How to Manage Adult Acne

If you suffered with embarrassing acne as a teenager, you probably thought you'd never have to deal with it once you reached adulthood. However, unfortunately, about 1/4 of all adult men and half of adult women encounter acne, again, according to acne.org. Regardless of age, acne is unpleasant, as it can lead to self-consciousness and can feel just as devastating as it did in your teen years.

What Causes Adult Acne?

Contrary to what you may have been told, acne (both in teens and adults) is not the result of poor hygiene. It's not sure just what causes adult acne, although it's generally believed to be caused by hormonal reasons. In women, it could be caused by pregnancy, menopause, or by using birth control. Other causes could be anything from stress to the wrong kind of cosmetics. Because stress can result in your oil glands overworking, the extra oil on your skin can lead to an acne breakout.

Adult AcneTreatment Options

Of course, it's best to see a dermatologist as soon as possible. Too often acne sufferers have tried to squeeze their infected pimples. Although the results are immediate, you run the risk of further infection, as well as face scaring. Even worse, squeezing pimples leads to acne spreading. If possible, wait for an appointment with a dermatologist as they use a special sterile instrument, which can spare you the added stress of scaring, as well as infection and acne spreading.

But often it can take awhile before getting an appointment. However, many times you can clear up an acne problem on your own by using over-the-counter products. Realize that adult acne isn't treated the same way as teenage acne because adult skin is not the same as that of an adolescent. The best thing to do is to gently cleanse your face each day with medicated cleansers containing benzoyl peroxide (which reduces bacteria on your skin) or salicylic acid (which unclogs pores). Use oil-free, non-comedogenic lotions and/or sunscreens. And, although costly, you could have laser treatments.(running from $500-2,500).

Don't Irritate Your Acne

If you come down with acne as an adult, you can do certain things to further irritate it. For example, keep your hands off of your face as this only irritate your acne, as well as spread it. As for your hair, keep if off your face. Also, avoid sweating. While your acne is healing, it's best to stay way from activities that cause you to perspire. Moreover, be careful about what you wear as clothing such as bra straps, helmets, headbands and turtleneck sweaters can cause further irritation.

Preventative Measures

To prevent your chances of adult acne, protect your skin form harsh toners and moisturizers, as well as limit your exposure to high humidify. Also, use only non-oily cosmetic products, as well as avoid excessive exposure to both sun and extreme cold. Although it's not proven that foods cause acne, it's best to eat a well-balanced diet to ensure good health. Most of all, try to avoid stress, as this is a major cause of adult acne.

If you do come down with it, try not to stress over your condition, as you don't want to add more stress by worrying about how you look. Instead of stressing, feeling self-conscious, realize that everyone has something they think makes them unattractive. While your face is healing, reach out and find someone who has a bigger challenge than acne. By befriending someone who's worse off than you, you'll forgot about your acne and before long, it will disappear and life will be back to normal for you