Why You’re Still Getting Acne as an Adult

We all thought we’d be over acne once we passed our teen years, but if you’ve made it into adulthood and are still seeing pimples, you’re not alone. Here are the top causes of adult acne based on age and the best treatments to help clear your breakouts.

Acne in Your 20s

Top Cause: Because we have heard so much about anti-aging skin care and are plagued with masks, moisturizers, and serums, we sometimes tend to overdo it.

Treatment: Instead of reaching for a slew of serums and creams, focus on a simplified routine that suits your skin type. Don’t forget to ensure you’re drinking enough water. To determine how much water you need each day, start with your weight in pounds, divided by two and that will give you the minimum ounces of water you should be drinking daily for healthy skin.

Acne in Your 30s

Top Cause: Stress is high during your 30s with the pressures of family life and a full-time career, if not both. When you’re stressed, cortisol levels spike. Usually, testosterone levels also increase, which promotes oil production, resulting in those pesky breakouts.

Treatment: Cut the stress. Exercising regularly, taking up yoga or meditation, or simply cutting back on your obligations when possible can help keep your cortisol levels in check.

Acne in Your 40s

Top Cause: Major hormonal shifts during perimenopause are a clear cause of adult acne. During this time, hormonal fluctuations cause estrogen levels to dip and testosterone levels to peak. Estrogen keeps your sebaceous glands in check, so as estrogen decreases, your skin becomes oilier.

Treatment: Topical spot treatments may work to treat existing acne, but if your hormonal levels are out of sorts, talk to your doctor about hormone treatments or oral contraceptives to boost estrogen levels.

Acne in Your Late 50s

Top Cause: Take comfort in knowing that acne in your late 50s tends to be uncommon. If you are experiencing outbreaks at this age, they may be caused by a vitamin D deficiency. Vitamin D affects hormonal balance, immunity, and oil production, putting your skin at risk of a breakout.

Treatment: Diet is the answer here. Try boosting your fatty fish intake, snacking on walnuts, or purchasing vitamin D-fortified supplements and dairy products.

If All Else Fails…

For an added boost to your acne-fighting regimen, a non-invasive Intense Pulsed Light (IPL) treatment is a good bet. Look for an IPL treatment for acne reduction for acne reduction that uses both blue and red light, as this will work to kill acne-causing bacteria and heal inflammation.

If you didn’t heed the warnings to not pop pimples, you may be dealing with stubborn scarring. To reduce the appearance of acne scarring, consider a non-surgical skin resurfacing treatment that combines NanoFractional Radio Frequency (RF) and SmartScan™ technology. These devices utilize tiny pins to create micro-dermal wounds, prompting your skin to naturally heal itself and reduce the appearance of acne scars with low downtime.

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