50% of women have to battle female adult acne in their 20s, 30s, and even in their 40s and beyond. It's not fair! Take a look at the guilty parties that might be making you feel like a teenager again.
You're not a kid anymore. You're 25, 30 or even in
your 40s -- so what's with the pimples!? Weren't you supposed to leave
those at your high school prom? You're not alone -- 50% of women suffer
from female adult acne. So what can you do about it?
There are
lots of products out there from all the big cosmetics companies
promising to help you clear up your adult acne, but you can't tell what
is right for you unless you know what is causing your bad complexion
in the first place. The answer is usually androgen (male) hormones
created by your ovaries. But you're a woman! Well, we all have a
certain amount of so-called male hormones, too. These hormones cause
almost all acne through a fairly complex process where they cause dead
skin cells to clog your pores from the inside.
Acne is not a
hygiene problem. In fact, the only washing that could help would be to
wash away your mom and dad - they gave you the genes that have probably
determined your fate when it comes to acne. Since acne is caused by
hormones, most of the causes of adult female acne are hormone-related:
Hormone fluctuations.
This is why most people get pimples during puberty when hormone levels
spike. In women, you might get once a month breakouts at a certain time
of your menstrual cycle.
Stopping birth control pills.
Since the estrogen found in birth control pills can help prevent acne
and offset those pesky androgen hormones, when you stop taking the
pill, your acne can flare up. You'll need to go back on the pill or
consider other methods.
Other medications.
Are you taking other medications that could be triggering your acne?
anticonvulsants, corticosteroids, and sobriety drugs can all trigger
acne. So can birth control pills that contain progestins but not
estrogen. You should talk to your doctor before stopping any of these
medications, but let your doctor know that you might want a different
formulation that will not flare your acne.
Heredity. Thanks mom. If your mother, father and immediate siblings have had acne, chances are you inherited it.
Stress.
25 years ago, dermatologists insisted that stress could not cause acne.
Well, they were wrong. We now know that stress can and does increase
the production of androgen hormones. So relax. If you learn to control
your stress, you might be able to help your skin.
Diet.
Some foods, particularly milk can aggravate acne and even cause
breakouts. Try to keep track of the foods you are eating. If you notice
your skin turn for the worse after eating a particular food, try
cutting it out of your diet.
Skin care products.
If skin care products are causing your acne, it is called acne
cosmetica (as opposed to acne vulgaris which is caused by hormones)
This is caused by oily sunscreens and other products that clog the skin
from the outside. If you have acne prone skin, you should only use
products labeled non-comedogenic.
Underlying condition.
If you have other symptoms such as excessive facial hair, bald patches
or thinning hair and irregular periods, there might be a more serious
medical condition causing your acne. See a doctor if you have any of
these other symptoms.
Now you probably have an idea about the cause of your
female adult acne. Tailor your treatment options accordingly. Ask
yourself the next time you are pitched an acne treatment product if
that product is going to have an effect on your condition. Creams and
lotions are probably not going to do much good if your acne is caused
by hormones, but they can sure make your pocketbook lighter!
Erica Jennings is an acne researcher, writer, and former acne sufferer. Check out these links for more information on adult female acne, and promising ways to clear acne
