What is Pomade Acne?
While sealing our hair for optimum moisture and keeping our hairstyles intact until wash day may be a top priority when it comes to hair care product selection, you need also examine whether the ingredients in your hair products that allow you to do so may cause pomade acne. Rest assured that The Good Hair Co. is here to help you uncover the mysteries of the hair world to bring you closer to understanding your hair and establishing the perfect routine for your hair profile.
WHAT IS POMADE ACNE?
Pomade acne are tiny bumps on the forehead, hairline and back of your neck due to the repeated use of hair products that contain pore clogging ingredients. Although it is not a widely addressed issue, pomade acne is fairly widespread and is known in the scientific community as acne cosmetica - acne induced by cosmetic products.
HOW DOES POMADE ACNE AFFECT MY HAIR CARE?
When you use hair care products that include oil, the oil might end up on your skin.Once this occurs, the oil can block your pores, resulting in the formation of whiteheads, blackheads, and papules in certain areas.
Blackheads are tiny pimples on your skin caused by blocked hair follicles. Because the surface of these pimples appears dark or black, they are referred to as blackheads. Blackheads are a type of minor acne that often appears on the face but can also show on other regions of the body.
A whitehead is a kind of acne that develops when dead skin cells, oil, and germs gets stuck within one of your pores.
Papules (or skin lesions) are elevated patches of skin tissue that affect the colour or texture of your skin. Sometimes, papules can cause a rash when they cluster together and come in a range of forms, colours, and sizes.
HOW DO I AVOID POMADE ACNE?
If you suspect you have pomade acne, the first step should be to visit a professional who can determine if your symptoms are due to pomade acne or a reaction to anything else, such as medicine or diet. Once medication and other potential reasons have been eliminated, attempt the following treatments to help you find and eradicate the root source of your pomade acne:
Understand your ingredients - Products with a base of mineral oil or coconut oil are often more occlusive to the skin, inhibiting the release of sebum (oil) from your hair follicles. These ingredients are comedogenic, which means they block pores.
Understand the labels - Look for products with the words non-comedogenic, non-acnegenic, or oil free on the label to ensure that the ingredients will not clog your pores.
Understand your habits - Start washing your face and body after shampooing and conditioning your hair. Avoid touching your face during the day. Wash your hands and everything that comes into contact with your hair and face on a regular basis (e.g., make-up brushes, pillowcases and linens, caps, hats, headbands, visors, and so on). These lifestyle adjustments may help limit product residue transfer from your hair to your skin, resulting in less pomade acne.
Understand your skin cycle - After you stop using acne-causing products, it can take 4 to 6 weeks for the acne to clear so be patient and remain consistent. Start with your shampoo and conditioner, then go on to your regular styling products. Taking the process of elimination, you will be able to determine which hair products you should discontinue and which are good to continue using.
While your skin and hair products are most likely kept on separate shelves in your home, they come into touch with each other on a daily basis on your actual body. It’s impossible to put anything on your hair without it getting on your skin. To make matters worse, many of the ingredients in our hair and skin products have no evidence on whether they might clog pores. Some ingredients may be harmless on their own, but when coupled with others, they block pores.
Therefore paying attention to the products we use and how they affect our skin will help you discover whether you're having an allergic reaction to a particular product or product combination.
WHAT DO I DO NOW?
Now that you have an idea of what pomade acne is and how it can affect your hair care, book your consultation with one of our certified hair experts. Get a personalised regimen consisting of highly effective product recommendations to solve your hair and scalp concerns. Let us help you discover the expert hair care advice you need to get the healthy hair you want.