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Acne is no fun for adolescents, most of whom develop at least an occasional pimple. But acne can be devastating for adults, especially women, who are more likely than men to have acne that continues into adulthood, redevelops after years of clear skin, or even makes its first appearance late in life.
There are two types of adult acne:
The Causes of Adult Acne
No matter how old you are, acne results when oil glands in your skin secrete too much sebum, a natural moisturizer you start producing in puberty. When your pores become clogged with excessive amounts of sebum and skin cells, it fosters the growth of the infection-causing bacterium P. acnes. Pimples, nodules, and cysts form as your immune system attacks the infection.
Common triggers of adult acne include:
Acne Prevention Strategies
Proper skin care is a must. Here's what dermatologists recommend:
Acne Treatment Strategies
Adult acne is more difficult to resolve than teenage acne. Products that worked wonders when you were 16 may not be effective at 40. They can also cause dry skin. If you have persistent or late-onset acne, you may need stronger medicine.
Over-the-counter options include:
If these treatments don't work, consult your family doctor or a dermatologist. Many women with adult acne don't seek professional treatment because they mistakenly believe that nothing can be done.
Prescription options include:
Caution: Because some of these prescription medications can cause birth defects, it's essential that women of child-bearing age use effective contraception at least one month before treatment, during treatment, and for at least one month after stopping treatment.
If a prescription medication doesn't improve your skin within six to eight weeks, talk to your doctor or dermatologist about changing treatment.
When medications fail to resolve stubborn nodules or cysts, corticosteroid injections can reduce pain and swelling, and reduce the risk of scarring. If scarring does occur, surgical repair options include dermabrasion, fat transfer, and a new technique called photodynamic therapy that incorporates microdermabrasion followed by an acid peel and a laser treatment.
If you have persistent or late-onset acne, don't despair. There's no reason for this common and distressing condition to damage your self-esteem and quality of life. Today's treatments are so effective that almost all cases of adult acne can be resolved.
My Feelings of Acne Home Remedies
The acne began to get worse, I did not use anything on it. I began using small amounts of concealer as I became self conscious about it. While I was 16 I began using full coverage foundations because it was worse. I never touched any products that weren't completely natural and my diet wasn't fantastic. But 6 months into this I changed my diet completely and started using natural products such as tea tree oil and paw paw cream and aloe Vera. I went on vacation for a week and forgot to bring my tea tree oil once and consumed popcorn (which makes me break out) and got an incredibly horrible deep pimple for 3 days. So I bought tea tree oil and it cleared up. I also was in an environment very close to the beach and by the end of the stay my skin was the best it had been for a long time. I tend to eat heaps of fruit and vegetables.
Now my face is at it's absolute worst, the acne has spread to the sides of my face mildly and I have (not very visible) bumps on my forehead. My cheeks rarely get pimples but contain a lot of scarring. My chin is the worst, it constantly contains whiteheads and often gets large pimples. Between my eyebrows also regularly gets small pimples. Here is my diet: I have cut out dairy, sugar, red meats, all processed food. I only eat fruit, veges, chicken, brown pasta, brown rice, etc. I drink 2 litres of water every day. I have 1c green tea every day, I have 1t of apple cider vinegar diluted every day. I use tea tree oil twice a day morning and night. I use apple cider vinegar as a toner once a day. I moisturise with extra virgin olive oil every day and use that to take off my make up. I have tried healthy natural chemical free make ups and they make literally no difference. I get plenty of sleep and am currently not working and have low stress levels. I exercise regularly and walk everywhere. My acne does not seem to be inflamed by my period. Although I get very light periods and often only every 2nd or third month- I am not sure why.. I eat the right amounts and don't over or under exercise. I never sleep with make up on. I wash my face twice a day + a shower. I recently started to exfoliate every few days with raw sugar and water syrup and it makes no difference although my face is smoother and softer. I have tried a natural green clay mask I bought... No difference. I use baking powder sometimes to exfoliate instead of sugar, it feels softer but never changed the acne. I replaced my shower water system with a filtered one to prevent aggravation and I make sure my showers are not too hot. I almost never touch my face although if I have a pimple I will pick it off if I'm about to go out, I know it's bad but it's just too visible otherwise.
If it helps, my skin is very fair and I have very thin hair which tends to get oily. I change my shampoo often and only use good quality ones (and conditioner) and I always avoid letting it touch my face. I don't get body acne except the tiniest occasional pimple or two on my chest neck or back, it's so faint though.
I have tried lemon juice, egg masks, clay masks, baking soda exfoliators, green tea, sugar exfoliation, red wine, tumeric powder... nothing makes it any better or worse.
I feel like it might be internal but my diet is absolutely flawless- no hormones, no dairy, no sugars.
and I haven't always done this so I don't think it's a deficiency.
Now my face is at it's absolute worst, the acne has spread to the sides of my face mildly and I have (not very visible) bumps on my forehead. My cheeks rarely get pimples but contain a lot of scarring. My chin is the worst, it constantly contains whiteheads and often gets large pimples. Between my eyebrows also regularly gets small pimples. Here is my diet: I have cut out dairy, sugar, red meats, all processed food. I only eat fruit, veges, chicken, brown pasta, brown rice, etc. I drink 2 litres of water every day. I have 1c green tea every day, I have 1t of apple cider vinegar diluted every day. I use tea tree oil twice a day morning and night. I use apple cider vinegar as a toner once a day. I moisturise with extra virgin olive oil every day and use that to take off my make up. I have tried healthy natural chemical free make ups and they make literally no difference. I get plenty of sleep and am currently not working and have low stress levels. I exercise regularly and walk everywhere. My acne does not seem to be inflamed by my period. Although I get very light periods and often only every 2nd or third month- I am not sure why.. I eat the right amounts and don't over or under exercise. I never sleep with make up on. I wash my face twice a day + a shower. I recently started to exfoliate every few days with raw sugar and water syrup and it makes no difference although my face is smoother and softer. I have tried a natural green clay mask I bought... No difference. I use baking powder sometimes to exfoliate instead of sugar, it feels softer but never changed the acne. I replaced my shower water system with a filtered one to prevent aggravation and I make sure my showers are not too hot. I almost never touch my face although if I have a pimple I will pick it off if I'm about to go out, I know it's bad but it's just too visible otherwise.
If it helps, my skin is very fair and I have very thin hair which tends to get oily. I change my shampoo often and only use good quality ones (and conditioner) and I always avoid letting it touch my face. I don't get body acne except the tiniest occasional pimple or two on my chest neck or back, it's so faint though.
I have tried lemon juice, egg masks, clay masks, baking soda exfoliators, green tea, sugar exfoliation, red wine, tumeric powder... nothing makes it any better or worse.
I feel like it might be internal but my diet is absolutely flawless- no hormones, no dairy, no sugars.
and I haven't always done this so I don't think it's a deficiency.