There may come a time in your life when the unthinkable happens: acne breakouts occurring at the same time as age spots and wrinkles. Welcome to adult acne.
It’s normal to experience acne when you’re going through puberty or adolescence. By the time you enter your twenties and thirties, however, most hormonal breakouts should have resolved on their own. But sometimes they persist, making it possible to experience acne as an adult.
Ranging from the occasional to chronic cystic acne, breakouts typically occur on the face. Some people get adult acne on the back. Regardless of their severity, occurrence or location, acne can negatively affect the sufferer’s self-esteem and confidence.
Adult Acne Causes
Adult acne women’s causes may be rooted in hormonal imbalance or hormone-related issues such as PCOS. Additionally, other contributing factors may be unhealthy diet, food sensitivities, environmental pollution, taking certain medications or using heavy skincare products.
The mechanism behind acne is almost always the same. The skin produces excess sebum (oil) that gets trapped in the pores. Add into the mix dead skin cells and the pores become clogged, creating the ideal breeding ground for bacteria. If the microbes are allowed to proliferate, it can lead to inflammation and infection, and eventually a papule or pustule – aka acne breakout.
How to Control Adult Acne
First step is to rule out any serious underlying health conditions and follow a healthy lifestyle. If that doesn’t work and you’re still experiencing breakouts on a consistent basis, there are some professional treatments that can help. Here are the top five procedures you can try to help clear up your skin:
- Forever Clear BBL– Blue Light treatments target the inflammation inside the pores. It’s a 3-step treatment that uses broadband light and infrared light to target inflammatory acne, cystic acne, and post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation. The advantage of Forever Clear BBL is that it resolves active acne while simultaneously preventing and treating pigmented scars.
- Levulan Photodynamic Therapy– This unique treatment is specifically designed for acne-prone skin. First we apply a clear, photosensitizing agent known as Levulan (D-Aminolevulinic Acid.) This topical solution is then activated with a specific light source which seeks out biological agents inside the pores. The biggest advantage of Levulan is that it only targets the affected cells.
- SkinCeuticals Peel – For mild or occasional acne we recommend SkinCeutical medical peels. These versatile peels help to deep-cleanse the pores and have the added benefit of stimulating collagen, reducing fine lines and smoothing the skin’s texture.
- V Carbon Peel– Activated charcoal is known to draw out bacteria, poisons, chemicals, dirt and other micro-particles to the surface of skin. V Carbon Peel is a unique non-invasive treatment that uses activated charcoal to exfoliate and purify the pores.
- Medical-grade skincare – When it comes to adult acne skincare, a high concentration of active ingredients is what makes medical-grade skincare your first choice for acne control. Ingredients such as retinol, salicylic acid and benzoyl peroxide help to stop blemishes in their tracks.
For more information on adult acne skin treatments contact us to book an appointment. We look forward to helping you look and feel great!
