How to Get Rid of Those Annoying Bumps on Your Face

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Just about any bump that appears on your face is an unwelcome visitor. Unfortunately, getting rid of your annoying guests involves getting to know them better, especially if you want to prevent them from showing up on your doorstep again. Your strategy for ridding your front porch of a strangely territorial skunk is going to be different than wrapping up that conversation with the earnest young man who just wants to look at your energy bill. And like the bumps on your face, your tactics definitely shouldn’t include poking or squeezing.

Not every bump is acne, which the National Institutes of Health describes as “a common skin condition that happens when hair follicles under the skin become clogged.” But acne often follows in the wake of any disturbance in the skin if it is handled improperly. So let’s run through some of the most common offenders when it comes to getting a rise out of your face, along with what you can do about it.

Milia

These tiny white bumps that you can’t seem to wash away definitely look like they should fall into the acne category. But they are just harmless cysts resulting from trapped dead skin cells.  Gentle exfoliation is likely your best bet here, especially if you take advantage of our bamboo facial exfoliant.

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Moles and Skin Tags

The origin stories of moles and skin tags are still a bit of a mystery, though they likely have to do with sun exposure and skin rubbing together. They are generally benign, but it’s worth running them past a dermatologist to make sure they aren’t cancerous or if you want them removed for cosmetic reasons.

Allergic Reaction

Acne often seems to spring up suddenly, but allergic reactions can be even quicker on the draw, turning your skin that shade of “itchy red” that never seems to be in the crayon box. If this is accompanied by the kind of swelling that makes it hard to breathe, then your next step should be the doctor or the emergency room. Otherwise, your best plan of action is to make sure you aren’t still in regular contact with whatever caused the reaction (poison ivy, latex, a treacherous skincare product) and let it run its course – after checking in with your dermatologist for help with the diagnosis and discomfort.

Razor Bumps

A razor bump is just as annoying as something called pseudofolliculitis barbae sounds like it would be. The shaving process often results in hairs curving back into the skin as they regrow, along with the bacteria they have taken hostage. The skin protests by erupting into angry red bumps. Our razor bump cream reduces the dead skin cells that block hair growth, eliminates the bacteria that is trapped there and soothes the skin. Use it after every shave.

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Pimples

Sometimes the stuff that looks like acne is acne. The pore that marks the opening of the hair follicle gets clogged with dead skin cells, oil and bacteria. If the clog remains exposed to the outside world, it oxidizes and turns black, and a blackhead is born. If the garbage is trapped beneath the skin, it’s a whitehead. You can call them open comedones or closed comedones or you can call them pimples, but don’t fall into the trap of thinking that just because they are run of the mill breakouts you should be casually poking or prodding them. This could lead to further inflammation, infection and possibly even permanent scarring. 

Just like you probably want to call someone with the right equipment to handle that territorial skunk on your front porch, it’s nice to be able to bring some specialized tools in to combat acne. Try our peel off face mask for blackheads once a week. It won’t hurt or damage your skin and it dries and peels off in 10-15 minutes.

After you’ve gotten rid of those alarming bumps, there are some measures you can take to make sure that they are less likely to show back up again. Wash your face twice a day and don’t be afraid to incorporate specialized products into your weekly routine. Protect your face from the things that dry it out or irritate it. Make sure you have identified anything that isn’t acne and you are monitoring it with your dermatologist.