Women, Breakouts, and Adult Acne Products
Are you a woman with adult-onset acne? You aren't alone. According to the American Academy of Dermatology (AAD), acne affects nearly 15 percent of adult women. If you suddenly find yourself dealing with the same pimple problems that your teen faces, take a look at what you need to know about this common condition and the adult acne products that may help you to clear your complexion.
What Causes Adult Onset Acne?
There isn't one answer to this question. Like the acne that you experienced as a teen, stress, genetics, medication, and pore-clogging hair/skin care products can cause the adult onset issue. Hormonal fluctuations can also cause acne in adult women. But not for the same reasons it does in teens.
The transition into and through puberty can cause a teen's hormones to change dramatically. While these spikes may have stopped years ago, you can still have life changes that result in major hormonal ups and downs. Pregnancy, a new type of birth control, stopping your old type of birth control, and perimenopause/menopause can cause hormone-related adult acne. Even though periods aren't major transitions, the changes in hormone levels throughout the month could also result in this issue for some adult women.
What Adult Acne Treatments Can Help Women?
The type of treatment you choose depends on a few factors. These include the reason for your acne, your skin type, your age, and your product preferences. Before you choose a treatment method, talk to your dermatologist about your skin goals. The types of products that helped to heal your acne as a teen may not accomplish everything you're looking for now as an adult. Along with reducing pimples and minimizing the risk of scars, you may also need to hydrate or plump your skin or you may want to decrease the appearance of fine lines.
Some women respond well to topical treatments, such as retinoids. Retinoids can increase collagen production, making these creams effective for treating both acne and fine lines. A topical retinoid cream may also improve your skin's texture and fade sun spots. If fine lines and age-related issues aren't a concern, benzoyl peroxide or salicylic acid may help to clear or prevent breakouts. These are available in lotions, creams, gels, spot treatments, and masks for at-home use.
Hormonal acne that doesn't respond to topical treatments may require a systemic approach. You may need to treat the hormonal imbalance or find a way to regulate your hormones. Some types of birth control can help women who experience period-related or post-pregnancy acne. Pregnant women should not use these methods. Women in perimenopause may also respond well to hormonal birth control. Hormone replacement therapy is another option that may reduce breakouts and other perimenopause symptoms.
Speak to a skincare representative to learn more about adult acne products.