Adult acne is caused by clogged pores, weight issues, and hormonal imbalances. Stress can exacerbate hormonal imbalances. Treatment includes gentle face wash, topical medications, and prescription medications. Lowering stress levels through activities like exercise and meditation can also help.
Being a teenager may have been a fun time, but few adults miss certain “teenage” conditions like persistent acne. Unfortunately, both women and men can suffer from adult acne long after saying goodbye to adolescence. The condition known as adult acne is recognized by the persistent pimples, blackheads or whiteheads that can appear on the face, chest or neck during adulthood. It mainly affects adult women; about one in five women are known to have acne in recent years, while it is a less common condition for men.
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One thing that should be understood is that adult acne is rarely caused by poor hygiene – some women try to address the problem by actually scrubbing their face. This rarely works and may even exacerbate the problem. There are, however, several causes of acne in adults including clogged pores, weight issues, and hormone levels.
A once common cause of acne in adulthood is persistent blockage of pores. Often, clogged pores are caused by the use of heavy makeup or moisturizers that are comedogenic, which means that the product can cause clogged pores, depending on your skin type. People with oily skin, in particular, should generally avoid using comedogenic products. Also, removing your makeup every night helps unclog your pores and allow your skin to breathe.
Overweight people may also have more difficulty with this condition. Typically this is more a result of the types of food a person consumes than how much a person weighs. For example, fatty foods, such as french fries and pizza, not only make people fat, but the high amounts of oil can create oily skin, resulting in breakouts. Additionally, high amounts of sugar and carbohydrates can lead to obesity or acne for some people.
More commonly though, hormonal imbalance is the root cause of adult acne, and stress can be a major cause of hormonal imbalance. Adult acne tends to result from the overproduction of hormones called androgens, which can overstimulate the oil-producing sebaceous glands on the skin. Levels of androgen production can be increased if a person is under stress, but high androgen levels can also be associated with non-stress-related health conditions.
Another fluctuating hormonal cause includes a woman’s menstrual cycle. Sometimes women notice that acne flares up just before the start of the menstrual cycle due to the change in hormone levels. Women who are prone to ovarian cysts and those who have excessive facial hair due to hormones may especially notice more acne in adults.
treatments
Identifying the cause of the condition can help determine which treatment will be most beneficial, and some treatments for adult acne are quite similar to those for teenage acne. A gentle face wash with a mild soap is recommended; sometimes some topical medications that contain salicylic acid, retinol, or peroxide can be more effective than soap. Some adults who suffer from acne have both acne and dry skin, in which case it is recommended that you speak to a dermatologist to find the right balance between acne and dry skin treatments. Most people will need a light moisturizer in addition to using over-the-counter acne treatments.
Some types of acne can be reduced using prescription medications, usually prescribed by a healthcare professional. When acne forms large cysts and causes scarring, antibiotics may be prescribed to reduce the incidence. If acne is caused by hormonal fluctuations, certain medications such as birth control may be prescribed to help regulate hormone production. Some antibiotics and other oral medications can pose a danger to an unborn baby and should be avoided if you are sexually active or planning to become pregnant. It is best to notify a doctor when these situations occur.
Lowering stress levels can reduce the incidence of acne cases in adults because stress levels are known to increase the production of androgens, which can cause breakouts. One tip for reducing stress is to participate in an activity that keeps your mind in balance; a balanced mind helps a person handle stress more effectively, as situations can be seen from a clear perspective. Some examples include prayer, meditation, and exercise disciplines like tai chi and yoga, all of which can help clear up skin as much as any other treatment. Daily exercise has also been shown to reduce acne for some people as it can help reduce stress levels.
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