Acne is caused by a malfunctioning sebaceous gland. If your glands produce excessive sebum, you'll suffer from acne regardless of your age. Because of this, adults can still suffer from acne just as much as teenagers. Also, due to excessive production of oil, hair follicles, dirt, and bacteria are trapped with the oil or the sebum. This creates an infection which leads to lesions and inflammation.
Adult acne is usually less severe than adolescent pimples and blackheads are fewer and less inflammatory. Breakouts are found mostly on the rim of the mouth and chin for women and on the back and neck for men. Adult acne is often more experienced and therefore sometimes overlooked: only 22% of adult women who experience acne are currently doing anything about it.
Following, we will discuss the most common adult acne causes and treatments.
Common Causes of Adult Acne
Hormones
Hormonal and genetic predispositions are very common causes of acne. It is not only teenagers that face hormonal problems, but anyone that is predisposed to them. Women can develop polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) due to genetic factors, which leads to an increased production of androgen hormones. This can lead to acne, oily hair, oily skin, hirsutism, and other health issues.
Doctors prescribe lots of chemical and synthetic hormonal treatments to women that have these kinds of problems. For men, they prescribe aggressive medication such as Roaccutane. These treatments can only suppress the effects of acne, but they don't actually get rid of acne totally. The birth control pill can work for some women as long as they stay on it, but it can also create more acne for others. In addition, all these treatments can have a devastating effect on your internal organs.
A hormonal issue has to be addressed by living a healthy lifestyle and sticking to a healthy diet. That means eating fresh foods, avoiding snacking and processed foods, exercising 2-3 times per week, and dealing with any emotional stress. In addition, there are plant remedies that can balance the hormones in a natural and safe way.
Inflammation
Inflammation inside the body can also cause acne, as well as other health issues. Acne is actually an inflammatory process that can be triggered by a number of factors. A diet that leads to inflammation can be the main culprit. Hydrogenated oils, as well as other vegetable oils such as corn, sunflower, or soy oil, are all inflammatory foods. Gluten and phytates contained in most grain can also produce inflammation. Dairy is another food that can cause lots of acidity and inflammatory processes inside the body. People that eliminate these foods from their diet usually notice a big skin improvement. Try to figure out which foods may cause you problems and eliminate all of them one by one. In addition, try to include foods that reduce inflammation such as green leafy vegetable juices, organic animal fats, coconut oil, fish and seafood, fish oil, organic butter, organic eggs (boiled or poached), and cruciferous vegetables (cabbage, cauliflower, broccoli). Avoid fried food and go for steamed or roasted instead.
Cosmetics
Makeup and cosmetics, a billion-dollar industry, can actually be the cause of your acne. Women worldwide spend over $7 billion each year just for their makeup. For all cosmetics, the number doubles or triples. Wearing makeup every day has become a social requirement for most women. That doesn't mean that it's good for the skin, especially for acne prone skin. Most cosmetics contain many chemical ingredients that have been linked to a number of illnesses. In addition, makeup covers your pores and your skin is unable to breathe. The skin is our biggest organ and it also has an excretory function. That means that it needs to eliminate toxins and residues produced by our bodies.
When you have acne, your skin needs to heal and regenerate. It also needs to eliminate more toxins and bacteria than the normal skin cells. Covering it with any type of chemicals can just keep you trapped in a vicious cycle. Not wearing makeup may not be a permanent option for many women. However, when you are treating acne it is definitely a must.
Poor Immune System
Low immunity can always trigger different health issues depending on each individual. Most dermatologists will tell you that the cause of your acne is a bacterial infection. The bacterial infection is most of the time caused by low immunity and different predispositions towards a certain health condition. The staple treatment is, of course, taking lots of antibiotics. However, most acne sufferers experience only minimum or temporary improvement with their acne while using antibiotics. In addition, your immune system becomes even weaker when taking antibiotics. That happens because the medication takes care of the bacteria, so your immune system goes on a break. Antibiotics cause other problems too, such as destroying the normal intestinal flora which can actually lead to more severe acne.
The best solution is to boost your immune system by using natural remedies and also by using probiotics. A natural diet that includes fresh greens, regular exercise, reducing stress, and emotional balance are key aspects for promoting a healthy immune system.
Adult Acne Treatment Tips
For the fastest and best results in clearing up your adult acne, it is recommended that you add the following 3 steps to your acne regimen:
A Healthy Diet
Eating a healthy diet loaded with fruits, vegetables, and grains is vital to getting and keeping your body in good working order.
Adding plenty of water to flush out the body’s toxins and hydrate the skin is also important in this process.
Exercise is also a very important part of getting your body in shape and will relieve a great deal of stress, which is one of the major causes of adult acne.
Take Care of Your Skin
One of the most important things you can do when suffering from acne is to take care of your skin. Wash your face at least twice daily and moisturize with an oil free moisturizer.
Also, be sure to protect your skin when out in the sun by using sunscreen and protective clothing. Overexposure to the sun can irritate your skin even more.
Do Not Squeeze Zits
Squeezing zits only infects the area more. It also leaves ugly scars that are hard to get rid of.
Adult Acne Causes and Treatments Summary
The root causes of adult acne and various other types of acne in all their severity are internal, but along with it, there are many other external causes that are no less relevant. The only adult acne treatment is to holistically neutralize the external and internal factors. The holistic approach emphasizes on the internal root cause of adult acne.
By combining these techniques with your over the counter acne treatment, you should see results within a 30-day time frame.
