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Can you get acne after sex? Find your answer here

Have you woken up with a pesky pimple after having a good night’s sex? Well, acne after sex can happen for different reasons. Read to find out about it.
Keep the passion alive in your sex life
Keep the passion alive in your sex life. Image courtesy: Shutterstock
Purvi Kalra Updated: 25 Nov 2022, 19:35 pm IST
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“OMG, I got a pimple after having sex with my partner. All I earlier knew was that sex can bring a glow and can keep skin issues at bay!” Can you relate to this, girls? The thought of waking up with irritable acne after a good night’s sex is not that pleasing. Haven’t we all heard about the benefits of sexual after-glow and what not? It’s not a myth, but you should know that there is no such thing as “dirty sex” that can cause inflammation or acne on your skin. Sex per se will never cause breakouts, but yes, there could be some other facts around sex that may cause acne.

Recently, Dr Divya Vora, an obstetrician and gynaecologist, took to her social media to share a list of reasons why you could possibly get acne after sex.

Reasons why you could be getting acne after sex

Increased sweat and body oil production

According to Dr Divya, “There is a lot of sweat and body oil production while having sex, so that could be causing acne.” It is known that during intense sexual activity, your sweat glands end up producing a lot of sweat owing to the heat. There is a lot of sebum production, and if sweat stays for long, that could cause unwanted breakouts and not sex.

causes of acne
Acne can be troublesome. Image Courtesy: Shutterstock

Usage of massage oils and chemicals

You might want to spice up your sex life by using some massage oils and chemicals for that extra spark. However, be cautious, as oils or creams might be sprucing up your sex life but only at the cost of your healthy skin. These might not really suit your skin causing more acne.

Constant rubbing of your face

Sexual activity involves rubbing and cuddling your body with your partner. To this, Dr Divya adds, “There is a lot of rubbing of your face against different body parts. Your face is rubbing against your partner’s hair, and there could be a lot of hair products used that might not suit your skin. That could be irritating.” The constant friction of your skin against your partners could lead to inflammation and acne.

Contact with partner’s facial hair

During sex, your face is all over the place. If your partner sports a long and heavy beard and you come in contact with your partner’s facial or body hair, it can irritate your skin. This friction encourages oil production on your face. So, when smooth skin rubs against a hairy face, chances of developing acne are quite high.

acne post sex
Friction with facial hair can cause acne. Image courtesy: Shutterstock

Sex in unhygienic places

You might feel immediately aroused to have sex, and you can end up getting physical just anywhere. Mind you, dirty or unhygienic places are breeding grounds for bacteria. Unhealthy surroundings can cause your acne to flare up and multiply. So, next time, before having sex, do pause to check your surroundings if you want your bad friends (acne) to not show up again.

The last word

If you end up getting acne after all, it’s best not to pop it! Either let it heal on its own or follow a proper routine to treat the pimples to avoid getting acne marks.

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About the Author

After testing her skill-set in the field of management and marketing, Purvi Kalra is exploring the world of turning thoughts to words. Her penchant for writing stems for being an avid reader all her life. Her work drives her to be better every day. ...Read More

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