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Adult Acne? What’s Causing It and How to Treat It

You’re way past your days as a teenager, so why are you getting acne as an adult? You may have asked yourself this question, only to find a new pimple on your face each and every day. If you are an adult suffering from acne, know that this is very common and affects quite a number of adults. Adult acne may make you feel self-conscious about your looks, leaving you to try to cover up these spots; however, this behavior may be making your acne worse. You need to get to the bottom of your acne and have it treated properly. Read on for some common causes of adult acne and what can be done to treat it. Adult Acne Causes Adult acne is not really much more different than the acne you may (or may not have) experienced in your teenage years. You could be getting acne due to hormonal imbalances, stress, poor hygiene, or from a medical condition such as allergies.
  • Hormonal imbalances usually occur in women; you may have acne when you are beginning to experience (and during) menopause. This situation happens because your hormones are changing during this time, which can affect your skin tone and texture. Your skin may also be producing more oils during this time.
  • Stress can be a factor in the young or the old. Stress from work or home life as an adult can begin to wear on the body and appear as pimples on the skin. You may notice a pimple here and there, or they may appear in clusters.
  • Poor hygiene can also be a factor of your adult acne. If you aren’t washing your face daily, or washing it too much, acne can appear. You may need to change your face wash if you’ve been using the same method for too long.
  • Allergies to foods can lead to breakouts, or the condition may appear more like a rash. Keep an eye on what you’re eating, and keep a food journal to narrow down what has been causing acne to appear.
Adult acne affects more adults than you may think and is very common. Know that acne can be treated, although it may take time depending on what type of acne you have. Adult Acne Treatments If you have adult acne, make an appointment with a dermatologist to have your acne treated properly. Some types of acne will not clear up with store-bought acne products; these types require something much stronger, like a prescription cream or an oral medication. To help prevent your acne, try some common treatment options, such as:
  • Balancing hormones. A hormonal imbalance could be to blame. If this is the case, using birth control pills or another type of hormone pill may help, as can avoiding foods with hormones in them, such as dairy products like cheese and milk.
  • Changing your face wash routine. Switch up how you wash your face. If you’ve been using the same face wash since high school, try something new.
  • Use a facial moisturizer. Your face wash may be drying out your skin, which will cause your skin to produce extra oil and result in a breakout. Use a facial moisturizer to keep your skin hydrated.
  • Drink water daily. Drink water throughout the day to keep your skin hydrated and clear. Drinking water can also flush toxins from your body, including your face.
  • De-stress. Do something for yourself to help alleviate stress from your day. Take a warm bath, read a book, exercise, or go out with friends — whatever you have to do to alleviate your stress.
Use these tips to help treat your acne and follow the advice of your dermatologist. If you have adult acne, make an appointment with East Carolina Dermatology and Skin Surgery, PLLC to have your acne treated properly.  

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