Cleaning
How to clean your phone screen without damaging it
Screens have a thin coating that repels fingerprints. The wrong cleaner strips it in weeks. This is the safe way to get the glass and the case clean.
Step by step
- Power off and unplug. A dark screen shows every smear, and nothing reacts to your touch while you clean.
- Take off the case. Clean the phone and the case separately.
- Dry wipe first. Use a soft, lint-free microfiber cloth in small circles to lift dust before anything wet touches the glass.
- Dampen the cloth, not the phone. A few drops of water on the cloth is enough. Many phone makers also allow a 70% isopropyl alcohol wipe on the outside surfaces.
- Keep liquid out of the openings. Go around the ports, speaker grilles and buttons, never into them.
- Wash the case. Most silicone and plastic cases can go in warm water with a drop of mild soap. Let them dry fully before they go back on.
What not to use
Skip window cleaner, bleach, kitchen sprays, paper towels and anything gritty. They can strip the coating or leave fine scratches. Don't spray anything straight onto the phone.
How often to clean
A quick dry wipe once a day keeps the glass clear. Do the full clean with the case off once a week, or right away after a gym session, a beach day or a cold.
Screen protectors
A glass protector takes the scratches instead of your screen, and it is cheap to replace. Clean it the same way. If dirt has crept under the edges or it has cracked, swap it rather than trying to clean underneath.
What the cloth lifts off the glass, and where it came from
Clean a phone screen with a dry microfiber cloth after a long day and look at the cloth. A good part of what comes off is skin oil and makeup. Foundation, concealer and sunscreen rub off your face during calls and sit on the glass until you clean it, and the next call presses them back onto the same cheek.
Makeup on the skin is a known trigger. The American Academy of Dermatology says some cosmetics cause a type of acne called acne cosmetica, even in people who rarely break out. It advises products labeled oil-free, won't clog pores or non-comedogenic, and taking all makeup off before bed (AAD: Makeup and acne).
- Every day: a dry wipe of the screen with your phone-only cloth.
- Every week: the full clean with the case off, as in the steps above.
- Makeup days: earbuds for long calls, and a foundation marked non-comedogenic.
When breakouts stay on one cheek even with a clean screen, the cheek acne guide below from cheekacne.com walks through the other causes and the treatments that work.
Cheek acne
Cheek acne on one side only usually comes from your phone or the pillow you sleep on, while both cheeks flaring before a period lean hormonal. Small bumps after a new cream or makeup point to the product.
Hands, hormones, heavy moisturizer or sunscreen, and anything that presses on the cheeks can all set off breakouts; salicylic acid or benzoyl peroxide treats most of them.
Common Causes of Cheek Acne
| Trigger | What it looks like | Fix this week |
|---|---|---|
| External Contact & Friction | ||
| Phone held to the cheek | Spots on the side you hold your phone to | Wipe the screen daily; use earbuds or speaker |
| Pillowcase | Spots on the cheek you sleep on | Fresh pillowcase at least weekly; flip it midweek |
| Hands on the face | Spots where you rest your cheek or chin in your hand | Hands off; don't squeeze or pick |
| Mask or chin strap | Red bumps where the edge rubs, cheeks and chin | Gentle skin care, shorter wear, a fresh mask |
| Pore-Clogging Products | ||
| Makeup and brushes | Small bumps and blackheads where makeup sits | Take makeup off every night; wash brushes |
| Heavy moisturizer or sunscreen | Breakouts that began after a new cream | Switch to a water-based or noncomedogenic one |
| Hair products on the face | Spots along the hairline and sides of the face | Keep hair and styling product off your skin |
| Hormones & Genetics | ||
| Flares with your cycle | Worse in the days before a period | Note flare days for a few cycles to show your doctor |
| Family history | A parent or sibling had acne too | Start treatment early |
What cheek acne means
Cheek acne is acne that shows up mainly on the cheeks: blackheads, whiteheads and red spots between the nose, ears and jaw. It means you first check what touches that skin, what you put on it and what your hormones do. The cause of cheek acne is usually one of those three, or a mix.
- Cheek acne is common in adult women. In a study of 208 women aged 25 or older with acne, 87% had it on both cheeks and 81.7% around the mouth. When cheek breakouts follow your cycle, the picture is closer to hormonal acne.
- In that study, 72.6% flared before a period and 53.8% with stress; cosmetics worsened acne that kept coming back.
- Pressure and rubbing count. In a small study of people who wore medical face masks all workday, the cheeks and chin had more inflammatory lesions than the forehead area between the brows.
- Greasy makeup and hair products, and touching or rubbing the skin, are known acne triggers.
How to Treat Cheek Acne
Treatment for cheek acne is the same as for acne elsewhere on the face, plus removing the trigger. It means a product alone works slowly if something keeps pressing on the same spot.
- Over-the-Counter Actives
- Salicylic acid at 0.5 to 2% and benzoyl peroxide at 2.5 to 10% are approved for acne without a prescription in the US. Among retinoids, adapalene 0.1% gel is sold over the counter too. They can cause redness and peeling, so apply them sparingly; benzoyl peroxide can bleach towels. For a single spot, the basics of how to get rid of pimples apply.
- Spot Treatments & Patches
- A spot treatment is a dab of the same actives on one pimple. A hydrocolloid patch covers a spot and keeps fingers off it.
- Dermatologist Care
- See a doctor if drugstore products haven't helped after several months, or you get cysts or scars. Ask your doctor about prescription retinoids such as tretinoin, antibiotics, and for women, spironolactone or birth control pills.
Prevention Tips
Preventing cheek acne means cutting down what rubs and coats the skin; daily habits matter more than any one product.
Change Pillowcases Weekly
Your cheek rests on the same fabric for hours each night, so a fresh pillowcase each week keeps that contact cleaner.
Clean Daily Items
Wipe your phone screen, wash makeup brushes and use a clean mask. Wash your face once or twice a day without scrubbing, and pick products labeled water-based or noncomedogenic (tested not to clog pores in most people).
What else it could be
- Itchy, same-size bumps near the hairline and cheeks that ignore acne products may be fungal acne.
- Redness without blackheads may be another condition; ask a doctor.
Your questions, answered plainly
What does acne on the cheeks mean?
Mostly that something touches, rubs or coats that skin: phone, pillowcase, hands, a mask or a heavy cream. In adult women hormones often join in.
What could be causing acne on the right side of my face?
Look at what touches that side. Most people hold their phone on one side and sleep on one side, and both press on the cheek every day. Try earbuds and a fresh pillowcase for a few weeks and see if that side calms down.
What do stress pimples look like?
Like any other pimple. Stress can make acne flare, though: in a study of 208 adult women with acne, more than half said stress made it worse.
Can hormones cause acne on the forehead?
Yes, hormonal changes can set off acne anywhere on the face. On the forehead, also check hair products, hats and headbands.
What is adult acne and what are its causes?
It is acne that keeps going, or starts, after your teens. In women it ties to genes, hormones, stress, diet, smoking and cosmetics together, and it is often mild but slow to clear.
Sources
- Chanyachailert P et al. Adult female acne: clinical characteristics and factors associated with polycystic ovary syndrome. Australasian Journal of Dermatology, 2021. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34423850
- Cretu S et al. Acne mechanica associated to medical face masks. Archives of Dermatological Research, 2025. PMID 40095099
- Raju SP et al. Mask acne in skin of color. Journal of Clinical and Aesthetic Dermatology, 2022. PMID 35465038
- Branisteanu DE et al. Adult female acne: clinical and therapeutic particularities. Experimental and Therapeutic Medicine, 2022. PMID 35069832
- MedlinePlus. Acne. medlineplus.gov/ency/article/000873.htm
- 21 CFR 333.310, Acne active ingredients.
- US Food and Drug Administration. Prescription to nonprescription switch list.
Last reviewed . This page is general information, not a diagnosis. See a dermatologist if your cheek spots are deep and painful, leave scars, or haven't improved after several months of treatment.