Breakouts Along the Hairline

Problem: I am experiencing frequent breakouts along my hair line and temple area but nowhere else. What is causing these isolated breakouts and how can I prevent them from recurring?

Solution: If you've been having problems with breakouts along your hairline, you need to be sure you're not having problems with your shampoo or conditioner. Switch to a shampoo with no conditioning agents (such as proteins, silicones, quaternium, or polyquaternium) or thickening agents (such as cetyl alcohol or stearyl alcohol), and use only the smallest amount of conditioner on the ends. Do this for a few days and see what happens. If the breakouts seem to be clearing up, you'll know you were using products that were too emollient for your scalp. Also, be sure the styling products you're using, especially hairsprays, gels, and mousses, aren't coming into contact with your skin. Styling products are a sure way to encourage breakouts, as the film-forming ingredients are great pore cloggers! Styling waxes, creams, and pomades also contain heavy-duty thickeners along with waxes and oils that can clog pores if they come into contact with the skin.

Breakouts along the hair line can be treated the same as breakouts anywhere on the face or body, with a combination of gentle cleansing, exfoliating with an AHA or BHA product (with BHA being preferred for blemishes) and disinfecting with a topical antibiotic (you would want to use a prescription item because non-prescription benzoyl peroxide topical could potentially lighten hair). You should also check your foundation to be sure it is not too emollient. The interaction between the wrong foundation for your skin type and heavy styling products can cause breakouts on almost anyone!