An interesting fact is that 25% of all men and 50% of all women will suffer an outbreak of acne. Just as it does for the teen adult acne often causes stress for the adult . The pimple, blackhead, whitehead or cyst that invades the adult is just as frustrating for adults as it is for teens! Being an adult doesn’t mean you don’t have the same reactions to acne that teens do, it is certainly not uncommon for adults to have acne.
It is the same treatment for adult acne as it is for teen acne. Wash your face twice a day with mild soap (available in Pat’s store) using your hands to wash with to avoid tearing the skin as can, and more often than not, occurs when a Buff Puff, sponge or washcloth is used. Although you probably think that scrubbing your face really hard will clear out the adult acne the fact is that it will only open up areas for the bacteria to invade. Pores clog, bacteria grows and acne results.
At the heart of acne lies the pimple — what doctors call a comedo. It’s a plug of fat, skin debris, and keratin (the stuff nails, hair, and skin are made of) stuck in a hair duct. When it’s open, we call it a blackhead. When it’s closed over, we call it a whitehead. Whiteheads often cause the walls of the hair duct to rupture. This leads to redness, infection, and the papules, pustules, nodules, and cysts of acne. Often the urge to "pinch" the whitehead (or pimple) seems to overcome our common sense, just don’t do it. All you will accomplish by pinching the pimple will be to open up the area to allow more bacteria to invade the sore and you will have a worse problem than you did to begin with. Just wash your face and remember that it may take a few days to clear up the acne, just be diligent about washing twice a day.
People can spend a fortune trying all the acne treatments available. Before you go crazy spending money on the miracle cure, try using the gentle soap that is for sale in Pat’s store. The only other place I have seen this soap available for public purchase is at the pharmacy where the cost is much higher than it is on this site. Adult acne is no different than teen acne, it is caused by the pores becoming clogged with fat, dead skin and oil. Wash your face twice a day, don’t overwash it, that causes your system to produce more sebum (the oil) which will cause more breakouts.
On previous pages there are treatment suggestions and myths that should help you determine what is acne truth and what is a acne myth.
Some causes of adult acne are as follows:
Medication: Some medications that can induce acne include anabolic steroids (sometimes used illegally by athletes to “bulk up”), some anti-epileptic medications, the anti-tuberculosis drugs isoniazid and rifampin, lithium and iodine-containing medications.
Chronic physical pressure on the skin. Chafing from the straps of a backpack or tucking a violin between the jaw and chin can cause chronic physical pressure on the skin and may induce a condition known as acne mechanica.
Chlorinated industrial chemicals.
Metabolic conditions. Changes in the hormonal balance, such as those brought about by pregnancy, menstruation or hormonal abnormalities can induce acne.
It is also important to know that some lesions which appear to be adult acne are not adult acne at all. One skin condition that resembles adult acne is folliculitis, which occurs when the hair follicles become infected and inflamed. Folliculitis requires different treatment than acne.
Some causes of adult acne are stress, bad cosmetics, hormones and birth control pills. Stress causes your oil glands to overcompensate. Bad cosmetics lead to bacteria-laden pores. Hormones cause the sebacuous glands to overact and birth control pills with androgen in them can cause breakouts. To keep breakouts at bay, look for oil-free, non-acnegenic products.
How to reduce adult acne problems:
- You shouldn’t squeeze, pick, scratch, or rub your skin as it makes the problem worse, and it might even cause scarring.
- Regularly shampoo your hair, and try to keep it off your face if possible - especially at night.
- Keep a food diary to work out if you are one of the few people whose acne gets worse if they eat certain things.
- Exercise regularly to get the old blood flowing, and make sure you get a wash as soon after as possible.
- Avoid unnecessarily touching your face.
- If possible, try to minimize your stress levels.
- Avoid getting sunburned.
- Change your wash cloth every day, as bacteria can grow on damp cloth. (Better yet, use your hands to wash your face.)
- Wash your face twice a day with a gentle soap like that available in Pat’s store. (The only other place I have seen this available to the public is at the pharmacy, you can get it from my store for a whole lot less money!)
- Always rinse really well with lots of water.
- Only wear makeup that is water based, and then make sure you remove it completely.
- Granular facial scrub can make acne worse by aggravating the skin.
- Drink lots of water, water clears out the toxins from your system and hydrates your body.
Avoid Penetrating Oils: Contrary to popular belief, not all oils are comedogenic. Petroleum products, mineral oil and sunflower oil do not penetrate into the pore. Most cosmetic oils, however, can aggravate acne — so it’s best to avoid them. One of the most common acne triggers in skin products, especially lotions and sunscreens, is lanolin, a fatty acid extracted from sheep’s wool. Isopropyl Myristate, which promotes smooth, even application in many foundations, is such an aggressive penetrator that it’s the main ingredient in most rust-removers! In general, products labeled “oil-free” and "non-comedogenic" are less likely to clog your pores and trigger breakouts.
Style your hair with care. Most hair products are full of the ingredients which should be kept away from your skin: alcohol, adhesives and oils. So if you’re prone to acne, use care when styling your hair — cover your skin when you spray, and try to keep oils, mousses, gels and pomades away from the skin at the hairline. And don’t use hair products when you exercise; perspiration from your scalp can carry styling products onto your skin, contributing to new breakouts.