Why You Breakout When You Travel - And How To Prevent It From Happening

Nothing can ruin your Insta-worthy travel pictures more than acne breakouts. It is the dreaded "airplane acne" that can pop up post-flight or even post-road trip that can put a damper on all of those selfies you had planned. Knowing how it happens can help you avoid these uninvited guests and let you enjoy the vacation you had planned.

Airplane acne is a simple term used to describe the acne breakouts that usually occur once you've landed at your destination, per ClearlyDerm. This is in part due to the dry cabin air that exists in planes that can exaggerate any ongoing skin issues you may deal with depending on your skin type.

According to dermatologist Patricia Wexler, the levels of humidity in planes can go on average 20% lower than normal levels inside of an airplane (via Allure). This means that, regardless of the fact that you may already have dry skin, your skin will be severely dehydrated after your flight especially if you are enduring a long flight.

Another quiet acne trigger related to travel is the overwhelming stress that comes along with pre-travel. A high amount of stress in relation to packing, flying, and security can cause havoc on your skin. Thankfully, there are multiple ways in which you can combat airplane acne to make sure you actually enjoy your travels. According to Dr. Nazanin Saedi, before your flight you should prep your skin with some extra hydration by moisturizing your face and making sure it is clean of anything that could potentially clog your pores (via The Health Nexus). While in your flight, be sure to avoid any contact with your face that could distribute bacteria of any type. Once you land, once again cleanse your face and moisturize to rebalance it from any possible dehydration that could've happened mid-flight.

StyleCaster also suggests adding exfoliation into your routine the night before your travels. This is to make sure that you are hopping on your flight with the cleanest, freshest skin possible to counter any skin triggers. Finally, to help reduce breakouts caused by stress, the only solution is to try minimize the amount of stress you face pre-travel. Whether it's organizing well in advance or taking each step of your vacation as it happens, no one should have to breakout from stress on a vacation trip.