For aestheticians dedicated to keeping pores clean and clear, the rise of all-day earbud use presents a new nightmare. A celebrity dermatologist, who works closely with skin care professionals, explains how these devices are actively working against your facial treatments by constantly clogging the pores around your ears.
The nightmare is a process called follicular plugging. A skin expert explains that the goal of treatments like facials and chemical peels is to exfoliate and keep follicles open. Earbuds do the exact opposite. They trap a mixture of oil, sweat, and dead skin cells and, through pressure, physically push this debris back into the follicles, creating new clogs.
This can undermine professional treatments. The dermatologist notes that a client might have a wonderful clarifying facial, only to go home and spend the next day with earbuds in, effectively re-clogging the very pores the aesthetician worked so hard to clear. This can lead to a frustrating cycle of breakouts that seem to resist treatment.
To wake up from this nightmare, a partnership between client and professional is needed. The expert advises aestheticians to ask their clients about their earbud habits. They should educate them on the importance of earbud hygiene and taking breaks as a crucial part of their home care routine, just as important as using the right cleanser.
The dermatologist also suggests that clients can take proactive steps. After a facial, try to minimize earbud use for 24 hours to let the skin breathe and recover. And make the daily sanitizing of your earbuds a non-negotiable part of the skincare regimen your aesthetician has recommended.
The Aesthetician’s Nightmare: Earbuds and Your Pores
