3 Things You Need to Know About Adult Acne

Teenage years can be an awkward stage. Many of us have had to endure tough things such as braces, heartbreak, and of course acne. Thankfully, teen years are only temporary and we outgrow those years of awkwardness. But fate can be cruel sometimes and acne can come haunting us with all its redness and inflammation well into our adult years.

What You Need to Know About Adult Acne

There are different causes behind acne. Here are 3 things you need to know about adult acne.

Hairline Acne Can Spread to Your Face

We love keeping our crowning glory beautiful, smooth and glossy. And to achieve this, we make use of hair styling products. But these products can cause blackheads and breakouts around the hairline. This is what we popularly refer to as pomade acne. The thing about these bumps around your hairline is that they can spread to the cheeks most especially if you sleep in with the hair product on your hair. The product can get all over your pillow and of course your face. So what’s the solution? The best solution is to say goodbye to these leave-in hair care products. But what about your hair? There are plenty of effective plant-based products without chemicals that can irritate the skin that you can use as a leave-in styling agent. One is the Argan oil. However, don’t use this oil if you’re allergic to nuts.

A Serious Medical Condition May Be Behind Your Acne

Your hormones may be the culprit behind your bouts of adult acne. Have you tried a lot of medicines, pills, and prescriptions? If this sounds like you then these medications may have caused your hormones to go haywire. Persistent adult acne in women can also be caused by a condition called Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS). If you have persistent acne and those stray wiry facial hairs plus you have trouble losing weight, this may indicate that you have PCOS. Some dermatologists refer their patients to an endocrinologist, who can help in figuring out the best way to regulate the hormonal imbalance.

All Acne is Hormone-Related

It is true that all acne is hormone-related. However, here’s one thing you have to remember though. Breakouts caused by Aunt Flo (menstrual flow) and those induced by stressful situations respond to treatment differently.

Joshua Zeichner, M.D., director of cosmetic and clinical research for Mount Sinai Medical Center’s department of dermatology shares that most hormonal (period related) acne pops out about a week before the period and usually the chin and jaw line are affected. If you notice that your breakouts occur at around this time and around these areas, hormonal fixes such as birth control pills can help. Of course, you should consult your doctor for such fixes.

However, contraceptives don’t work against stress-induced acne. The skin starts acting out when you’e stressed because stress causes the adrenal glands to release more cortisol, which then triggers excessive sebum production and sebum is nourishment for the acne-causing bacteria that naturally thrive on the skin. So how do you treat acne caused by stress?

Learn how to manage stress. That’s easier said than done. But it can be done. One of the things you have to remember about stress is that it is a part of every day living. You may not be able to control a stressful situation but you can choose how you react to it. Plus a good cleansing regimen should be in place.

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