It’s hard not to cringe when looking at your old high school photos. Unfortunately, updating your wardrobe, getting a new hairstyle, and losing the braces don’t guarantee an end to your puberty woes.
Around 25% of women and 12% of men in their 40s still have acne.
Acne was likely one of the most frustrating parts of teenage years, and our experts at Sanford Dermatology know how discouraging it can be when pimples keep coming back year after year.
We also have years of experience treating adult acne and helping patients finally shut the door on puberty. Here, we help you understand what’s going on behind the scenes of adult acne — one of the most important steps in treating it.
First and foremost, acne is an oil production and elimination problem. Pimples, zits, and blemishes of all kinds occur when your skin fails to eliminate oil, and your pores become backlogged, leading to acne.
Though skin oil is the main cause of acne, a few factors can increase the risk of breakouts and make acne a long-term problem.
We hate to say it, but some people are simply genetically predisposed to get acne (and keep getting acne for years and years). At the next gathering, take a look at your family members’ skin and see if there’s a trend of blemishes.
Hormone fluctuations are a hallmark of puberty, but you actually experience hormone fluctuations throughout your life — and your skin is often among the first to take a hit.
When hormone levels fluctuate, it affects pH balance, increases inflammation, changes circulation, and (drum roll) triggers oil overproduction.
And we all know that too much oil is a recipe for more and more pimples.
You can often tell if your acne is in response to hormone change. Hormonal acne tends to create deep, cystic acne that is tender and painful.
Using harsh cleansers, shaving dry skin, and other abrasive habits like them weaken your skin’s defenses, triggering a protective reaction in the form of inflammatory acne.
Your skin may have no problem flushing out extra oil, but if you use oil-based products, you could add it back in and then some. Check the labels on your hair and skin products and make sure they’re not part of your acne problem.
Stress (unmanaged stress, that is) triggers an increased production of the stress hormone cortisol. An imbalance in your hormones can ramp up oil production in your skin and exacerbate acne.
This also goes for physical stress. Acne may be one of your body’s ways of telling you that you’re not getting enough sleep, or you’re sick, dehydrated, or overexposed to environmental irritants.
Bacteria called Propionibacterium acnes can set off breakouts. Unfortunately, it’s not bacteria you can scrub away with soap and water. If we determine your acne is bacterial, we’ll prescribe an antibiotic.
The jury’s still out on whether or not certain foods can cause acne, but it’s worth mentioning. Those who believe in the diet-acne connection claim that white flour products, sweets, chocolate, dairy, and fast foods contribute to more breakouts.
We recommend keeping a food diary and noting how your acne changes (or doesn’t) to see if your diet truly is playing a role.
Some medications, including corticosteroids, antidepressants, and epilepsy medications, can increase your risk of adult acne.
It may not seem possible, but there’s a way to live life acne-free. We offer a wide range of adult acne treatments depending on what’s causing it. Your treatment plan may include one or more of the following:
We also walk you through best practices for skin care and help you choose better products, so you don’t exacerbate the problem.
Let’s put puberty behind you once and for all. Call or click today to schedule a consultation at any of our three conveniently located offices serving Greater Sanford, Pittsboro, and Lillington, North Carolina.
