While a lot of us have fond memories of high school, memories of stressing about covering up acne isn’t one of them. For some people though, acne isn’t just a bad memory. For many people, and especially women, acne doesn’t go away as an adult, and acne is no less stressful for adults.
What is Adult Acne?
Acne, whether as a teenager or adult, is similar because it is caused by a confluence of factors: acne bacteria (P. acnes), clogged hair follicles, inflammation, and increased production of sebum. Hormonal factors like testosterone also play an influential role as a proximate cause of acne. Adult acne isn’t uncommon, especially in women, and it’s not all that different from teenage acne in terms of day-to-day management. It’s similarly annoying and can be painful if inflamed. Inflammatory acne (pimples and pustules, rather than blackheads and whiteheads) has the potential to cause scarring, and this risk increases if you try to pop it yourself by pushing the acne further down inside the hair follicles.
What’s Different about Adult Acne?
Perception: Acne is acne, but often just as important as what a skin condition is, is how patients feel about it. Many feel embarrassed about having acne “at this age” and think that pimples should never pair with wrinkles.
Demographics: Acne affects both men and women, almost universally in their teenage years. Adult acne affects women much more than men, as hormonal changes trigger many acne cases.
Factors: The two factors that are unique to adult acne are the effect of menopause and birth control pills; both influence hormonal levels, which affect acne formation.
Treatment Options: For adult women, there will generally be better access to various treatment options.
Maintenance and Daily Skincare
There is no silver bullet for acne,1 and treatment takes time and patience. This is true of teenage acne and also true of adult acne. Don’t expect to get rid of acne in a week; it just doesn’t work that way. In the meantime, patients need to learn to live with acne in a smart way – lifestyle and skincare will lead the way.
- Don’t over-cleanse. Cleanse once or twice daily using lukewarm water and a gentle cleanser. Don’t rub your skin dry. Pat it gently after the cleanse.
- Don’t pop pimples. Everyone knows it, but tons of people still do this. You risk scarring and irritating it.
- Benzoyl peroxide, retinoids, and salicylic acid are common acne-fighting ingredients effective in fighting acne. These are available over the counter.
- Make a note of your “acne triggers.” We know now that acne can be affected indirectly by stress and foods or drinks in some people.2
- Follow the usual precautions with acne – Get enough sleep, hydrate well, exercise (stress is a major trigger for acne), cleanse every day, keep items that touch your face, like your pillows and cellphones, clean.
- Be sensible with your diet. The exact relationship between diet and acne isn’t precisely known yet (and it is likely very individual), but we know that there is a strong correlation for many people. If you know that certain foods seem to trigger acne for you, be sensible about your choices.
Prescription Options:
Sometimes, hormonal imbalances can overwhelm what over-the-counter acne products can provide. If the store-bought acne products and lifestyle changes aren’t working, or your acne is severe, you may need a dermatologist’s help. They can also provide you with access to powerful prescription treatments.
Topical antibiotics: Sometimes, antibiotics are used (usually in combination with other acne treatments). They help reduce the P. Acnes, but more importantly, they help reduce inflammation, which we now know is a major factor in acne.3
Birth control pills For adult women with acne, birth control pills containing estrogen and progesterone help reduce the amount of androgen (the male hormone) in the body, which helps reduce sebum levels and helps control acne.
Light Therapy: Non-laser light therapy is a treatment option that is sometimes used in combination with other topical treatments to help reduce inflammatory acne (pimples and zits rather than whiteheads/blackheads). You can purchase home-devices or access more powerful light therapy devices at a dermatologist’s office.4 While they are effective at the temporary reduction of acne, they will not completely clear the skin, nor will they have a lasting effect.
Spironolactone: This medication, designed initially for treating high blood pressure, is also used off-label to treat hormonal acne in women.
Isotretinoin: Isotretinoin, better known by one of its trade names, Accutane, is the preferred solution for moderate to severe acne by dermatologists. It is a “cure” to acne, however, it is a powerful medication with powerful potential side-effects and is not for everyone.
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1This isn’t entirely true. Most dermatologists recommend isotretinoin for people with moderate to severe acne (better known by their trade name Accutane), which is the only actual “cure” for acne. It is, however, a powerful medication that isn’t for everyone. Otherwise, however, acne treatment requires patience and daily maintenance.
2http://www.self.com/story/adult-acne-causes-and-treatments
3http://www.webmd.com/skin-problems-and-treatments/acne/features/adult-acne-why-get-it-fight-it#2
4http://www.acne.org/light-therapy.html
