So i moved to japan nearly 3 months ago. Before this i used to have fairly good skin like my texture wasnt all that great but i didnt have any pimples. After coming here, i am having so many pimple issues. Like my forehead is full of small pimple bumps and it’s affecting my confidence atp. I did start using Japanese skincare but it’s just Hatomugi. Idk what to do😭.
37 comments
Go see a dermatologist 皮膚科 (sometimes it’s 皮フ科).
Go to a dermatologist.
I had a similar problem when I moved here. I had acne prone skin but it was under control for years until I came here. Then it exploded. I started going to a dermatologist to get benzoyl peroxide gel and it’s mostly cleared up. Unfortunately benzoyl peroxide requires a prescription here (it wasn’t even available until a few years ago and I just suffered with acne until then).
So if the over the counter products don’t help then maybe seeing a dermatologist would help you.
This happened to me after I moved to Japan too. There’s a lot of reasons why this happens to sensitive skin. A change in air quality (especially if you’ve moved to a big city like Tokyo or Osaka), change of water hardness / pH / chemical composition, change of diet, the stress of moving and so on.
Definitely go to see a dermatologist. They are pretty good here! Something else that helped me a lot was changing some of the cleansers I was using and washing my face with bottled water at the end of the day instead of with the shower head / tap water. (Sounds mad, but it really made a difference!)
It will soothe in time, but it might take a few months as your body adjusts to its new environment.
It could be temporary and connected to the change of nutrition and climate. I’d seek out a dermatologist and make sure, it’s nothing serious. And also make sure that you keep your skin well moisturised, especially during the coming winter season. I personally have good experience with “Trader Joe’s Head to Toe” balm and use it all the time, but you can also experiment with very Japanese stuff and try out some “horse oil”, similar to [this](https://www.amazon.co.jp/dp/B00R44Y6UK).
Take care!
Similar to the replies on here, I too broke out very, very, severely when I moved here. I would suggest going to the dermatologist ASAP. I thought it would get better on its own by using different products and regret not going sooner.
I hope it will get better for you. 🙏
Do you think it’s the move or do you think it’s the pcos?
Same here. Never had any problems before moving here at all.
For two years, I suffered from sudden acne skin thinking it will go away with using various or different skin care products. But it only cleared after going to derma.
Maybe that’s fungal acne. But it would still be best to see a dermatologist
Change in ambient temp & humidity etc can really do a number on your skin. The change can trigger eczema, which can make your skin dry out, which can cause acne.
You could also be stressed — cortisol can trigger an endocrine cascade that results in acne.
Could also be your diet… what are you eating, and how is it different than three months ago?
I think all the advice is good here, I just want to add that my experience is that carbs overconsumption, and regularly overconsuming over my basal metabolic rate causes acne breakouts. If you have just arrived to japan, and enjoy the food here without any restrictions, I think that can easily be the cause.
Depending on the severity, my advice would be to try the simple stuff first. Change bedding more regularly, wash your face, use some product X, see if you can limit stress triggers.
Could be something to do with water, air pollution or the foods you’re eating. Or just stress.
Idk if it’s helpful since I’ve always had acne, not just when I moved to japan, but once I started using this face wash: “Meiro Facial Cleansing Foam” and this toner: “Meiro Facial Water Medicated Lotion” (it says lotion but it’s toner, toner is called lotion in Japan for some reason) the toner is in most drug stores, the cleanser is a bit harder to find, so I order it on Amazon.
My skin has NEVER looked better. I still get the occasional pimple, especially near my period, but it’s quite clear now and a lot less textured, smoother, more healthy and “glowing” and even when I do get a pimple it’s usually smaller and disappears
It’s quickly than before. My routine is just to wash with that cleanser, use the toner with a cotton pad, and sometimes I use under eye cream, and in the evening I use a makeup remover before the cleanser.
I got acne here only when I used japanese skincare. I switched back to western skincare and luckily my skin cleared up. You might need to see a dermatologist tho.
go to clinic.
it can be water, dryness, kabi, dani or bacteria.
I tried Hatomugi sunscreen recently, as I wanted a cheap, lightweight solution for my body. Wrecked my skin. Normally I never get any breakouts on my body, let alone my legs. They had painful red bumps all over.
First thing you should try, before this insane list of recommendations in this thread, is switching back to your old skincare products. Not trying all the new ones recommended here. If it resolves after going back to your old routine you can slowly start adding more readily available products, one by one.
Did you live somewhere dry before? Or a big difference in climate?
Your old products might not work the same for you, because of change in climate, it can affect your skin pretty dramatically.
The water in my hometown is very hard, so I had dry skin and my hands and face would start bleeding from dryness in winter if I forgot to use lotion.
The change when coming to Japan was radical, no dry skin anymore. Still have to use lotions after shaving though.
Nextdoorgirl666 😂
Besides what everybody wrote, such as changing the skincare products you use, you can try different laundry detergent, like the “arau” brand or other mutenka 無添加 additive free laundry soap. It’s most probably the skincare products though. Most drugstore products are not very good for sensitive skin. Definitely consult with dermatologist.
Stop eating junk?
.
uhh… Has your environment, weather, diet or stress levels changed? If yes to any, there is your answer.
I’ve had the same problem. I moved here a year ago and my skin still isn’t like it used to be. I used to have great skin my whole life, never had much acne except the occasional white head. After moving here my skin quality deteriorated quickly. I have a lot of forehead acne now and I never had any before. I just started a low does of doxycycline from a dermatologist but I got it when I went home for a visit. It seems to be helping but only time will tell. I recommend going to a dermatologist and explaining it to them if you can.
Tough to say with so many variables, right now, I’d blame dry air, so use a lotion.
Other causes: hormones, detergent you use, skincare products, food, infection…
Go see someone for this.
Hey, if you think that OTC anti acne products don’t work for you anymore stop wasting any more money and go get checked by a dermatologist. In my case, she gave me a topical antibiotic and it cleared up mine in like 2-3 days. I wish I’d gone sooner, skin care products here are so expensive and most only contain salicylic acid. In comparison the med I was given was only like 300 yen.
Sudden change in weather.
Eat less beans, soy sauce etc
Hope you already have hay fever.
Same thing happened to me. I had an awful experience with the derms over here.
What I did instead, was on summer vacation back in the US I got a prescription for tretinoin and azelaic acid. Had my parents pick up my prescription every month I wasn’t in America. Then suddenly I have like a massive supply of the cream.
Tret + azelaic acid literally makes my skin look years younger. No 🧢
I won’t lie though, the more expensive and premium toners, moisuturizers, eye creams over here are the fucking best. I like Fancl, Muji, and if I’m feeling spicy, SK-2
I remember during the summer i was always getting acne and was wondering why, i guess standing right infront of the AC blasting my face with cold air after getting out of the bath every day was a bad idea…i never knew acne was linked to dry skin back in my teens haha.
I found it was the water! I bought a shower head filter and my body acne and face is soooo much better
Same issue. None of the japanese anti acne products worked for me. I used la roche posay effaclar deep cleanser and I barely get any acne anymore, even before/during my period. Also differin from iherb is effective to dry out your pimples
wash your pillow and bedding regularly
I know someone who had the same complaints after moving from Canada to Japan. For him, it was mostly due to stress but climate is also a factor.
Going to a dermatologist would be best since they can check what’s really wrong with your skin. The skincare part should come after, mostly for maintenance just so you don’t risk having it worse.
> I did start using Japanese skincare but it’s just Hatomugi.
Changes in skin condition are caused by many things. How hard/soft your water is, your washing, climate and how your skin reacts.
First, many folks are surprised that they get pimples because Japan is humid in summer and foreigners sweat more, leading to more oil on the skin. Stronger facial cleanser, less moisturiser. Winter is the opposite.
Second, changing facial products without being able to read the label, understand your own skin condition and what it needs, and finding the right combo. So yeah, suddenly changing skin care products–regardless of quality, price, etc–can lead to major issues.
Go to a derma and ask for “bepio gel”, other than that keep your skincare routine simple: fragrance free moisturizer, basic facial wash, and sunscreen. Avoid trying out too many new products so you can figure out which one is causing the acne. It could be from stress, sleep, and diet too!
The exact same thing happened with me. Terrible forehead acne, even though I had never had acne in my life. I wasn’t sure if I would be able to communicate well with a dermatologist at that point in time, so I just started using Salicylic acid face cleanser and Pair acne cream on the pimples. It took a while but it worked. If you can visit a good dermatologist, then that’s the best approach, of course.