What Causes Pimples After A Sunburn?
Sunburns are like unwanted souvenirs from a vacation gone wrong. The searing pain, the relentless itchiness, and the skin that feels more like a crispy piece of bacon than a protective shield. But just when you thought it couldn’t get any worse, the universe throws you an unexpected curveball – a battalion of tiny, angry pimples that have seemingly cropped up out of nowhere. So, what in the name of flawless skin causes these pesky acne-like intruders to party on our sunburned faces? Let’s delve into the mysterious world of post-sunburn pimples and unravel the truth behind their unwelcomed presence.
Can the Sun Help with my Acne?
Many people believe sun exposure dries out acne-causing oil, thereby curing breakouts. Additionally, getting a tan can temporarily camouflage the blemishes on your face. While that strategy will work in the short run, exposing your skin to too much sun will eventually backfire, causing more breakouts in the future. Here’s why:
- Flaky skin from a sunburn builds up more dead skin cells that clog pores and cause more breakouts.
- Sun exposure causes unwanted skin inflammation.
- The sun can cause dark spots and scarring to appear after pimples heal.
- Sun exposure puts you at a higher risk of skin cancer and premature skin aging.
- If you’re taking certain medications for acne, your skin can be more sensitive to UV light, making it burn faster.
- Sunbathing leads to sweating, giving bacteria a place to thrive and causing more breakouts.
So, while a little sun exposure can temporarily reduce acne, you should adopt more effective methods to keep your breakouts in check.
Effective Skin Care Routines to Reduce Acne
Acne is usually caused by hormone imbalances. When your hormones are out of balance due to causes such as puberty or pregnancy, your skin’s sebaceous glands overproduce sebum (oil). Excess sebum clogs your pores, giving bacteria a place to thrive causing pimples, and setting off a vicious cycle of breakouts. To learn the root cause of your acne, try the following tips to keep your breakouts under control.
- Wash Your Face: Wash your face at least twice a day with a mild, oil-free foaming cleanser formulated for oily skin. Don’t harshly rub your skin. Pat dry gently with a clean towel. If possible, wash your face immediately after a workout or other athletic activities. Make sure you wash away makeup before bed. Sleeping with makeup clogs pores and makes acne worse.
- Use a Toner: Lightly apply a toner or astringent to your face to remove remaining oil. Don’t overdo it – too much astringent can irritate your skin and cause it to produce even more oil.
- Moisturize: Even acne-prone skin needs a dab of moisturizer to stay in balance. Use only a gentle, oil-free moisturizer and apply sparingly.
- Apply Sunscreen: Your moisturizer might contain sunscreen, but before going outside apply a sunscreen designed for faces that contains at least SPF 30. Reapply every two hours if you’re planning to spend the day outdoors.
- Spot Treat: Experiment with different over-the-counter acne fighting products. The most popular treatments contain benzoyl peroxide and salicylic acid. Use as directed. Be patient with these products since they can take up to eight weeks to deliver results. If you don’t see any results, see a dermatologist.
1. “The Fiery Aftermath: Unveiling the Enigma Behind Post-Sunburn Pimples”
Post-sunburn pimples can be a perplexing and frustrating side effect of a fun day in the sun. While the sun’s warmth and golden glow can leave us feeling refreshed and rejuvenated, the aftermath sometimes comes with unexpected enigmas. Have you ever wondered why those pesky little bumps appear on your skin after a sunburn? Today, we embark on a scientific quest to demystify this fiery aftermath and uncover the secrets hidden beneath the surface.
1. What are post-sunburn pimples?
Believed to be a result of the body’s inflammatory response to sunburn, these mysterious pimples can be an unwelcome surprise. As the skin is exposed to excessive UV radiation, it often triggers a cascade of events in our immune system, causing the release of chemicals that facilitate the inflammatory response. This can lead to the appearance of not only redness and pain but also a sprinkling of tiny, raised bumps. Often mistaken for acne, these post-sunburn pimples are triggered by the sun’s wrath rather than clogged pores or bacteria.
2. “Sunburned Skin: Picking Apart the Mystery of Unexpected Pimples
Solar comedones are noninflammatory and appear symmetrically on your face. They’re typically found along your temple and around your eyes. Sometimes, they can show up on the side of your neck, earlobes, and forearms.
Solar comedones are also known as:
- senile comedones
- sun acne
- nodular elastosis with cysts and comedones
- Favre-Racouchot syndrome
The condition is most common in middle-age and older adults. Approximately 6 percentTrusted Source of adults ages 50 and over have solar comedones.
If you’re curious about solar comedones and what causes them, read on.
Though the specific cause of solar comedones is unknown, researchers have determined possible factors.
These include:
Chronic sun exposure
Solar comedones are commonly associated with long-term sun exposure. That’s why they’re often seen in exposed areas of the body, like the sides of your temple.
Chronic sun exposure can happen after many years spent working an outdoor job, like farming. It can also be related to years of frequent sunbathing.
It’s unclear how exactly sunlight causes solar comedones. However, it’s likely due to damage caused by ultraviolet (UV) radiation, a form of energy produced by sunlight.
UV radiation can damage DNA in your skin cells and cause premature skin aging.
The radiation can also damage the elastic tissue in your skin, leading to solar elastosis. This causes thickened, yellowish, and severe wrinkling. It’s often seen with solar comedones.
It’s hypothesized that solar comedones due to sun exposure affect men more frequently than women.
Heavy smoking
Smoking cigarettes for many years can also contribute to solar comedones.
In fact, it can act synergistically with sun exposure. This means the effects of both factors can interact and increase your risk of solar comedones.
There are some theories on how smoking increases your risk.
Cigarette smoke contains harmful chemicals, some of which may damage your skin. The heat from a lit cigarette might also produce radiation.
However, more research is necessary to understand how smoking specifically contributes to solar comedones.
Radiation therapy
A less common cause is radiation therapy. It uses radiation to treat cancer, but it can also damage the skin. In rare cases, this could lead to comedones and other lesions.
Solar comedones related to radiation therapy can develop during or after the treatment. They can show up between 2 weeks and 6 months after therapy is completed.
The comedones can also show up anywhere on the body, but they typically appear on face, neck, and scalp.
If you have solar comedones, you’ll have different types of bumps.
Closed (whiteheads)
Closed comedones, or whiteheads, are plugged pores that have closed over. They look like small white or skin-colored bumps, depending on your skin tone.
Typically, solar comedones start as whiteheads. They eventually turn into open comedones over time.
Open (blackheads)
Open comedones, or blackheads, are clogged pores that aren’t sealed. The top of the pore is open, revealing a black spot.
The black spot isn’t dirt, though. It’s oil that has been exposed to air.
Solar comedones are not cancerous. For most people, they’re more of a cosmetic concern.
However, the main causes of solar comedones have other risks. Chronic sun exposure and cigarette smoking increase the risk of:
- skin cancer
- premature skin aging
- poor immune system function
Smoking cigarettes also increases the risk of:
- heart disease and stroke
- lung diseases
- cancer almost anywhere in the body
- infertility
- poor bone health
So, while solar comedones aren’t directly harmful, their causes are associated with other health issues.
Treatment for solar comedones typically includes a combination of:
- medication
- surgical techniques
- lifestyle changes
Solar comedones extraction
Comedones can be manually removed. Your health provider uses a device called a comedo extractor to squeeze the bumps and unblock your pores.
Although this treatment is effective, the comedones will likely return.
Other surgical techniques
A doctor might use the following treatments instead of extractions:
- dermabrasion
- curettage
- laser resurfacing
- comedone excision
The best option depends on the severity of your comedones.
Topical retinoids
Topical retinoids are medications designed to unclog pores. They exfoliate your skin and promote collagen formation, which can help reduce comedones.
A dermatologist may suggest over-the-counter (OTC) or prescription retinoids.
Topical retinoids can dry out the skin, so it’s important to avoid using too much too soon. It’s recommended to apply a light moisturizer after using a retinoid.
Decreasing the frequency of retinoid application may make it more tolerable for your skin.
Lifestyle changes
You’ll also be asked to make several lifestyle changes to slow down the formation of solar comedones.
This includes:
- avoiding the sun between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. or wearing a hat if you do need to go outdoors
- applying broad-spectrum sunscreen (at least SPF 30)
- quitting smoking, if you smoke (this is often difficult, but a doctor can help craft a plan that works for you)
