Adult Acne: Who Knew It Would Make A Comeback?

Just after you thought all those painful teenage years of living with acne were over, you wake up one fine morning to find those dreaded pimples all over again! No, it’s not a bad dream, this is the real deal. Adult acne is a reality. Take a look at some of these astonishing statistics: 50.9% of women and 42.5% of men in their 20s suffer from adult acne, 35.2% of women and 20.1% of men suffer from acne in their 30s and 26.3% of women and 12% of men experience acne in their 40s. Some poor souls have to go through the bitter experience of adult acne in their ripe old 50s too! So if you thought you had been singled out to re-live this painful experience, you are surely not alone. Luckily, researchers have come up with some highly effective adult acne treatments to remedy your acne problems! Moreover, there are numerous adult acne prevention measures that you could take to lessen your chances of getting the dreaded adult acne.

Adult Acne: Causes

So who, or rather what, is to blame for adult acne? Well, for most men and women the culprit is sebum. This is an oily substance naturally secreted by the skin’s sebaceous glands. The problem arises when sebum lodges itself inside the skin’s pores and clogs them. This often leads to inflammation and an outbreak of acne. Other reasons include hormonal imbalances in both men and women as they age, and reactions to certain medications such as corticosteroids or cosmetics.

Adult Acne: Treatments

It’s time to answer this million dollar question: What adult acne treatments can you avail to effectively remedy this cumbersome skin issue? Before we explore the adult acne treatment options, you should be aware that adult acne is actually quite different from teenage acne. Some adults do experience the same type of tiny bumps, blackheads or whiteheads that are characteristic of teen acne, but most adult acne is characterized by deep nodules or red papules on the lower portion of the face. With these differences in mind, the adult acne treatment options are quite varied from those that are employed to treat teen acne.

Adult Acne Treatment # 1- Creams or Lotions

There are numerous over-the-counter options that you can try out. ‘Retinol’ products are great for cleaning pores. Products containing ‘Salicylic Acid’ and ‘Glycolic Acid’ work well to eliminate acne scars from your skin. Products containing ‘Benzoyl peroxide’ are great to treat and control an acne breakout.

Adult Acne Treatment # 2- Cleansers

Many cleansers are Granule based, or Gel based. Adult acne skin is sensitive as it is, and such cleansers can exacerbate the problem instead of alleviating it. Opt for the more gentle and mild Cetaphil or Aquanil cleansers to keep your skin clean.

Adult Acne Treatment # 3- Prescription Medications

Your dermatologist may suggest any one of various prescription drugs depending upon the type of adult acne you have. You may be asked to use a topical antibiotic ‘Clindamycin’, or an oral medication ‘Tetracycline’. An antibiotic containing gel, ‘Dapsone’, is often prescribed to deal with infection and inflammation. Some people may respond well to oral contraceptives or ‘Spironolactone’ (a blood pressure medication).

Adult Acne Treatment # 4- Costly Treatment Options

Blue light therapy treatment is designed to completely eliminate the bacteria that cause acne. Moreover, laser and intense pulsed light treatments can be availed to treat acne scars.

Adult Acne: Prevention

If a bad experience with teen acne has left you worried about adult acne, you can take note of a few adult acne prevention tips to decrease the possibility of that frightful acne making a comeback!

• Wash your face twice a day using a gentle cleanser that is appropriate for your skin type.
• Wash your face with warm water. Hot water can cause skin dryness.
• Do not wash your face for more than 2 minutes.
• Washing your face with a washcloth is not advised. If you must use a washcloth, use a soft cloth designed for babies. However, it is highly recommended that you use your hands to wash your face.