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A dermatologist reveals the adult acne trigger that is hiding in your bedroom

cropped shot of woman worry about her face when she saw the problem of acne occur on her chin by a mini mirror
This one tip could instantly help to prevent spotsBoyloso - Getty Images

When it comes to beauty commandments, thou shall not fall asleep in make-up is pretty high up on the list. Trouble is, after one too many picantes, your poor old pillow will end up covered in the remnants of your foundation after having face planted it at 2am.

While many of you will give your skin a vigorous double cleansing upon waking up, chances are you forget to change your make-up covered pillowcase (thanks for that, hangover). 'It’s this that can that trigger a breakout,' explains Dr Anjali Mahto, dermatologist and founder of Self Clinic London.

'As well as make-up smeared on your pillowcase there’s also oil and pollution from your hair, which tends to be dirty after a big night out, all of which will transfer back onto your clean face the following night where it can block pores and trigger inflammation,' adds Dr Mahto.

Moreover, it’s not just the odd boozy night out that does your dermis no favours. Forgoing a shower after a sweaty workout and hopping straight into bed is just as bad in terms of contaminating your pillow.

In fact, the latest research has found that your pillowcase and toilet seat have more in common that you think. Scientists had 40 volunteers swab eight locations in their home and the found that the same gut microbes appeared on both places, which means that the pillows were scattered with what scientists delicately refer to as “faecal contamination”. Totally gross, right?

So, while there are more exciting activities to be getting on with rather than doing laundry, giving your sheets a wash is one easy peasy (and cheap) skincare hack to stop acne in its tracks.

'Just be mindful of the detergents you use as even fabric conditioner can cause issues, adds Dr Mahto. 'The ingredients in it can be comedogenic to the skin which in turn can cause the pores to become blocked leading blackheads'.

To make the most of your beauty sleep, try to wash your pillowcases (or swap them for a fresh set) at least once a week.

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