Last Updated on February 18, 2026 by Giorgia Guazzarotti
Is your hair care routine giving you acne? Pimples can pop up anywhere – when you least expect it. They’re annoying like that. But when they spring up really close to your hairline, it’s often a sign you need to change your conditioner. Or mask. Or give up on your pre-shampoo treatment. You get the point. Something may be working for your hair, but not for your skin. And you want a routine that works for both. Cos what’s the point of having shiny locks if they’re crowning a bunch of red, angry pimples?
What Causes Acne Along The Hairline?
Acne always starts with a clogged pore. It works like this: your sebaceous glands pump up more oil than your skin needs. Unable to flow out, the excess gets stuck in the pores, where it mixes with dead skin cells and all the gunk in there. This goo is P. Acne’s fave food. It munches on it, proliferating all over the place. When bacteria proliferate too much, the pore gets infected and bursts. Hello, pimples!
In the case of acne on the hairline, there’s another culprit: the haircare products you use. Some shampoos, conditioners, and co may contain comedogenic ingredients that get stuck in the pores, clogging them up. FYI, they’re more “dangerous” when you apply them. But if you’ve used too much and your hair are coated with them, they can still clog pores as they brush against your skin.
Related: Adult Acne: Why It Happens And How To Treat It
Want a cost-effective skincare routine for acne that works? Subscribe to my newsletter below and receive The Ordinary Acne Skincare Routine Cheatsheet:
How Do You Prevent Acne On The Hairline?
You can prevent acne on the hairline with a few tweaks to your haircare routine:
- Avoid forehead: When you apply your haircare products, be careful not to let anything drop on your forehead. It may clog pores.
- Hair first: When you’re in the shower, make sure you wash and condition your hair first, and then wash your face. That way, your cleanser will get rid of any residue your haircare products may have left on your forehead.
- Use only what you need: Apply only the amount of conditioner you need (excess conditioner doesn’t do anything for your hair anyway), and only on the length of the hair, avoiding the roots and scalp.
- Avoid comedogenic ingredients. Look at the ingredient list of your hair care products to see if your can figure out what ingredient is giving you problems, so you can avoid it in the future. Most people blame silicones, but natural oils are more likely to be the culprit.
Related: What Ingredients Are Comedogenic?
How Do You Treat Acne On The Hairline?
Acne is acne, no matter if it’s on your chin, back, or forehead. That means you treat acne on the hairline just like any other type of acne. Here’s how:
Step 1: Exfoliate With Salicylic Acid
Acne happens when your pores are clogged. Unclogging them is a job for salicylic acid. Unlike other exfoliants (hello, glycolic acid and scrubs!), salicylic acid gets deep inside the pores, removing all the gunk that’s stuck in there and giving you pimples. While it’s at it, it uses its anti-inflammatory properties to reduce the redness and inflammation that always comes along with pimples.
Best Picks:
- Drunk Elephant T.L.C. Framboos Glycolic Night Serum ($90.00): Don’t let the name fool you. This exfoliant has both salicylic acid to unclog pores and glycolic acid to fade away the dark spots pimples sometimes leave behind. Available at Cult Beauty, Sephora and SpaceNK.
- Paula’s Choice Skin Perfecting 2% BHA Liquid ($29.00): The cult exfoliant from the brand, it unlclogs pores and treats blackheads and acne. The texture’s a little sticky, but if you can take that, this is one of the best salicylic acid exfoliants out there. Available at Cult Beauty, Sephora, and SpaceNK.
- The Inkey List Beta Hydroxy Acid (£9.99): A simple, no-frills salicylic acid exfoliant for people on a budget. Available at Cult Beauty.
Related: Why Salicylic Acid Is Key To Spot-Free Skin
Step 2: Use A Spot Treatment
Salicylic acid can help you prevent acne. But what if you already have it? That’s where you need a spot treatment that can kill P.Acnes, the bacteria responsible for acne. You have two options here: Benzoyl Peroxide or Sulfur. Here’s all you need to know about them:
- Benzoyl Peroxide: It kills P.Acnes by generating free radicals (yep, the nasty molecules that speed up the aging process). Plus, it’s harsh on the skin. Use it on pimples ONLY.
- Sulfur: It kills P.Acnes, dries out blemishes, and helps reduce excess oil. In my experience, it works faster than BP, but it’s harsh and drying. Again, use it on pimples only.
Best Picks:
- Epionce Purifying Spot Gel ($42.00): My fave, it kills pimples faster than everything else I’ve ever tried. Available at at DermstoreÂ
- Indie Lee Blemish Lotion ($26.00): A basic sulfur treatment that does the job well. Available at Cult Beauty and Dermstore,
- Mario Badescu Drying Lotion ($17.00): An affordable alternative to get rid of pimples quickly. Available at Beauty Bay, Boots, Cult Beauty, Sephora, SpaceNK, and Ulta
Related: Sulfur: Good For Acne, Bad For Skin?
FAQs
Does wearing hats, helmets, or headbands cause hairline acne?
Yep. There’s even a name for it – acne mechanica. The friction and pressure blocks your pores, leading to a buildup of oil, sweat, and bacteria. The first sign is usually small, rough bumps you can feel more than see – if you keep wearing the gear without doing anything about it, those bumps can turn into pimples or deep cysts. You don’t have to ditch the hat though. Clean your gear after each use with antibacterial wipes, add moisture-wicking padding where things rub, and shower as soon as you can after wearing it.
Can you use salicylic acid near your hair without wrecking it?
Yeah, no problem. It’s literally already in most dandruff shampoos. It only works on dead skin cells and doesn’t touch the hair shaft at all. Use a cotton swab if you want to be precise about it.
How often should you wash your hair?
Every 1-2 days works for most people with oily skin. Your scalp fills up with sebum pretty fast – within about 24-48 hours – and then it starts migrating down toward your hairline. Just don’t go overboard with washing, because stripping your scalp of oil just makes it produce more to compensate. Annoying but true
The Bottom Line
If you’ve got on the hairline, chances are your haircare products are to blame. But the treatment is the same: avoid comedogenic ingredients, exfoliate those pores, and spot treat those angry pimples.
I didn’t know it was due to hair products, well I never thought much about it actually. I just thought oily skin + oily hairstyle that touches the face = breakouts. I have bangs and I don’t break out at all though I do have drier skin and non-greasy hair haha. 😀 I usually put some product (texturizing paste) on my hair including my bangs and I haven’t broken out though I’m really careful (can’t think of a better word and don’t want to… wrote a HUGE essay last night) about cleaning my face.
I always look forward to your posts! I check my email soo much and I always look for ‘beautifulwithbrains’
Janessa, aww that’s really sweet.
Some hair products contain ingredients that can cause breakouts in some people, especially those with oily or acne-prone skin. If your is dry, then I don’t think you should worry that much about your hair care products, but being careful when you apply them and washing your hair first and your face last in the showers are always good habits to have. You never know after all.. 🙂
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Aw, didn’t actually turn out haha!
Aw, shame! I appreciate the thought though, *hugs*
ahh such a useful article! It took me forever to figure out that my breakouts were from shampoo, particularly shampoos with dimethicone. I never thought about applying shampoo further back from the hairline and pre-cleanser though, even though it seems like it would be the obvious thing to do. Thanks for the tip! Maybe I’ll try that w/ some of my dimethicone-laden shampoos because they do work really well.
Makeup Morsels, I’m glad you found this post useful. And I’m sorry to hear shampoos with dimethicone break you out, but by following these simple tips you should be able to use them without problems. 🙂
I dont think my breakouts are associated with hair products. I rarely use them and I use shampoos that are supposed to be sulfate free and gentle. My hairline acne really bothers me on the back of my head and neck areas although I will develop some spots on my forehead. It is really quite annoying and sometimes painful. Wish I knew how to prevent these from forming.
Kt, what about your conditioners? Do they have any of the ingredients I mentioned in this post?