible factors responsible for it:
- Hormonal Changes: Acne around the mouth can occur due to changes in the level of androgens, causing the overactivity of sebaceous glands (2). You may experience breakouts around your mouth during menstruation, pregnancy, if you have PCOS, and if you are taking any medication that affects the hormone levels.
- Product Residue: Using cosmetic products or treatments can contribute to breakouts around the mouth. This is more likely to happen if a product contains comedogenic ingredients. Moreover, if you do not remove your makeup products like foundations, lip balms, and lipsticks from your skin properly, their residue may cause buildup, clog the pores, and cause acne.
- Diet: Although the connection between diet and acne is still under scrutiny, several foods are found to trigger breakouts. Foods having a high glycemic index increases insulin levels. This leads to many changes in the body at the cellular level and may worsen existing acne. Dairy foods may also stimulate the production of androgens, triggering excess sebum production and acne (2).
- Friction: If you have the habit of constantly touching and rubbing the area around your mouth, you may develop acne. This type of acne is known as acne mechanica and is caused by friction. Wearing masks and helmet straps may often cause friction. Moreover, if you do not change your mask or clean the chin straps in your helmet, they can clog the pores near your mouth, trapping dirt and germs and cause acne.
- Shaving: Using a facial razor and oil to remove your baby hairs around the mouth may irritate sensitive skin and cause acne.
- Mobile Phones: Do you have the habit of talking over the mobile phone pressed against your cheek and mouth? If yes, that may be one cause of acne around the mouth.
Stylecraze Says Weather-related factors like high humidity may also trigger the growth of acne around the mouth.
A study observed that contact with the cell phone while talking could cause non-inflammatory and inflammatory lesions (papules, pustules, and nodules). It could worsen existing acne and cause new breakouts (3). The mobile phone surface contains germs and bacteria that may transfer to your skin while talking.
You may experience both inflammatory and non-inflammatory lesions around your mouth. Let’s take a look at the types of breakouts that commonly occur in the area around your lips.
Types Of Breakouts Around The Mouth
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