Dealing with Adult Acne

My adventure with acne started when I was 15 years old. I was a skinny, braces-wearing, awkward girl, and it was my deepest wish that I could speed up my ability to age. I wanted to grow hips, develop some sort of discernable bust line, have mood swings-something that would show the outside world that I was growing up and that I was, in fact, female.

So I was delighted when I got my first pimple. Overjoyed might actually be a better word. Here as proof that I actually had hormones.

No one warned me to watch what I wish for. I'm 33 years old, still with no discernable bust line, but I've got acne to spare.

Having adult acne is a very isolating experience. It's often associated with uncleanliness, a poor diet, and with laziness. And I was recently dismayed to hear that drug users (particularly meth users) often have skin problems that look a whole lot like acne.

When I meet people, I can't help but wonder if they look at my skin and think I'm a skinny, dirty, drug user. You can imagine what this does to my self-esteem.

People often say that acne is something you'll grow out of. However, this approach has not worked for me (obviously). So I decided to get proactive. I set out to get some answers.

The basics

Your skin is covered with tiny hairs, which sit inside equally tiny ducts. Inside those ducts are small glands that secrete oils to keep your skin soft and hydrated. Acne begins when those ducts plug up with fat, dead skin cells and oil. That plugged duct can then fill with bacteria and lead to a puss-filled pimple.

The whole process is usually attributed to hormones, testosterone in particular. Women may have breakouts during a particular part of their menstrual cycle.

Some people believe that acne is caused by what they eat. The American Academy of Dermatology specifically refutes this, however. They say that studies have shown no link between what you eat and acne.

Experts to agree, though, that steps you take to "cure" acne could actually cause more breakouts. For example:

• Scrubbing your skin with a washcloth can cause minor abrasions that can harbor bacteria, which can lead to breakouts.

• Using alcohol-based products can make your skin very dry. This makes the glands work double-time, trying to keep your skin moist. This can lead to, you guessed it, another breakout.

• Avoiding moisturizers can also make the skin dry, and cause the glands more, acne-causing, work.

• Picking, poking or squeezing pimples can drive the bacteria deeper into the skin. This can cause deep acne scarring. Additionally, it's a great way to spread bacteria around your face, which can lead to new pimples.

Steps to take

So, what's a girl to do? Everything I've read says that acne can be controlled with two things: persistence and patience. The course I'm outlining below seems to be the best course of action.

1. Go shopping. Buy a mild cleanser, a mild astringent (no alcohol), an acne treatment containing 2.5 percent benzoyl peroxide (no higher), and a non-comedogenic (won't block pores) SPF 15 moisturizer.

2. In the morning, wash with the cleanser for 2 minutes (no scrubbing!) and pat dry. Follow with the astringent. Follow with the benzoyl peroxide, and then the moisturizer.

3. Skip the makeup. You can use a flesh-colored acne treatments to conceal and heal blemishes, but most foundation makeup can block pores.

4. During the day, do not touch your face at all. No resting your chin in your hands, scratching your nose, picking at your pimples, rubbing your eyes. Don't tuck the phone underneath your chin. Drink lots of water.

5. At night, follow your morning cleansing routine, and get plenty of rest.

Acne treatments work by preventing new breakouts, which means it can take up to two months to see complete results. And this is where the patience comes in. You'll need to follow the treatments faithfully, even if you think they aren't working.

And finally, if you see no improvement in two months, it might be time to pop over to the dermatologist. Birth control pills may help, or low-dose antibiotics, or laser treatments. Hopefully, I won't have to take those steps, as I don't relish the idea of taking medications for what is, obviously, a cosmetic problem. But if I do, I'll be able to take that step knowing I've done all I can at home to treat the condition.

Wish me luck!