Adult acne: why it happens and how to get rid of it

Remember in your teens, when all you longed for was to be an adult? Being an adult was literally going to solve all your pubescent problems. You would own a house and a car, you would have loads of money, you wouldn’t have to tell your parents what time you would be home for dinner and of course, your skin would be glowing and flawless – right?

 Um, wrong. Real life adulthood isn’t quite that simple, is it? Car loans, rent, bills, cooking your own dinner (every single night) and…you’ve still got acne. Whilst most of us thought that by the age of 20 our problem skin would have vanished in some weird coming of age blessing, for a lot of us this isn’t the case. According to the NHS, 95% of people aged 11 to 30 (yes, 30!) are affected by acne to some extent. It’s frustrating and it’s in a totally-none-dramatic-way just not fair but don’t worry, there are ways to tackle it!

 Am I the only one? 

Whilst you might be looking around at your immediate friends thinking, ‘why me?’ As we previously mentioned, adult acne is a pretty common affair. It can develop for the first time in your mid-twenties, it affects men and women over the age of 35 and there are even cases of it in people in their forties. So, just to clarify, you are absolutely not the only one - we promise.

Why does it happen?

No clear answer to this question exists - trust us, we have asked many a doctor and scoured the internet for all it’s worth. It seems that there can be a lot of factors contributing to your adult acne such as hormones and genetics, stress levels, unhealthy diet and pollution. Even poor skincare habits can contribute such as frequently touching your face, not taking off your makeup before bed, not washing your pillowcases and skipping out on using a good cleanser. All of these things will add to the build-up of bacteria on your skin, blocking your pores and having a negative effect on overall skin health.

What if my problem is hormonal?

For quite a lot of adults, hormonal imbalance is the reason for their acne. High levels of testosterone crank up your skins oil production, so for men a simple imbalance can lead to a higher chance of blocked pores and in turn, angry red spots. For women, a higher level of testosterone occurs due to fluctuations in hormones around your menstrual cycle or if you’re pregnant, near to the menopause or suffer from ovarian conditions. In this case, a trip to your GP or a dermatologist should help gain a diagnosis and a prescription of medication that can help you out. But it’s also key that you maintain other routines alongside the medication to keep your skin in top condition and those savage spots at bay.

So, how else can I get rid of it?

 There are many different ways you can battle against your skin’s lumps and bumps. Medication isn’t the only way that you can gain success, and for some of you it might not be the right way at all. In general, all of the tips below can help you achieve a good complexion, and have you become that person in your teenage fantasies! Well, at least the skin part - we unfortunately can’t help you with the house or money…

 Check your diet

There is research that shows foods with a high glycaemic index (food that spike blood sugar) can affect your acne alongside the commonly known culprit that is full of hormones itself: dairy. Focus on fresh fruit and veggies and you can’t go wrong!

 Chill out with yoga or meditation

We understand that stress is part of being an adult, then that stress causes bad skin and bad skin causes you more stress… is everyone following?! But the issue is, if you don’t break the cycle, you won’t be able to beat the break outs. Try taking some me-time and relax each week with yoga or meditation. Even a regular half an hour bath can do the trick, you’ll see a difference.

 Don’t pick!

Flashbacks of your mum coming into the bathroom and shouting ‘stop picking’ still haunt you – but like they say, mums are always right. As tempting as it may be, picking and squeezing your spots really does cause more harm than good as it leads to inflammation, risk of infection and potential scarring. Just don’t do it, ok? Keep your hands busy in other ways.

Have a topical skincare routine

Sticking to a skincare routine that is primarily designed to fight blemishes in adults will really make a massive difference. It’s important to have a set routine but also not to overuse products, as this can lead to PH imbalances and further problems.

If you’re tired of trying over the counter products that just don’t work, our Anti Blemish and Scar Repair range is for you. Designed specifically to target this problem (because just like you, our founder was sick of seeing no results) this range contains ultra-concentrated doses of our miracle formula Silver Chitosan. Through intense hits of Formula 47, this range not only soothes irritated and worn out skin but simultaneously reduces blemishes and inflammation, heals scars and leaves your skin firm and bright. Check our real results section for proof!

 Still wondering exactly what Forumla 47 is and how it helps? Check out our post next week where we explain what and why we patented this miracle worker and have it in our products.