Women Coping with Adult Acne  

The psychological effects of teen acne are a daily struggle. The loss of self-esteem, embarrassing blemishes and lost confidence can have an enormously negative impact on any teen’s life. This struggle can also affect their relationships with others as well as how they feel about themselves. It’s an ongoing battle. Who would think these tiny red blemishes could dictate someone’s life.

If you’ve reached your adult years or are well beyond your teen years for that matter and find that you are suffering from acne outbreaks on a regular basis there are treatments available.  

Although equally troubling, adult acne may require a treatment method that is different from treatments used on those suffering from teenage acne. It has been documented that the cases of adult acne are escalating – especially in women. This is why the interest from scientists, doctors and dermatologist has grown. They are trying to now identify the correlation between hormones and acne.

For many women who experience adult acne, it’s not uncommon for their hormones to be the culprit. Adult acne in women usually doesn’t occur until she is well into her twenties, usually due to a fluctuation in her hormonal levels. Unfortunately, this type of acne can remain for a number of years – sometimes even into her menopausal years.

If you are a woman dealing with adult acne there is a light at the end of the tunnel. Depending on how severe your condition is, there are treatments available and your doctor may prescribe an acne medication like antibiotics or topical creams that contain retinoid.

Oral contraceptives have also been proven to be effective in reducing and in some cases eliminating adult acne in many women. If you’re not currently taking birth control, you should definitely discuss how taking it can affect you in terms of its risks and benefits.   Although oral contraceptives have been proven in many cases to reduce your chances of developing other health conditions like osteoporosis and some types of cancer, they have been known to cause harmful side effects.

However, before you begin turning to prescription drugs or even any kind of oral medication you need to realize that how you cleanse your skin can have an impact on your acne outbreaks as well. While it may be tempting to abrasively scrub your skin clean, you need to concentrate on gently cleansing your skin instead.

If you are scrubbing your skin, this harsh cleansing method will often aggravate your skin condition causing more redness and irritation. Instead, choose to cleanse your skin very gently with a mild cleanser that contains glycolic acid or a similar ingredient known to reduce excess oil production. Using a soft cotton cloth with warm water followed by a cool rinse is recommended.

As all women would agree looking good is essential to feeling good. Although you want to beautify your skin with cosmetics, care and precaution should be taken. You don’t have to necessarily refrain entirely from wearing makeup, but you’ll want to use as many noncomedogenic cosmetic products as possible.

Noncomedogenic products also known as non-occlusive makeup products will not block your pores and therefore increase your chances of another outbreak. These products can come in the form of creams, lotions, or oils. If you are a woman that suffers from dry skin or if you’re skin is showing signs of aging, there are non-occlusive moisturizing creams available on the market to soften your face.

If you do begin to use an acne medication or ointment you need to be aware that you will most likely become sensitive to sunlight. So, you’ll have to limit your sun exposure. In order to avoid sunburn or redness, be sure to use a sunscreen suited to your skin type.

Adult acne although common, it is often not seen in your social networks. That’s what makes it so embarrassing, especially if you’re thirty or older. However, seek the guidance of your physician or dermatologist first. There is a wide selection of successful treatments available. The most difficult task is locating the product that works best for you.

Focusing on the treatment of your acne from the start will decrease your chance of experiencing another breakout in the future. You’ll be able to eliminate or reduce any symptoms before they have the chance of becoming a major problem.