Acne Adult

It’s often not taken particularly seriously, but acne affects 20% of women and can cause scarring in a fifth of those. But there are effective ways of treating it

W ant to know the difference between acne and spots? There isn’t one, according to Dr Anjali Mahto of the British Association of Dermatologists. How many spots you have is irrelevant – even a few can really bother people. Those afflicted can become anxious, avoid social events and even stop going to work. “The mistake people make is to think acne is a cosmetic condition, ” says Mahto. So if you think you might have acne, you probably do.

Adult-onset acne starts at around the age of 23 but can occur at any age in people who have never had spots before. Mahto says it affects 20% of women compared with 8% of men. It is a condition largely caused by genetics and hormones and not, as myth would have it, through dirty skin and too many chips. Even after the menopause women can suffer from acne – the male hormone androgen, in excessive amounts, is linked to the condition, but women produce it too, and during the menopause oestrogen levels drop and so the proportion of androgen rises. This causes a build up of dead skin cells and increased oil production, clogging up the hair follicles. Bacteria (

How To Treat Adult Acne

) move in and the skin erupts in pustules, nodules (bumps) and cysts. Nodules that are inflamed and push deeper into the skin can be painful for weeks and cause scarring.

If you have painful, persistent spots you should treat them. “People don’t take acne seriously enough, ” says Mahto. “About 20% of people get scarring.” Most people try over-the-counter products such as salicylic acid, glycolic acid, niacinamide, tea tree oil and benzoyl peroxide. They work in various ways, such as killing the bacteria and reducing the inflammation and skin cell shedding. If nothing is better in several weeks, you should see your GP. They may prescribe antibiotics such as Lymecycline for three months to reduce the bacteria – the time limit helps prevent antibiotic resistance and your gut flora getting messed up. Antibiotics can be used with creams or lotions such as a retinoid or benzoyl peroxide; both unclog the pores by clearing dead skin cells.

For women who want to combine contraception with an anti-acne treatment, the pill can be very effective, though some are better than others at treating acne; Mahto suggests Yasmin. A dermatologist can offer isotretinoin, which is effective, but causes abnormalities in babies and so any women using it should be on contraception. It is derived from vitamin A and hits every aspect of acne production from reducing oil production and stopping skin cells from blocking the pores to preventing inflammation.Still battling annoying acne as an adult? Here are some causes you may not have expected — and the solutions dermatologists recommend for making acne go away.

Have I Got Adult Onset Acne

Puberty is a common cause of acne. About 8 in 10 preteens and teens experience it. (1) But hormones aren’t the only thing to blame for those pesky pimples. So if you thought you left breakouts and blemishes behind with that first crush, think again.

What’s interesting is that you can get it [as an adult] even if you didn’t have it as a teenager, says Francesca Fusco, MD, an assistant clinical professor of dermatology at Mount Sinai Medical Center in New York City. (3)

“Adult acne is usually on the lower half of the face; teen acne is typically on the upper half, ” Dr. Fusco says. “Adult acne is also deeper and appears as cysts, or ‘under the skin’ pimples, which can’t be drained.” (4)

The Secret To Curing Adult Acne

So what’s causing those embarrassing zits today? One culprit: changing hormone levels. This includes premenstrual dips (aka period pimples), and fluctuations that occur during peri-menopause. (5)

“Styling products seep oil onto the forehead, which can trap acne-causing bacteria in your pores, ” says Richard Fried, MD, PhD, the director of Yardley Dermatology Associates in Yardley, Pennsylvania, and the author of the book

“Many times, what you’re using on your hair winds up on your face, especially if you use products with spray applicators, ” Dr. Fried says. (7)

Adult Acne: 10 Surprising Causes (and How To Get Rid Of It)

Zit zapper Apply products with your hands and keep them away from your hairline. After applying, wipe your skin with facial cleanser to remove any stray styling product. (7)

Topical products applied to your skin before or after hair removal can be comedogenic (meaning they clog pores and promote acne), says Fusco. (6)

Keep in mind that itchy bumps after hair removal might not be true acne, but rather “an irritation of the hair follicle that causes a transient rash, ” she says. (10)

What Causes Adult Acne?: Hk Dermatology: Dermatology Clinic

Zit zapper Relieve the rash by applying a warm compress to your face three to four times a day. If this doesn’t work, see your doctor. You may need an antibiotic to clear the rash. (10)

You might experiment with several new skin-care products a year. That’s good for the cosmetics industry but bad for your skin. (11)

Switching products or adding a new one before giving it a chance to work “challenges your skin with new preservatives and active ingredients, which can be irritating and cause breakouts, ” says Paul Jarrod Frank, MD, the founder and director of Fifth Avenue Dermatology Surgery and Laser Center in New York. (11)

Adult Acne: Understanding Underlying Causes And Banishing Breakouts

“I have patients who have acne because they switch between four or five different acne creams or use an astringent, facial wash, and spot cream, all with acne-fighting ingredients, ” Dr. Frank says. “This tears their skin apart.”

Zit zapper Whether your goal is fighting wrinkles or zapping zits, pick one or two products and give them at least four to six weeks to work. (7)

Need another reason to stop dabbling with acne “cures”? You'll save money at the drugstore and free up space in your medicine cabinet.

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“Either women clean their skin in a cursory manner, or because they’re wearing mineral makeup they think they don’t need to wash their face thoroughly, ” he adds.

After a long day, makeup, oil, and dirt build up. This is a triple threat that can easily clog your pores, trapping acne-causing bacteria and triggering breakouts. (12)

Adult Acne: What Is It, Why Does It Happen, And What To Do About It

Zip zapper Look for noncomedogenic products, and wash your face thoroughly — and gently — every night. Gently apply makeup, clean your makeup brushes every week, and don’t share cosmetic products. (12)

Zit zapper You can’t change the weather or humidity of where you visit, but avoiding too much sun exposure and using a sunscreen with zinc oxide or titanium dioxide might help reduce breakouts. (14)

“People with acne or acne-prone skin should look for oil-free, noncomedogenic sunscreens, ” says Yoram Harth, MD, a dermatologist and the medical director of MDacne in San Francisco. Heavier sunscreens, which aren’t labeled as oil-free, can clog the skin pores and cause more acne, he says.

Adult Acne & Treatments

It’s important to shield your skin from the sun, including if you have acne. Here’s the best type of sunscreen for acne-prone skin, according to a board-certified dermatologist.

Sunscreens have two types of active ingredients. Chemical agents that absorb into the skin and protect against harmful ultraviolet rays, and physical agents (also called mineral sunscreens) that sit on the surface to create a sun shield. (15)

Physical sunscreens are often recommended for sensitive skin because they deflect the sun’s rays. (14) But these sunscreens can be thicker, leaving a white cast on the skin and possibly clogging pores, whereas chemical sunscreens are invisible, very light, and leave the skin shine-free, explains Dr. Harth.

Teen Acne? Adult Acne? The Endless Battle With Pimples!

Zit zapper If you develop acne after using a physical sunscreen, you may need a product that isn’t as thick. Switch to a sunscreen with chemical ingredients like avobenzone, oxybenzone, methoxycinnamate, or octocylene. (15) And don’t forget to wash your sunscreen off your skin after a day in the sun. Even the most sheer, lightweight sunscreens can clog pores if left on overnight.

As teens, we believed that greasy grub and chocolate cake caused our pimples. And that might hold true for you now that you’re an adult.

“The latest scientific evidence suggests that high-carbohydrate diets may predispose you to acne, ” Fusco says. Specifically, diets high in refined carbohydrates (“white” foods including white bread and white pasta, along with crackers, cake, and cookies) that are high on the glycemic index may increase the development and severity of breakouts, yet more research is needed. (16) The glycemic index is a scale that gauges how much a certain food can affect blood sugar levels. (17)

Acne In Men: Causes Of Adult Acne & How To Fix It

“Dairy products have been shown in multiple studies to increase levels of insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1), that can trigger or worsen acne breakouts, ” says Harth. “One of the most triggering forms of dairy is cow's milk, especially low-fat milk, which contains a large amount of progesterone-like hormones and has a higher sugar content” than full-fat milk. (18)

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