You really thought acne and pimples are for the teens? Well, you are wrong, even big people ca get acne. This is true mainly for women who are nearing their menopause; that is not to say that men won’t get it. Adult acne generally raises its head as you reach your 40’s – the phase when generally peri-menopause starts for women, your fluctuating hormones is the culprit. So if you are nearing your 40’s or are 40, then this is what you should watch out for:
Point # 1: Unlike teen acne that appears on mostly the T-Zone, adult acne appears around what is called the C-zone of your face. You will tend to get it on the sides of face, temple, and near the jawline.
Point # 2: The acne starts as a tenderness around the area, and emerges as red, painful bumps without actually becoming pustules that happens in teenage acne. Adult acne often appears as one or two red bumps rather than a whole flare of acne that occurs during your teens.
Point # 3: Change in the levels of male and female hormones in your body leads to your sebaceous glands going on an overdrive producing these red bumps. In severe cases you can get adult acne on your chest and back as well.
Point # 4: It’s not always your hormones that are to blame, even thyroid abnormality can lead this condition.
Point # 5: To rule out the reason for adult acne visit an endocrinologist and a dermatologist.
Point #6: Deal with adult acne at home, try body detox techniques like yoga, and a diet with lots of fresh fruits and vegetables that are rich in antioxidants and have anti-inflammatory properties.
Point #7: Take your doctor’s advice and try face wash and creams with salicylic acid or benzoyl peroxide to dry out existing acne.
Point # 8: Adult acne often leaves behind dark spots and uneven pigmentation on your skin, so you might need to use skin-lightening creams and treatments to deal with the after effects of this condition. Try products with liquorice, kojic acid to get rid of blemishes.
Point # 9: You can seek professional help from your dermatologist who may start you with a gentle peel to remove the dead layer of the skin, and gradually diminish the spots, and follow it up with hydra-facials to balance out the moisture and sebum content in your skin to prevent flare-ups.
Point # 10: In case of stubborn spots, your dermatologist or aesthetic physician might suggest laser or light therapy. Treatments like Fraxel – a non-invasive laser treatment that works with your own skin cells to promote collagen production that rejuvenates skin literally from the inside.
