Adult Acne: A Bumpy Ride Towards Aging

Picture this; the snow-white clear skin that you have been proud of since your teen years has suddenly poofed into a wicked witch's warty face upon reaching the age of 30! "Acne, at ! "Acne, at my age?" This is often the distressed statement of pockmarked men and women in their 30's to 40's afflicted with adult acne.

This problem is surely not the work of a vengeful sorcerer. Acne vulgaris is what this most common skin disorder in the United States is scientifically called. Statistics has it that 15 million people in US alone are afflicted with acne. It is an embarrassing problem among teenagers. But this condition is not only limited to those awkward years. Adult acne is also prevalent, especially among people in the age group of 25 to 40.

Acne is a disease that resulted from the accumulation of sebum, a highbrow term for oil, underneath the skin. When this happens and the desquamation (human's way of molting) process goes wrong, the pores become clogged. Aggravation will continue and soon infection sets in. A bad bug called Propionibacterium acnes causes this infection. Overproduction of oil and mismanagement of the process of shedding cells equals bunged pores. Clogged pores plus P. acnes, the scoundrel, equals breakout. Those pesky zits are produced just as easy as that.

One of the pushing forces that may cause the occurrence of acne includes the elevation of levels of testosterone among adolescents. No, it's not Toblerone misspelled. No matter how many anecdotes you've heard about chocolate addiction causing zits to dominate your face, there's really no enough scientific basis to prove this. Testosterone is a chemical produced by the body that increase sebum production and change the keratin of the hair follicles. Testosterone is an androgen. Androgen is a hormone produced in high levels among males. This is the reason behind the worse cases of acne among teenage boys more than girls.

Adult acne is called acne rosacea. It is characterized by the following: unsightly thick, red skin on the nose and cheeks, pus-filled blisters, small red bumps, and small red blood vessels seen on the skin surface. It is more commonly linked to increased levels of stress. Isn't it interesting how the body reacts to this stimulus? NOT. When exhausted, like Gizmo getting wet, our skin could actually give birth to little monsters! Though they are not as troublesome as gremlins, they could be just as annoying as well. Seriously, pimples can be difficult to deal with, and can cause depression and anxiety in an adult the same way it can in a teen. Pressure from work and family responsibilities is thought to possibly affect the normal balance of our hormones. And hormones messed up means having to put up with bumpy complexion caused by adult acne.

Aside from stress-triggered hormonal imbalance, hot foods alcohol consumption, and smoking are also considered to exacerbate adult acne. This may help you reconsider your food preferences and habits.

Acne lesions are commonly found on the face, but they can also pop out anytime on the neck, chest, back, shoulders, scalp, and upper arms and legs. Adult acne is more persistent than teen acne. It is because adults are consistently exposed to the many factors that cause breakouts. Another hitch of adult acne is permanent scarring. It is an evidence of the inevitable reality that with the coming of age, the skin loses its erstwhile ability to repair itself. As if there's a need to be reminded of that when your face starts to wrinkle already. Now here's more to shriek in terror for, especially those in their mid-20's: adult acne causes PREMATURE AGING. Isn't that just nerve-wracking?

Enough of the endless yada's regarding how adult acne could further destroy us. As how master Yoda puts is, educated we must be with the crusade towards clearer AND younger skin. Or at least skin that is just our age we must maintain.

At the first sight of those wicked pimples together with gray hair and wrinkles (talk about aging signs overkill), just like with teenagers, impulse dictates squeezing. But you very well know that squeezing is a big no-no. How old are you? You surely don't need any more marks of time's passage.

In severe cases, consulting a dermatologist would best help in dealing with adult acne. The dermatologist may prescribe an antibiotic, vitamin A derivative like Isotretinoin or other acne drug available. More women may be afflicted with adult acne than men. Pregnancy is another story if you are prescribed anti-acnes, especially Isotretinoin.

Proper skin care may not guarantee a flawless complexion. But a good skin care regimen may aid in warding off bacteria that worsen adult acne. If you love scrubbing for its squeaky-clean feel, think twice. It can render more damage to your already-blemished skin.

Another hint especially for women: use NON-COMEDOGENIC products. Non-comedogenic basically means anything that does not clog skin pores or cause acne. Do your homework and look for as many non-comedogenic versions of the skin care products you use. It's worth it, you'll see.

If stress is linked with adult acne, then, disengaging yourself from stressful activities might work wonders, right? A day away from work or catching up on one of your hobbies won't hurt.

There's this bold Jean Kerr reacting on a classical quotation.

"I'm tired of all this nonsense about beauty being only skin-deep. That's deep enough. What do you want, an adorable pancreas?"

It doesn't mean the depreciation of a pleasing personality. Such reaction only imparts a message of giving value to what boosts your self-esteem. If it's a clear complexion along with your aging gracefully, so be it. No adult acne should put a shame on your face and get in your way of becoming more confident.

Acne Treatments For Teenagers

The Teenagers' Guide on Treating Acne

Acne is truly one of the big problems faced and most feared by teenagers anywhere around the globe. To some, it is a nightmare to have acne that truly gives very unfavorable effects. It surely lowers a person's self-esteem to express themselves freely and confidently to their families, friends, partners or to anyone. It certainly carries with it physical, as well as, emotional scars made by self-conciousness and embarrassment that made some don't even want to get out of their rooms!

Acne, however, just occurs normally and naturally with teenagers like you so you shouldn't feel so bad and depressed about it.According to recent statistics, 9 out of 10 teens and about 25% of the adult population are suffering from acne.But, acne is just a skin problem that can actually be treated. Doctors and health companies, nowadays, are looking forward to give us the best acne treatments for teenagers. Health tips are also worth to follow and made to practice. You should know that prevention is better than a cure! As the saying goes, the best cure for your acne problems is making the constant effort of preventing it to occur in the first place.

Self-prepared remedies

There are so many acne treatments for teenagers like you that can actually be found inside your home or just right in your garden. Fruits and other herbs are known to men as cure to almost any health problems, one of these is acne. You will surely find it fun to make your own proven acne treatment for teenagers. Making a paste or a mask is actually one of the common procedure teenagers do to treat their acne. You can actually make one with ground orange peel or fresh lemon juice. Another effective acne treatment for teenagers is actually a mixture of tea tree and sweet fennel essential oils added with witch hazel. This is believed to remove the excess oil and dirt on your face and kill the bacteria that cause the unwanted acne. Corn flour mixed with egg white is another great option that you can try to clear that acne in your face. Cucumber, a favorite acne treatment for teenagers, is tested to prevent the appearance of acne. It also refreshes your tired and unhealthy skin.

Right on the counter

When you think home-made preparations are not the acne treatments for teenagers like you, then ‘over-the-counter’ products are more recommended for you. Anytime at the nearest store in your neighborhood, you can buy these non-prescription products that are truly great acne treatments for teenagers. Boys especially prefer these products for it is really awkward for them to put on a facial mask. Benzoyl peroxide is actually the best known acne treatment for teenagers that is available in stores. It works as to dry the skin and eventually encourage it to peel off and form a new, healthier skin surface. It also has antibacterial effects, very good in killing that irritable acne-causing bacteria.

The doctors’s advice

Not all cases of acne problems can be treated by self-made applications or “over-the-counter” drugs. These actually only treats mild to moderate acne problems. Thus, a consultation with your doctor is advisable, especially when you have a severe case of acne problem. Your doctor will surely give you more potent acne treatments for teenagers which are actually divided between topical and oral solutions. Topical acne treatments given to teenagers are applied directly on the skin include antibiotic lotions and azelaic acid which is described as a benzoyl peroxide alternative. Meanwhile, oral antibiotics that you have to take in are just some of the recommended acne treatments for teenagers.

Acne Treatment Tips

Acne is a broad term which includes blemishes, blackheads, and whiteheads. Acne can strike at any age. Effective acne treatments are sometimes difficult to find, and understanding acne and prevention can be frustrating. Here are some acne treatment tips that have worked for many.

Although acne isn’t life threatening it can be uncomfortable and hard on your ego. There has always been a debate about the actual cause of acne. The actual cause isn’t as important as finding a cure.

So is there a cure for acne. Well yes and no. There are many products available and for some they are a cure, for others they do not help. A cure is only a cure when you find a product that works for you.

Most acne treatments will take time to work. It usually takes around 8 weeks before you see any significant improvement so you are going to have to be patient. Once you’ve got your acne cleared up it’s important to continue with the treatment that’s working so it does not return.

If you have serious acne it is best to consult a dermatologist. However in milder cases you will often be able to get it under control by yourself just by preservering. Try these tips to conquer your acne.

Exercise
Regular exercise helps keep your whole body in shape. It builds your immune system and helps eliminate toxins from the body. It’s a great start to fighting acne.

Diet
You need to eat at least 5 servings of fresh fruit and vegetables each day. Fresh fruit and vegetables are full of nutrients that your body needs. They boost the immune system and are good antioxidants. They can work towards helping you get rid of the acne. Try to avoid refined sugars and fatty foods which have are not good for you or your skin. You also need to drink at least 8 glasses of water a day to flush your system of toxins.

Cosmetics
Choose cosmetics that are water based and hypo-allergenic. Avoid oil free products, coal tar derivatives, and heavy creams. Make sure you wash your skin thoroughly every night to remove makeup residue.

Hormones
Hormones can play a role in acne flare ups and they can be used to reduce outbreaks. Your doctor may decide to use HRT to eliminate or reduce your acne outbreaks.

Clean Skin
You need to avoid harsh scrubbing of your face but you also need to thoroughly clean your skin nightly. Use a mild cleaning regime every night. Once or twice a week you should also use an exfoliator to gently remove damaged skin and unplug pores.

Shaving
Is actually a great exfoliating treatment the removes dead skin. However you should never shave an area that is infected or inflamed. Always use a shaving cream if your skin is sensitive.

Stress
Can be a contributing factor to acne so try to relax and unwind. Emotions trigger chemical reactions in the body which can cause an outbreak.

You can help control your acne outbreaks by following these simple steps. What are you waiting for?

Acne Treatment: 7 Things You Must Know!

Let me ask you this...

Are you suffering from acne?

Do you know what is causing it and is there any effective acne treatment?

Studies show that an estimated 80 % percent of people experience acne at some point. No one knows exactly what the cause of acne is, but there are a few theories.

Let´s take a look at 7 of them:

1. Acne normally begins between the ages of eleven and thirteen.

This is true in both males and females due to changes in hormone levels. These hormones, called androgens, will enlarge the facial glands. The oil produced by the glands is known as sebum. The hair follicles shed dead cells too quickly and the cells and sebum form a blockage in the gland.

2. Pressure and rubbing from tight garments.

Adult with acne should avoid tight-collared shirts that might irritate the acne further. Adult athletes may notice an outbreak of acne from equipment such as backpacks or athletic helmets.

3. Acne can also be caused by genetics.

Studies have shown that a family history of acne can affect whether you have acne and the severity of it. So if your mother or father had acne as a teen, chances are that it will be a contributory factor to the cause of your acne.

4. Factors linked to women

Women have several factors that men don’t that can be linked to the cause of acne. Women go through several phases of life that cause their hormone levels to change. These changes can cause acne in adult women between two and seven days before their menstrual cycle.

5. Pregnancy and hormones

Pregnant women also experience a fluctuation in hormones.

Those who may have previously had little or no acne may see pimples during their pregnancy and for a time after the birth of the baby until the hormone levels return to normal.

6. Menopause and hormones

Menopause will cause changes in hormone levels for woman and can be a cause of acne. Women also tend to wear heavy makeup when experience an acne outbreak, which only worsens the problem by further clogging pores.

7.Stress.

Especially in adults, stress can be another cause of acne. When you are stressed, the hormone cortisol is produced.

Cortisol will worsen any acne you already have. To prevent stress-related acne, try relaxation and meditation.

Some adults experience acne from picking at blemishes on their skin. You should never pick at or squeeze a pimple, blackhead or any other blemish on your face.

This can only cause more acne and possibly an infection. When cleaning your face, avoid harsh facial cleansers(they cause the creation of more sebum) and scrubbing your face too vigorously.

Acne treatments

The sad part is that most of the acne products are sold over the counter for treatment.

Most over-the-counter acne treatments are topical and come in the form of a cream, soap, lotion or gel.

Acne products normally contain benzoyl peroxide (good for killing the bacteria and possibly reducing oil production), sulfur (helps eliminate blackheads and whiteheads) and/or salicylic acid (cuts down the speed of cell lose).

More severe cases may require prescription acne medicine that is topical or oral.

Oral acne medication can help reduce both the growth of the bacteria and inflammation of glands.

Acne Skin Care Tips that Work

How should people go about acne skin care? This article enumerates some basic guidelines to go by. For example, you should clean your skin gently, avoid frequent handling of the skin, avoid sun tanning, and lastly, women should choose their cosmetics carefully and men must shave carefully for good acne skin care.


People with acne may try to stop outbreaks and oil production by scrubbing their skin and using strong detergent soaps. However, scrubbing will not help acne skin care; in fact, it can make the problem worse. Most doctors recommend that people with acne gently wash their skin with a mild cleanser for acne skin care, once in the morning and once in the evening.


Patients should ask their doctor or another health professional for advice on the best type of cleanser to use for acne skiw.help-for-acne.com">acne skin care. Acne skin care also means washing your skin after heavy exercise. Patients should wash their face from under the jaw to the hairline; rough scrubs or pads should not be used. It is important that patients thoroughly rinse their skin after washing it. Astringents are not recommended for acne skin care unless the skin is very oily, and then they should be used only on oily spots. Doctors also recommend that patients regularly shampoo their hair as part of acne skin care. Those with oily hair may want to shampoo it every day for proper acne skin care.


People who squeeze, pinch, or pick their blemishes risk developing scars. Acne lesions can form in areas where pressure is frequently applied to the skin. Frequent rubbing and touching of skin lesions should be avoided if you take your acne skin care seriously.


Men who shave and who have acne can try electric and safety razors to see which is more comfortable for acne skin care. Men who use a safety razor should use a sharp blade and soften their beard thoroughly with soap and water before applying shaving cream. Nicking blemishes can be avoided by shaving lightly and only when necessary.


A suntan or sunburn that reddens the skin can make blemishes less visible and make the skin feel drier for a little while. But the benefits are only temporary and cannot take the place of proper acne skin care. The sun can seriously damage skin, promote aging of skin, and cause skin cancer. Furthermore, many of the medications used to treat acne make a person more prone to sunburn.


People being treated for acne often need to change some of the cosmetics they use. Acne skin care demands that all cosmetics, such as foundation, blush, eye shadow, and moisturizers, should be oil free. Patients may find it difficult to apply foundation evenly during the first few weeks of treatment because skin may be red or scaly, particularly with the use of topical tretinoin or benzoyl peroxide.

Acne Scars - Getting Rid of Bad Memories!

Acne scars can often be the final reminder of a bad time in the life of a person’s skin. Though acne is one of the most common skin disorders, most former patients feel no need to display their scars like war wounds from a hard won battle, and once sufferers have achieved the clear skin they have longed for so long, they move swiftly into a new fight – how to remove, or at least lessen, their acne scars.

Just as there are different types of acne, there are also different types of acne scar. While the painful cyst type acne usually leaves scarring of some kind, some former patients find themselves with minimal damage after suffering with this type of the condition, while others who have had more superficial blemishes find that they scar badly. Scars are caused by both the build-up of excess tissue and by the loss of tissue due to acne, and the type of treatment that is appropriate will vary from patient to patient. But medical advances have led to a number of new developments, which means that there is even an effective treatment for deep acne scars available.

Most types of the skin condition leave indented acne scars, which are difficult to conceal using makeup. Thankfully, there are available treatments for these deep acne scars, which can even out the appearance of the skin. Chemical peels can be used for shallower acne scars, while dermabrasion can penetrate the skin at a deeper level. One of the most recent developments in this field is the use of laser treatment for acne scars, which uses the energy of a laser to penetrate the skin and improve its appearance. Different types of laser have different healing properties – a consultation with a dermatologist will help determine which laser treatment for acne scars will have the best effects on your skin.

Scars, particularly acne facial scars, can be a daily reminder of a time you are very glad to see the back of, but thankfully there are treatments available to help you achieve the skin you deserve. Make an appointment with a dermatologist and find out how you can say good bye to those acne scars for good.