This article will provide information on how lip balm and toothpaste contribute to acne around mouth, and how to treat it. Even if the rest of your face is clear, if you use certain oral care products such as lip balm or certain toothpastes, the ingredients in these products can cause you to develop acne around the mouth.
How Lip Balm Causes Acne around Mouth
One cause of acne around the mouth is using lip balm too much. The companies that produce lip balm use scents that make lip balm more appealing; these scents tell the sebaceous glands around the mouth to make more sebum. In addition, lip balm wax can cause pores to get blocked up, and skin can get irritated by the scents that are produced by the lip balm.
If you have acne around mouth and you use lip balm, the easiest way to get rid of the acne is obviously not to use lip balm. However, if you have to have lip balm, choose one that doesn’t have added scents. The wax will still clog the pores, however it won’t inflame them. You can also reduce the chance of irritation surrounded your mouth by using aloe vera gel. If you happen to be a liquid make up user, use facial waters that contain magnesium or selenium after cleansing but prior to putting it on. The facial waters will soothe the skin and make blemishes less noticeable.
Another way to help treat acne around mouth caused by lip balm is to keep yourself hydrated. How? By drinking enough water every day! Instead of using lip balm when your lips feel as though they are cracking, make sure to use lip wax or else just a small amount of Neem ointment. This ointment is an herb that helps fight bacteria and microbes; it has been used for treating mouth problems like yellowing teeth, bleeding gums and cavities. In addition, Neem ointment can also help prevent breakouts around your mouth. A humidifier can also help moisten your home air or the air in your office; this will also help prevent cracks in your lips, reducing your need for lip balm.
How Toothpaste Causes Acne around Mouth
Just as the type of flavor and scents in lip balm can cause acne around mouth, so can the flavors in toothpaste. However toothpaste has another ingredient in it that can be problematic – sodium lauryl sulfate, or SLS. Sodium lauryl sulfate is included in toothpaste so it doesn’t get trapped in the tube. It’s also responsible for making the toothpaste foam up when you brush your teeth. What is the issue with sodium lauryl sulfate? It is primarily the foaming action that generates surface tension at the bubble ends – this surface tension causes the skin to produce small cracks. As a result, the skin produces sebum in the pores nearby. The sebum production doesn’t cause the acne breakouts; however excess sebum can get stuck if toothpaste gets into the pores and causes irritation. The surrounding skin will then be vulnerable to whitehead, blackhead or pimple formation.
The obvious treatment for acne around mouth that’s caused by toothpaste is to replace the toothpaste you’re currently using with one that doesn’t contain SLS or any added flavors, such as mint. There are several toothpaste brands that fit this criteria – they include brands such as Biotene, Burt’s Bees Natural Toothpaste, Jason Natural Products Powersmile Toothpaste, Now Foods Xyliwhite, Organix South Neem Toothpaste, Sensodyne Pronamel, Squigel Enamel Saver Toothpaste, toothpastes from the company Tom’s of Maine, and a Danish brand called Urtekram Organic Eucalyptus toothpaste. In addition, you can do research online to find others or ask for suggestions from your dentist or from any friends or family members that may have had problems with acne around mouth due to toothpaste.
Once you’ve changed your toothpaste, be sure to treat any pimples that may still remain. The best way to treat it is with products containing 2.5%