🚨 ALLERGIC ACNE – IRRITATION-INDUCED BREAKOUTS Not your typical acne! Many clients experience a sudden outbreak of tiny pimples just days after changing skincare products or undergoing aggressive treatments. This is not hormonal or inflammatory acne – it is allergic acne caused by a damaged skin barrier. 🔍 KEY SIGNS OF ALLERGIC ACNE • Numerous tiny bumps appearing in clusters • Very small whiteheads – no blackheads • Red, hot, itchy, stinging, burning sensation • Skin appears thin, shiny and unusually oily • Extremely sensitive and easily irritated ⚠️ COMMON TRIGGERS • Switching to new skincare products • Using high-strength retinol or AHA/BHA • Over-cleansing or excessive exfoliation • Chemical peels on compromised skin 🧬 PATHOPHYSIOLOGY When the skin barrier is impaired, bacteria and yeast overgrow, triggering widespread inflammation and resulting in allergic-type breakouts. 🌿 PROPER MANAGEMENT – HEAL, DON’T DAMAGE ❌ STOP IMMEDIATELY • Retinol, AHA/BHA, chemical peels, exfoliants • Harsh or highly foaming cleansers ✅ PRIORITISE • Skin barrier repair • Soothing, anti-inflammatory care • Restoring the skin microbiome ⛔ IMPORTANT WARNING Treating allergic acne as conventional acne can lead to: • Persistent burning and irritation • Broken capillaries • Hyperpigmentation and chronic dermatitis 🌸 CONCLUSION Allergic acne is a result of a compromised skin barrier. It must be treated through repair – soothing – immune rebalancing, never by squeezing or using aggressive active ingredients.