Also called zit, acne, and spots, pimples usually affect teenagers but adults may have to deal with it as well. Some people experience occasional breakouts, while others have to deal with pimples all the time. Pimples on your face look unsightly and can cause anxiety and embarrassment. To deal with the issue, you need to learn about the causes first.

What Are the Main Causes of Pimples?

From improper diet to imbalanced hormones and more, so many factors contribute to pimples and acne.

1.    Eating Spicy Food

If your diet includes spicy foods with peppers and tomatoes, you may end up dealing with pimples. The reason is that these foods contain acidic lycopene. It can irritate your skin and affect its natural pH levels, which in turn can trigger acne breakout. While spicy foods are usually the culprit, bread, dairy, and other types of food can also cause an allergic reaction and lead to breakouts.

2.    Excessive Use of Harmful Chemicals

You may be thinking that you are using skincare products to improve the quality of your skin, but those products may contain pore-clogging ingredients that increase your risk of developing pimples. A good example of one such ingredient is mineral oil that helps moisturize your skin but also clogs your pores. Similarly, silicones in many skincare products can clog your pores and make breakouts more common.

3.    Hormonal Effects

One of many causes of pimples is hormonal imbalance. Most people experience pimples at puberty mainly because the body produces hormones called androgens at this time. The sebaceous glands may become enlarged due to these hormones, which in turn put you at an increased risk of dealing with pimples. Sometimes, the glands are so stimulated that you continue to have this problem well into adulthood. Androgens may also contribute to flare-ups during pregnancy and during the menstrual cycle.

4.    Use of Cigarettes

People who smoke are likely to deal with pimples because they restrict the supply of oxygen to their faces while smoking. This decreased supply of oxygen not just leads to the breakdown of collagen but it also increases your risk of cancer. Overtime, it can increase pore size and make wrinkles to appear on your face. Cigarette smoke also contains carcinogens that can irritate your skin and make it dry, which may again increase your risk of getting pimples.

5.    Follicle Fallout

There are dead skin cells within the follicle and they take time to shed. Some people who are more prone to getting pimples have overactive sebaceous glands that make these cells to shed rapidly. These skin cells catch oil from your skin and clog the follicle. This in turn affects your skin's natural process of renewal and increases your risk of getting pimples.

6.    Chronic Stress

If you do nothing to release stress, it will accumulate overtime and hurt you in many different ways, making it one of the many causes of pimples. You should have an active and healthy lifestyle to deal with stress. Meditation and yoga may really help here. Deep breathing exercises may also help relieve stress and improve your overall health.

7.    Digestive Problems

Experts are of the view that some sort of digestive problem may be the underlying cause of forehead acne. You need to stick to a balanced diet to prevent digestive problems and lower your risk of dealing with an acne breakout. Be sure to keep your body hydrated. Drink plenty of water and include green veggies and fruit in your diet. Stay away from fried foods because they can irritate your digestive system.

8.    Bacterial Infections

There are bacteria naturally found on the surface of your skin, but an overgrowth of bacteria can lead to infections and cause pimples. This usually happens when you have plugged follicles.

Best Remedies to Help

Once you know the causes of pimples, it is always easy to find a good treatment option. Here are some simple home remedies that may help.

1.    Tea Tree Oil Clay Mask

Make a thin clay mask with the help of water and tea tree oil. Apply it directly to your face and leave for several hours. You can apply it before going to bed and leave it overnight. Rinse it in the morning using fresh water. Doing it a few times a week will help achieve positive results.

2.    Apple Cider Vinegar for Clean Skin

You can always make use of apple cider vinegar to deal with skin blemishes. It works great to treat your pimples and even prevents them from happening again. It maintains a balance in your skin's natural pH levels. Simply apply some apple cider vinegar directly to the affected skin and leave it there to treat pimples.

3.    Lemon Juice for the Best Effects

You can also apply lemon juice directly to the affected area to notice good results. It is a good idea to apply it before going to bed and leave it overnight. Do not go out in the sun when you have used this remedy because lemon makes your skin sensitive to sunlight.

4.    Honey and Mustard Powder

One simple and effective remedy is to mix mustard powder and honey and apply it to your face. Mustard powder is effective because it contains salicylic acid – it is usually an important ingredient found in most OTC pimple medications. Mustard also nourishes your skin because it contains zinc, vitamin C, and omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids. Simply apply the mask to your face and rinse it off after 15 minutes.

5.    Tomato Mask

One simple way to deal with those unsightly pimples is to apply some tomato to them. All you have to do is to cut a tomato and rub it directly to the affected area for some time. It contains antioxidants and other nutrients that can help heal acne. Do not overuse this remedy because it can cause dryness.