Adult Acne

Health Articles > Acne > Adult Acne

You may be surprised to read that one in five adults suffer from adult acne. Adult acne is acne that appears (often for the first time) in the twenties and early thirties and well past the teen years. In just the same way that teen acne is caused by hormones, so is adult acne but the hormonal changes can be for different reasons.

Adult acne is caused by sebum, an oily substance produced by the skin’s sebaceous glands. The excess sebum clogs the pores, which in turn attracts bacteria and the pores then become inflamed. This could be as a result of:

  • Hypersensitivity or overproduction of androgens (male hormones).
  • An imbalance in both male and female hormones (estrogen) can also cause breakouts.
  • In women, this imbalance can happen during pregnancy, menstruation and menopause.
  • Some medications, such as corticosteroids and birth control pills can also contribute to the development of acne.

Other reasons could be:

  • Inferior or contaminated cosmetics leading to bacteria-laden pores
  • Stress which can cause the oil glands to overcompensate

Adult acne usually begins with blackheads. And blackheads are not as you may think caused by dirt but as a result of the oil and dead cells getting trapped in a pore. They block the pore and mix with any bacteria. They only turn black once they are exposed to the air.

Blackheads can become inflamed and develop into red pimples. Because we always worry our pimples, touching and squeezing them, we can spread and infect them because our hands can be less than 100% clean. When the red pimple becomes infected, it can develop a whitehead filled with pus. If we then go on to squeeze this infected pimple, it can break and even scar the skin. So you can see the importance of not touching any breakouts.

To keep those adult acne breakouts at bay use oil-free, non-acnegenic products.

Keeping the face clean takes time and effort. Wash your face twice a day with a natural or mild cleanser. If your skin is inclined to be dry, just use water for the morning cleanse. Don't use hot water because this can also be drying to the skin. Warm water is best and wash for just one to two minutes, preferably using your hands or a very baby-soft cloth. Pat dry gently with another soft cloth or towel.

Make sure to get off all make up.

You skin will really benefit from a regular facial by a good facial therapist. Acne is a skin condition and he or she will know exactly what your skin needs in the way of blackhead removal treatment, cleansing and nourishing of the skin. There are blue light laser therapy treatments now available to kill acne causing bacteria in an adult acne outbreak. These treatments are costly and might not be necessary unless your acne is stubborn or severe in which case it is wise to see a dermatologist who has an arsenal of products to clear up your skin. But be wary of side effects.

While there are plenty of over the counter and prescription medications available, many of these can be harsh because they contain salicylic and glycolic acids or they are strong drugs. Instead, consider using a natural product such as H-Acne each day after your cleansing session. The specially formulated H-Acne works to counteract and treat acne vulgaris and pimple symptoms naturally and effectively.