Fashion

6 Clothing Mistakes That May Be Causing Your Acne

by Augusta Statz
workout clothes, workout
AzmanJaka/E+/Getty Images

While you may try your hardest to prevent them, breakouts happen to the best of us. Sometimes it may even feel like there’s no avoiding them, but in fact, there are probably things you’re doing that are actually causing your acne, or at the very least, not helping to get rid of it. These six clothing mistakes could be causing your breakouts, and like I said, don’t feel bad because everyone’s guilty of making them. And honestly, sometimes they’re pretty hard to avoid.

For example, carrying a backpack around can cause acne to flare up due to the constant pressure and rubbing that happens along your shoulders and back. Sometimes toting things around in a backpack is just the easiest method, so the best thing you could do is to try and switch things up a bit. Limit the amount of times you’re lugging things around or change the way you're distributing the weight whenever possible.

Other things have simple solutions. For instance, don’t stay in your gym clothes too long after a workout because wearing all of that sweaty clothing can irritate the skin, too. You can easily keep from making many of these mistakes, and even if you can’t always avoid these situations, at least you know what may be causing your breakouts. Anything to limit the amount of times you have a surprise pimple popping up out of nowhere will help, you know? Cause those really are the worst.

1. Wearing Your Bra Straps Too Tight

According to The Fashion Spot, wearing your bra straps a little too tight can cause rubbing which will lead to irritation and potential acne on your shoulders. You may need to loosen those babies up a bit!

2. Wearing Sweaty Clothes

Whether you've just come from a workout or it's just the middle of the scorching hot summer, if you and your clothes are sweaty, it can lead to acne. According to Teen Vogue, being sweaty and not showering can lead to acne, so shower up and slip into something clean as soon as possible.

3. Wearing Fabrics That Don't Breathe

Fabrics that are too clingy or don't breathe well can trap heat and can cause acne over time, too, according to HellaWella. So, wear those tight pants sparingly.

4. Not Washing Your Bra Often Enough

Not washing your bra can trap oils, dirt and grime, and wearing that ickiness around on your lady parts can cause breakouts. Clean those sports bras and more on a regular basis.

5. Carrying A Bag

Make sure you're only carrying the essentials because excess weight in your bag can lead to even more irritation than the purse strap already causes. Switch up the types of purses you're carrying so that you aren't constantly causing bumps along the same shoulder because according to Livestrong, that constant rubbing isn't helping your skin.

6. Not Using The Right Detergents

According to AES Acne Clinic, scented detergents can aggravate the skin, especially if you're prone to acne in the first place. They recommend using a fragrance-free detergent such as Tide Free or Arm & Hammer Free.

If these sound like mistakes you're making, don't worry — you're definitely not alone. I'm sure many of us are guilty of carrying a bag too often or not using the right detergent. But, at least now we can all correct ourselves and start living our very best lives.

Flawless skin, here we come.

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Images: AzmanJaka/E+/Getty Images; Giphy (7)