Have you ever been jealous of where someone gets their acne?
Acne anywhere is terrible but at least on your forehead, you could try and hide those breakouts with bangs! You can mostly conceal back acne with carefully arranged clothes. But acne on your cheeks is pretty hard to cover. Maybe if you had a surgical mask that you wore all the time (too soon?).
But why is it that you primarily get acne on your cheeks? Turns out, it’s a common question.
Acne is the result of pores clogged by dead skin, sebum, and bacteria. If the bulk of your acne is congregating on your cheeks, there may be other factors that are contributing to your breakouts.
Overburdened Liver and Lungs
If you’re partial to the ancient Chinese art of face mapping, you might want to take a look at your liver and lungs to explain the acne on your cheeks.
According to face mapping, internal problems are evidenced in your skin. You can tell what the internal problem is based on the placement of the skin concern. For cheeks, that means your liver and your lungs might need some attention.
Chinese medicine puts a big focus on the left and right. Breakouts on your left cheek are a warning to be a little kinder to your liver. As the primary detox organ, you can give it a rest by not having to detox as often. Think about laying off the alcohol and acidic foods for a bit.
Your right cheek, on the other hand, is more connected to your lungs. For breakouts on the right side, take a look at what you’re inhaling, whether it’s an excess of pollution or a pack a day.
But before you discount any other acne-causing possibilities, you should know that face mapping doesn’t have a foundation in science. There are even different face mapping resources that claim certain areas of the face mean different things. So, take that with a grain of salt.
Dirty Phone
Your phone goes everywhere with you. You take it into the bathroom, set it down on public, unsanitized surfaces, and touch it after you’ve turned a doorknob. But it also ends up sitting on your dining table and pressed up against your face!
When was the last time you sanitized it?
Studies show that mobile phones have 10 times more bacteria than toilet seats! Every time you put your phone on your face, you’re transferring that bacteria and adding to the possibility of infection.
An easy fix is to disinfect your phone regularly. A simple microfiber cloth will remove most bacteria, but if you want to get extra, squeaky clean, you can use a diluted solution of rubbing alcohol and a rag to gently wipe it down.
And think twice before scrolling Instagram while sitting on the thunderbox.
Grimy Hands
If you’re a relatively hygienic person, you probably remember to wash your hands before you eat and after you go to the bathroom (we hope!). But what are your hands touching in between?
Handrails, subway poles, elevator buttons, door handles, shopping carts, gas pumps, and honestly, all public surfaces are covered in the germs of countless strangers. But you probably don’t think about that when you’re sitting at your desk resting your face in your hand.
Just like the germs on your phone, your hands are covered in bacteria pretty much always. You can and should wash them regularly, but a good rule of thumb is to keep your hands off your face. There’s no point in adding extra bacteria into the mix when you’re already dealing with acne.
Bacteria-Ridden Makeup Brushes
I used to find the thought of bacteria on my makeup brushes confusing. I can understand the need to clean the blue eyeshadow off my brush before dipping into the yellow (if I wanted green, I would’ve started with that in the first place). But I’m only putting the brush in my makeup and on my face, How does it get dirty?
As I learned, your face has microbes that remain on your makeup brushes each time you use them. Those microbes grow and fester, turning into harmful bacteria that you reapply every time you do your makeup.
Turns out, it’s pretty important to clean your makeup brushes more than once a year. Plenty of makeup brands, from Elf to It Cosmetics, sell brush cleaners that are a simple ‘spray and wipe’ for daily cleansing. You should also try to do a deep clean once a month with a makeup brush shampoo, although any gentle shampoo will work.
Just make sure you rinse them completely and hang them to dry brush-side down, so the water doesn’t drip into the handle.
The Wrong Skincare Routine
Several of your daily habits could be adding to the breakouts on those sweet cheeks of yours. The most important thing you can do to prevent them is to prioritize a clean, healthy skincare routine.
Averr Aglow’s Clear Skin Kit has all the bacteria-fighting, exfoliation-promoting, hydration-infusing goodness that you need for a blemish-free face.
So what have we learned, class? Wash your phone, your hands, and your makeup brushes, and opt for a gentle, yet effective skincare routine. Get rid of that cheek acne for good!
