We all thought we’d put acne behind us, but all of a sudden, the pimples of our teen years are popping back—and with a vengeance! What happened? Wrinkles are bad enough, but to have to endure acne all over again is downright unfair.
Find out what causes adult acne and what you can do to treat and prevent it.
Blame it on stress
When we are under stress, our body releases a hormone called cortisol. This, in turn, amps up our body’s production of oil. And when that oil gets clogged, by dirt or makeup, you know what happens next. A huge zit, usually in the most conspicuous part of the face.
Goodbye sleep, hello acne!
When we were teens we grabbed every chance stay up to party all night. And most of us are still up burning the midnight oil, but for less entertaining reasons: cramming an important presentation, staying up with a sick baby, or fighting off stress-induced insomnia. Well, those late hours are affecting our skin. Hormones go haywire when we mess up our sleep patterns. So, when you wake up, you not only have to worry about dark circles, but pimples too!
Hormonal fluctuations
We’re more prone to acne during adolescence because of hormonal fluctuations. The hormones settle down in our twenties, but they can act up again: pregnancy, menopause, or when we stop taking birth control pills.
Best anti-acne treatments
Many skincare products are designed to treat acne breakouts. Read the label. Look for benzoyl (which kills the bacteria that leads to acne) or salicylic acid (which helps break down any clogs in the pores). You can also ask for prescription products from dermatologists (these usually have higher levels of acne-fighting ingredients).
Wash your face every day with a gentle cleanser. Don’t pop pimples (which can lead to scars) and never scrub your face very hard (irritated skin is more prone to breakouts). By beauty products that are non comodogenic or less likely to clog pores.
Photo from severe-acne-treatments.com