Adult Acne, A Frustrating Experience!

I’ve been through puberty so why is this happening to me?

Adult acne appears after the age of twenty five and can develop when the sebaceous gland become clogged with sebum, a natural oil which is produced by the skin. The sebum attracts matter such as dust and dead skin cells. This can become infected by the presence of the Propionibacterium Acnes bacteria and acne is the result.

Adult acne can be just as devastating as the teenage variety as sometimes it can appear out of the blue and affect people who have never had acne previously. More often, however it is a recurrence of the teenage variety, a fact that doesn’t make it any more welcome!

Adult acne is more unusual than it’s teenage cousin, but it can be just as frustrating to the sufferer. It affects 5% of adults and the main difference is that it tends to affect females more than males – the reverse of the teenage variety. It’s important to have any acne diagnosed properly as there are other conditions which mimic it:

Rosacea - This is commonly passed off as adult acne especially in people over thirty, but it is a totally different skin disorder which needs a different approach.

Folliculitis – This is an inflammation of the small hair follicles in the skin which can become infected. This can resemble adult acne, but again the treatment is different.

What are the causes of adult acne?

The main causes are hormonal changes in the body which affect the manufacture of sebum. Conditions such as pregnancy, menopause, taking birth control or hormonal replacement therapy can all affect this delicate balance. If you suspect your hormones are running amok and are not sure why, seek medical advice to rule out other more sinister causes.

Sometimes an increase in the male hormone testosterone has been linked to an attack of adult acne. A simple blood test can confirm this.

There is a persistent myth that eating certain foods can cause acne. This is not the case at all. Enjoy the odd piece of chocolate if you like!

Another myth is the one about not cleaning the skin enough. Actually too vigorous cleansing can aggravate the situation.

Adult Acne Treatments

There are several, both over the counter (OTC) and prescription. OTC treatments are many and confusing although less potent than the prescription ones. Trial and error is the only way to assess these which can be time consuming and expensive.

Prescription medications may contain Accutane which can cause birth defects and are dangerous for pregnant women. Prescription medications can also take many weeks to show results.

The Best treatments for Adult Acne

Of course you know what I’m going to say! Natural treatments are less harmful to the surrounding skin and can be very effective. Essential oils such as lavender, tea tree and geranium have potent healing properties and also help in controlling sebum. Grape seed oil has antioxidants and also provides healing.

Anti acne facial treatment serum is a potent acne fighting treatment with pure tea tree essential oil produces clear results for acne prone skin.

“Awesome Product! – This product is a god-send! I love it and so does my face. I have excessively oily skin that always has had acne and oil plugs. This product has eliminated all of the blemishes! I have been using it since mid August and this is the first time since before puberty that my face has been completely clear of acne and all oil plugs!”
– Angela, TX

This serum is perfect for adult acne and will not dry out skin.