What can trigger acne flare-ups?
There are a number of factors that can make acne flare up or lead to “breakouts”, although triggers can vary from person to person. Avoiding the things that you notice may make your acne worse is a good way to help control your acne. For example,
 Cosmetics
Make-up and hair care products can clog pores. When shopping, look for the following acne-friendly terms on product labels: “oil-free”, “non-comedogenic”, or “non-acnegenic”.
Physical pressure
Pressure due to a chin strap, phone receiver, sports helmet, headband, guitar strap, bra strap and other tight clothing can lead to localized acne that develops at the point of skin contact.
 Sweating
Sweating can worsen acne in some people. Most likely, it is because sweating helps to clog pores, especially if trapped under clothing.
Overwashing
Washing your face twice a day with a mild cleanser is recommended for acne-prone skin. Cleaning it more often, scrubbing/exfoliating, or using strong cleansers or astringent products (i.e. toners with alcohol) can actually strip the skin and irritate it, which can lead to more acne.
Medications
Certain medications can cause acne to flare up, such as oral corticosteroids, some contraceptive pills (progestin only), and anti-convulsives, to name a few.
Menstrual cycle
Many girls and women may notice that their acne flares up as they are nearing their monthly period.
Picking or squeezing
Touching acne lesions can make them worse and raise the risk of permanent scarring. Squeezing or popping pimples can cause an eruption of sebum and bacteria into surrounding skin tissues leading to more swelling and redness and possibly infection.
 Food
Actually, no study has yet proven that any specific foods or dietary habits can cause or worsen acne. However, if you find that a certain kind of food seems to aggravate your acne, try removing it from your diet. Removing entire food groups from your diet, though, is not healthy so is not recommended.
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