Some days those acne breakouts on your face show up and eventually gets healed on its own. Other days, they seem to stay forever. You can notice such breakouts frequently appearing in your chin and jawline area. So how do you treat these painful pimples?
Well, all you need to do is know about the underlying root cause of your chin acne first and then treat it suitably with the right skincare routine and healthy lifestyle habits.
In this article, we tell you what causes pimples on your chin and how you can manage them with different types of treatments.
Highlights:
What Does Pimples On The Chin Mean?
Pimples on the chin develop when the skin pores on your chin are clogged with excess sebum, dead skin debris and dirt. When the bacteria [1] on your skin infects such a clogged pore, it causes inflammation, redness and even oozes out pus, resulting in the formation of chin acne.
“When there are higher levels of sebum and bacteria infection, the chin pimples may turn into cystic acne,” says Dr. Zeel Gandhi, Chief Ayurvedic Doctor at Vedix.
Why Do We Get Pimples On The Chin?
As per Ayurveda, chin acne develops due to hormonal imbalance [2] caused by aggravated Pitta dosha in your body. The elevated Pitta causes malfunctioning of endocrine glands, which produces androgens and estrogens. The high fluctuations in these hormonal productions lead to the disruption of Kapha dosha in your body, which triggers overactivity of sebaceous glands.
The excessively secreted sebum traps skin debris and grime in the hair follicle pores, thus, forming chin acne. When this condition is accompanied by elevated Vata levels, then it results in the formation of pustules or nodules.
What Causes Pimples On The Chin?
There are different factors that trigger an increase in Pitta levels in your body, thus leading to hormonal imbalance and chin acne eventually. Some of them include :
- Menstruation
- Using and stopping the progestin-only birth control pills (usually, chin acne occurs immediately when you stop taking the pills)
- Psychological Stress
- Sleep deprivation
- Diet with extreme heat potency
“Chin acne can also commonly be found among men who frequently shave and develop ingrown hair. It may either appear as tender or itchy pustules that look like pimples,” says Dr. Zeel.
Studies [3] claim that depression and anxiety levels are high in adult females who have chronic acne.
How To Get Rid Of Pimples On The Chin And Jawline?
1. Ayurvedic Herbs
To manage your existing chin acne conditions as well as to prevent the recurrence of it, choose your skincare products such as cleanser, toner, serum, and moisturizer, which contain any of the following dosha-balancing herbal ingredients based on your dosha levels:
A. Tulasi (Ocimum sanctum): It controls vitiated Kapha and Vata doshas but increases Pitta.
B. Vata (Ficus benghalensis or banyan): It controls vitiated Pitta and Kapha doshas.
C. Arishtaka (Sapindus mukorossi or reetha): It controls all three vitiated doshas.
D. Vacha (Acorus calamus): It controls vitiated Kapha and Vata doshas.
E. Kumari (Aloe vera): It controls all three vitiated doshas.
F. Bakuchi (Psoralea corylifolia): It controls vitiated Kapha and Vata doshas.
G. Yashtimadhu (Glycyrrhiza glabra or licorice): It controls vitiated Pitta and Vata doshas.
H. Kamala (Nelumbo nucifera): It controls vitiated Pitta and Kapha doshas.
2. Home Remedies
- Wrap an ice cube in a cloth and apply it on your chin pimple for a few minutes daily. This helps in reducing the redness, inflammation, and pain around the pimple.
- Prepare a fine paste from mango, guava, and pomegranate leaves, taken in equal quantities. Apply the paste on your chin pimples daily.
- Prepare a fine paste by crushing a handful of red ixora petals and rose petals. Apply it on your chin pimples and wash it off after 20 minutes.
- Apply the paste made of neem leaves on your chin pimples twice a day. You can also add a pinch of turmeric into the paste for quick results.
3. Foods To Eat & Avoid
Include the following foods in your diet regularly based on the elevated doshas in your body:
For People With Elevated Pitta |
For People With Elevated Kapha |
Apple, coconut, melon, pear, pomegranate, orange, fig, avocado, cabbage, cauliflower, green beans, peas, sprouts, mushroom, lettuce, coriander, cucumber, etc. |
Apple, cherries, peach, raisins, pear, mango, berries, beetroot, carrot, coriander, garlic, mushroom, peas, spinach, sprouts, radish, onion, lettuce, brinjal, cauliflower, cabbage, etc. |
Foods To Avoid
You need to avoid foods that increase the IGF-1 (Insulin-Like Growth Factor) levels [4], which stimulates overactivity in sebaceous glands. These foods also have a high glycemic load or higher glycemic index. Some of such foods are:
- White rice
- Other types of rice and their derivatives
- Bread
- Corn flakes
- Instant cereals
- Dairy products
- Pumpkin
Vedix Tip: Consuming a spoon of Chyawanprash or Amla fruit jam daily can help you maintain the Pitta and Kapha levels in a balanced state.
4. Other Treatments
- OTC products containing benzoyl peroxide (2.5-10%)
- Topical ointments containing retinoids, salicylic acid, and benzoyl peroxide.
- Oral antibiotics in case of severe chin acne
- Accutane or isotretinoin (if all other treatments fail to treat severe chin acne)
- Chemical peels [5]
- Laser and light therapy (blue light treatment)
- Surgical extraction
Your dermatologist will suggest the right treatment based on the severity of your chin acne and medical history.
How To Prevent Pimples On The Chin?
1. Cleanse your face with neem-based herbal soap twice a day. However, remember not to overdo it.
2. Stay away from foods that contain excessive amounts of oils, salts, sugars, and spicy.
3. Minimize your stress levels with regular Yoga and meditation.
4. Avoid touching your face often with fingers and unwashed hands.
5. Prefer using oil-free sunscreen daily.
6. Always use clean pillow covers, bedsheets, and towels.
7. Avoid oil-based skincare products that can clog your facial pores.
8. Men should prefer using a shaving cream that has moisturizing action on their skin and always use a sharp razor.
9. Never pop your chin acne.
10. Remove all your makeup traces before sleeping.
11. Stay away from harsh scrubs or skin cleansing products.
Why Are Chin Pimples So Painful?
As your first line of immunity identifies the dead skin, bacteria and sebum trapped in your acne as foreign substances, it fights to wipe out them. This results in inflammation, swelling, redness and pain around your chin pimples.
Important Note:
Please seek the advice of your Ayurvedic doctor or dermatologist before using any of the treatments mentioned in this article for your skin.
The Last Word
Chin pimples are very common during puberty and adulthood, especially in females. Besides Ayurvedic treatments, diet, and lifestyle changes, you need to practice good skin hygiene to keep your chin acne in control.
At Vedix, we analyze your elevated doshas and customize an Ayurvedic skincare regimen that works to resolve your unique skin problems.
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