Adult Acne sufferer? Well, there's light at the end of the tunnel for us tooUnfortunately, adult acne is a fact. Acne does not just affect teenagers. Here's another fact...Adult Acne usually consists of the more severe types of acne... nodules and and cysts. This is true in my case. As I'm sure you are aware, acne has the ability to cause not only physical scarring, but emotional scarring as well. Some of use struggle through pre-adolescence and adolescence with low self esteem and confidence, resulting in depression and anxiety. Boy, do I remember. It was bad enough that I was somewhat of a shy child, but once I started to develop acne, my problems multiplied ten times. I would avoid eye contact at all cost, with my head hanging low. Then, I'd wish, hope and pray for relief-"maybe once I am an adult, my acne will go away". Nope, that did not happen. As a matter of fact, my acne peaked again in my mid twenties. Just as I was finding myself and spreading my wings...BAM! I was knocked back down with low self esteem and confidence. Time out with girlfriends, family or my boyfriend, totally depended on what my face looked like when I looked in the mirror. I remember several occasions when my boyfriend (now husband) would purchase concert tickets and I'd bail out at the last minute. Not able to attend, because the face looking back at me in the mirror was hideous!
Finally, A Light At The End Of The Tunnel: Then in 1998 a friend of mine (who also struggled with acne) shared with me the oral acne medication she was using. ACCUNATANE!
Well, to make a long story short...I made it to 4 out of 5 months of my Accutane therapy and experienced AMAZING results! Fast forward several years later (now) my acne is about 60%-70% better. I still need to control my adult acne, I was not "cured" but no longer have "monster-looking" breakouts!
Treating Adult Acne With Over The Counter (OTC) Acne Treatments: Are you wondering if over the counter acne treatment products work well on Adult Acne? The answer is YES! But first things first...it's crucial to know which active acne ingredient works best for you, when treating your type of acne. If you are experiencing severe types of acne such as cystic or nodule acne, like most adult acne sufferers do, then the only over the counter acne treatment ingredient that works for me is Glycolic Acid. For mild to moderate types of acne such as blackheads, whiteheads, papules and pustules ,you may find benzoyl peroxide or salicylic acid very effective for your acne type. For severe types of acne you will most likely need to consult a Dermatologist. He will evaluate your skin and put you on the path to clearer skin. At this point there is a good chance your Dermatologist will prescribe an
oral acne medication,
as part of your acne treatment.
Could Hormones Be The Key Culprit:
As you explore my site...you'll see I strongly feel hormones play a key role in acne. For women, it's a no brainer. Just about every woman I know has a flare up of acne around the time of her menstrual period. That's because androgen hormones (male hormones) are affected. Androgen hormones are responsible for causing our sebaceous glands (which are located in the dermis, our second layer of skin) to become larger-thus increasing the amount of sebum (oil) production. Having an increase of sebum (oil) production then clogs our hair follicles, then causing a build up of bacteria, which clogs our pores even more, resulting in acne.
Cosmetics And Acne When Dealing With Adult Acne: There are external factors, as well. Did you know cosmetics can contribute to adult acne? It's important to be mindful of the cosmetics you apply to your skin, make sure the brand you choose and use is noncomedogenic (won't clog pores).
Other Factors: Besides sebum (oil) and make-up, sweat can contribute to acne. Keeping your skin clean (I don't mean excessive washing) is important too. Try not to touch or pick at your skin. Believe me, I know it's tempting. When it comes to
treating your acne,
once you find the acne fighting ingredient that works for you, make sure all your acne products, including your
acne cleanser
contains the same effective ingredient. Most importantly, stay consistent with your acne treatment.
Last Words Of Encouragement: Remember, you may have acne, but acne does not have you. Please do not allow acne to control your life in anyway. Get control and stay in control of your acne. If you've had little of no success on your own, then please seek help from your caring, knowledgeable Dermatologist. Tip: Oral acne medication may be necessary and can give you that extra-upper hand against acne.
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In some cases, you may have been lucky enough to escape acne as a teenager, but out of the blue you developed acne later, as an adult. For some people your acne can stay with you well into your 30's 40's and 50's!
She lived over 500 miles from me, so I was not able to witness her miraculous results in person. But, her enthusiasm was enough for me. I rushed out to my Personal Physician and practically demanded Accutane. Well, my Personal Physician was very compassionate with my needs. Unfortunately, because he was not a Dermatologist specializing in skin conditions, he knew zilch about Accutane.
