Just when I thought I was safe from the awkward, uncomfortable yet somehow rewarding days of high school (shout-out St. Francis Prep High School in Queens!) and firmly landed into adulthood, here comes adult acne. And braces. If 30 is the new 20, then 28 is the new 14. *sigh*
So here’s the scoop on adult acne and how to tame it.
What Causes Adult Acne?
According to WebMD, Adult acne is caused by sebum, an oily substance produced by the skin’s sebaceous glands. Sebum clogs pores, which attract bacteria and become inflamed. For most adults, breakouts are a result of hypersensitivity to androgens (male hormones). But an imbalance in both male and female hormones (estrogen) can also cause breakouts. For women, this can happen during pregnancy, perimenopause, and menopause. Some medications, such as corticosteroids, and cosmetics are also triggers.
Great. So how do we get rid of it?
Apparently not the same way you did when you were a teen. Many acne treatments are geared to super oily teen skin but as we get older the skin tends to get drier. Effective treatment usually means a trial-and-error approached evidenced by the different acne treatments littered around my bathroom. For me sometimes Proactiv worked, then when that stopped working I switched to a stronger Proactiv formula. Then when that stopped working, I turned to Neutrogena Rapid Clear products after raiding my teenage nephew’s stash when I got struck with a case of the pimples while visiting family in Georgia. Pimples were gone by morning. Yes! Then after a while it stopped working. No!
These are the breaks, kids.
Most people find that following a regular skin care regimen and avoiding behaviors that trigger acne (sleeping/exercising in makeup, rinsing skin immediately after a workout, cleaning makeup brushes on a regular basis, etc.) work best for them.
WebMD also has this tip: Believe it or not, there’s a trick to skillful face washing. To start, try to keep your face clean during the day. Then wash your face twice daily with the cleanser (if your skin is dry, try using water the second time). Use only warm water (hot water is drying). Wash for just 1-2 minutes (more can irritate your skin). And use your hands instead of a rough washcloth. (If you must wash with a cloth, choose one made for babies, so it’s as soft as possible.)
Probably one of the best things I did for my skin was to hop on over to my dermatologist for a heart to heart. A prescription for a retinol and about 30 days later my skin was free. Your dermatologist is likely your best bet in the war against adult acne.
But fear not, the trial-and-error route isn’t so bad if you can’t make it out to the derm. Look for over the counter products that contain retinols for the cause. Retinols also known as Vitamin A are like super duper heroes that fight acne, wrinkles, fine lines, and uneven skin tone/hyperpigmentation. Other ingredients to look for: salicylic and glycolic acids.
Try these:
Do you battle adult acne? How are you treating it?
~Danielle
August 26, 2010 12:29 am
St.ives apricot cleanser and scrub and ponds!! I live for those products I break out every once in awhile and those products come in handy especially the scrub and the ponds is great because it helps with dry skin it may make your skin a lil oily but it works!!
August 26, 2010 12:44 am
adult acne suuuucks! I’m trying the oil cleansing method a couple of days a week as well as using my clarisonic brush with a cleanser that I bought from the natural healthy food store. Black soap was nice too, but I think that’ll be too drying as the weather changes.
August 26, 2010 3:09 am
I battled adult acne from when I was 19 and it completely shocked me, having had nothing more than a pimple before then
I went to my dermatologist and he gave me a presciption for a special mask containing Salicylic Acid, Resorcinol, Sulphur and Calamine Lotion. He also put me on a small dose of antibiotics. – It cleared it all up!
Today my skin, which is naturally oily, reacts very badly when there’s excess oil on my skin. So I use Oil Free – EVERYTHING; makeup, lotions, cleansers etc…
A big challenge I’ve had is finding anti acne products which absorb the oil but not dry the skin. Our skin needs moisture (hydration) not oil and dry skin = age more quickly
Just recently I started using a moisturiser which gets rid of the oil yet is still moisturising. Its called “Creme Purifiante” by Payot and i get it from my beautician here in Australia
But now that my skin has cleared up i have the nemesis of adult acne – DARK SPOTS – Help!!:/
August 26, 2010 9:09 am
Happy Belated Bday Danielle! Hope it was fabulous.
Yes, I do battle with acne, I use proactiv, and I have found that cutting out as much sugar from my diet as possible is the key. Which means no soda(well, I try my best) and lots of water. And I try not to stress out too much. My skin responds immediately to what I eat and my overall well-being.
@Michei-have you ever considered a chemical peels? They work wonders!
August 26, 2010 9:11 am
I battle adult acne sometimes, but my go to products are Oil of Olay.. from cleanser to moisterizer, my go worker commented one day about my skin glowing, and I attributed it to my skin care regime. Plus I drink plenty of water and take vitamins.. sounds exhausting huh?..
August 26, 2010 9:33 am
Yay! I’m from Queens too!
I recently purchased the St. Ives scrub after seeing Danielle pub it so much. I haven’t seen much difference yet but I think I’ll try Mesa’s suggestion and pair it with some Ponds. Thanks!
August 26, 2010 9:35 am
Thanks, McKenzie! Today’s actually my birthday–but now I feel like I had two birthdays *fist pump* lol
August 26, 2010 9:35 am
I strongly suggest anyone with oily skin to use No Zit Sherlock. I suffer from adult acne and oily skin. I walked in Sephora asked an associate to help me control my skin, because I had just given up, and they turned me on to No Zit Sherlock, and it has done wonders!!! I fell in love with my skin all over again!
August 26, 2010 9:56 am
lmao @ fist pump! Have a blast!
August 26, 2010 11:02 am
I’ve had acne since puberty. It.Is.The.Worst. I never thought when I was in my teens, that I would still be dealing with acne now! I see a dermatologist regularly, but finally got to the point where I just couldn’t take it. I tried Differin, Tazorac, Duac, everhthing. It got better but never went away completely. I took accutance for 5 1/2 months and now my skin is flawless. Its controversial but it works.
August 26, 2010 11:27 am
Sistah! LOL!….oh yeah…I too am an acne suffer due to PCOS!
August 26, 2010 11:40 am
Fellow sufferer here! :)
I didn’t have acne until I turned 20, and it’s been hell since then, lol.
I use differin, which is a prescription, and then a whole host of other stuff, including fresh lemon juice for the dark spots, lol.
Choosing the right makeup is very important too. I will never use MAC foundation or concealer again. They just clog my pores! I look for face products that specifically say “non comedogenic” on them.
August 26, 2010 11:46 am
I’m 36 and have been to 6 derms…have had a battle with acne for the past 6yrs…fianally found a derm that helps me and actually touches my skin to see the problems up close…going back to antibiotics for a while, that helped
August 26, 2010 12:02 pm
Ugh, adult acne sucks. My derm prescribed Differin and something else (i forget the name), they both worked. But after being laid off, regular visits to the derm went out the window.
Luckily, I’ve figured out what triggers my acne (sugar, so I lay off the Twinkies) and some over the counter ways to treat it (Clean and Clear cleanser and I also use this awesome clay mask that I swear has helped immensely, the Aztec Secret Indian Healing Clay.)
August 26, 2010 12:41 pm
Stress is a big arse pain for me. When I get stressed I get the same pimple in the same darn spot in the middle of my forehead. I get the same pimple in the same spot after my “aunt” visits.
Ambi helps and so does water and vitamins.
August 26, 2010 1:26 pm
I’m gonna chime on in!
I don’t know if I would call the explosion on my face ‘adult acne’ but I’ve definitely been breaking out A LOT since my move back home. Perhaps it was all the stress of packing up? Or the Georgia air? At any rate, I have a very unfortunate situation going on on my right cheek. Mind you, I rarely have pimples, etc. Anyway I started using this Neutrogena Rapid Clear 7 Day Acne Intervention Kit:
http://www.shopstyle.com/action/apiVisitRetailer?id=161168639&pid=uid6761-265931-73
It was a little expensive at $24, but it comprises a scrub you use twice a day and ‘anti acne’ cream you also apply twice a day. It’s been one day and I’m already seeing results!
I’m hoping that at the end of 7 days it’s all cleared up (in time for Fashion Week)!
xx,
C
August 26, 2010 1:52 pm
The Neutrogena Rapid Clear lotion was the ish for me–saw results in one day, too. Then I guess my skin got used to it because my next set of pimples months after were militant…lol. But next breakout I’m gonna try that kit. Perhaps my skin has forgotten…lol
August 26, 2010 5:11 pm
Yep the Neutrogena kit worked for me for about 2 weeks and then it stopped.
I’m 32 and my acne started at around 30 but very minor. But within the last 4 months being what i’d consider bad. I have had pimples righ in the area between the ear and chin..like if you suck your cheeks in they follow that line. lol The neutrogena was the las result for me.
I started using ivory soap, alocohol and a&d ointment, been using it for the last 2 months or so and have had maybe 3 pimples/month at the most. I”m a pimple popper so once i do the pop i cleanse my face with ivory, alcohol to sanitize and then a thin layer of ointment.
Fading of old spots is kind of slow but at least i’m not getting new ones.
August 26, 2010 5:15 pm
*last resort…sorry for all the typo’s and poor grammer..its been a long day!
August 26, 2010 8:45 pm
The key to the treatment of adult acne is to find solutions that work and alternate them so that your skin doesn’t get used to one particular type of treatment. Once your skin gets immune to a particular kind of medication/ topical solution, the effectiveness of the treatment will wear off.
August 26, 2010 9:15 pm
I’m in my thirties and I’ve had acne since I was a teenager. Talk about a huge confidence killer! I have been on every acne medication including long term antibiotics (which is not recommended) except Accutane, because of it’s severe side affects. Acne is hormonal in many women and many times being on birth control can help clear up your skin, which was the case for me. I also wanted to share two products that I love for my acne prone skin; Almay clear complexion liquid makeup for oily skin, it contains ingredients that help clear blemishes and prevent breakouts, and I LOVE Alba Oil Free moisturizer with Green Tea and Aloe, it’s really light but works great and never feels greasy. If your skin is dried out it actually creates more pimples because your skin is producing more oil to correct for overly dry patches. Hope this helps!
August 26, 2010 11:09 pm
You guys suggestions and stories made me feel better about my struggle with my skin. I use the apricot scrub for acne and also Clean and Clear deep cleaning and my skin have cleared up completely except for small blemishes here and there. But since the cool weather is coming I will check out some of the moisturizers you guys mention because thats when I get dry patches.
August 27, 2010 6:54 pm
i have had acne for sometime now, and i finally found a regime that works and thats LOTS and LOTS of water, vitamins and this precription cream stieva with a face wash…. hope that helps
August 28, 2010 12:29 am
OCM works best for me thus far…and its natural
August 29, 2010 9:20 am
i’m in my 20′s and i’ve had an acne problem since i was a teenager. the only thing that ever really helped with the acne was oral antibiotics. my derm put me on a combination of clindamycin and retin a which is helping to keep me clear.
August 31, 2010 7:37 pm
I didn’t start experiencing acne until my early twenties. My skin is very oily which in one instance is a good thing because I’ll look younger longer, but on the other hand my skin is also acne prone. I tend to break out on the edges of my face near my ears and near my mouth and jaw line. I used to use Proactiv which worked well for my skin but it was burning my pockets. Then I tried using the apricot scrub, which unfortunately unlike the other girls made my face break out worse. Recently I’ve started using a product called Acne Free. You can find it at Dollar General for $4 for the face wash. There is also a 3 step kit at CVS for $20. My face cleared right up! Also drink plenty of water and be weary of greasy foods. I also hear Biotin is a good vitamin to take for healthy skin, hair and nails.
July 3, 2011 5:02 pm
Understanding the Right way To Treat Your Acne – How To Get Rid Of Pimples Fast…
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March 17, 2012 2:50 pm
i have sever acne since i was 8 severe sever.. i use proactive and dove and olay is the moisturizer…. helps…. i like aloe vera plants…. but yea.. thisll help…
st ives.. no ill break out instantly….
neutrogena,, no ill develop dry peeling
im extrememly sisitve….. so proactive is wat helps a ndeven then i still struggle but its helped by half!!