Adult Acne Frustration
Teenage Years
Pimples and teenagers for the most part, go hand in hand. Although a common occurrence, it almost seems cruel to add acne to an age where there are so many other difficult emotions and hormones coming into play.
How much more difficult when the acne persists into the twenties, thirties, and even the forties! Some may have more of an acne problem in their adult years than they did in their teenage years. It can be very frustrating and perplexing. Lowered self esteem, depression and social insecurity can develop from this skin issue.
Common symptoms:
Blackheads
Crusting of skin eruptions
Cysts w/ inflammation
Pustules
Whiteheads
Adult Acne - How and Why
Acne come down to the simple cause of clogged pores. Mainly a clogging of dead skin cells and sebum.
Sebum is a naturally occuring oil that helps to lubricate and waterproof our skin. The face and scalp produce the most sebum, but we have sebaceous glands all over our body, except on our palms and the soles of our feet. The sebaceous glands are usually found in areas covered with hair, where they are connected to the hair follicle.
Acne basically develops when skin cells shed, become mixed with sebum and bacteria, and clog the pores. Besides the most commonly affected areas of the face, chest and back; other areas where sweat collects in hair follicles are the armpit area, buttocks and groin.
Hormonal activity can contribute to acne, as can greasy or oily cosmetic and hair products. Certain drugs (steroids, testosterone, estrogen, and phenytoin), and high levels of humidity and sweating may be the main culprits. Stress has also been a noted culprit of adult acne, but, not so much stress itself, as the anti-depressant medicines associated with it.
Care and Treatment of Adult Acne
Perhaps the most important aspect of treating acne is being gentle. Vigorous scrubbing and picking at outbreaks are the worst thing you can do, as you will spread the bacteria through to neighboring cells, thus spreading the problem.
There are many cures, treatments and remedies for adult acne, and if you are going to put out the money for endless treatments, you will find the best money spent is a visit to a dermatologist to help you rid the outbreak. Patience is key in getting a hold on the issue.
A good skin care regimen is important when treating acne on your own. A gentle exfoliating cleanser will help rid the skin of dead skin cells that could clog the follicles and cause future outbreaks.
A toner or astringent constricts the pores, making it harder for bacteria to find it's way in.
Benzoyl peroxide works well for fighting off bacteria. It also rids the skin of extra sebum.
It is possible to have dry skin along with acne, especially if you are using benzoyl peroxie, so a light moisturizer will be helpful.
Don't overuse any product, as with many things, more is not always better; you will only cause futher issues with your skin.
Medications involved in the treatment of acne include:
Antibiotics
Anti-inflammatories
Benzoyl Peroxide
Hormones
Topical and oral retinoids
A website with a lot of good information on adult acne is Cure Acne
