Here you are, in your 20s and 30s, thinking you’ve reached the safe zone until BOOM! Suddenly, you wake up to the breakout hell you thought you left behind with your teenage years
Coming to terms with the fact that acne doesn’t just happen during adolescence is tough. But before you feel alone in this world, know this: you’re not the only grown-up dealing with the high school reunion your spots are currently having on your complexion.
As incomprehensible (and unfair) as it may seem, adult acne is common and affects nearly 55% of the adult population. If you dealt with spots as a teen, chances are, your oily skin is still prone to breakouts. However, even if you were one of lucky few who didn’t, there’s still a possibility you’ll experience adult acne at some point
The good news? There is a way to take back control of your skin, but first, you need to know why you’re breaking out in the first place. We're tired of guessing too, which is why we’re here to help you understand what you’re dealing with so you can tackle this beast once and for all.
Here’s why you - and so many other adults - are breaking out and what you can do about it:
Reason #1: Your hormones are all over the place.
The main reason why adults are experiencing acne in their later years, dermatologists say, is mainly due to hormonal imbalances and increased levels of stress
As woman have more frequent hormonal fluctuations (during menstrual cycles, pregnancies and stages of menopause), their chances of having adult acne are significantly higher than men. However, androgens (male hormones), are the worst offenders when it comes to hormone-related acne, one reason why levels of adult acne are also high for men.
When hormone levels change, the body starts to overproduce oil from the sebaceous glands. This results in clogged pores and inflammation – a catalyst for acne-prone skin. The only difference between now and when you were a teen is that your body becomes more sensitive to androgens as you age, bringing along with it more intense acne-causing hormones than when you were younger.
There’s no need to panic. Turns out, hormones are responsible for the way our body behaves and reacts in most areas of life. This is why you need to develop the habit of following a skincare routine daily. No. Matter. What. It truly makes a difference to your skin.
Reason #2: You’ve made some major changes to your lifestyle.
It’s no secret that when you’ve reached your twenty-fifth year on this earth, your metabolism starts to slow down. This is why it’s a good idea to increase (ahem, or even start) eating healthily and get into exercising regularly as you get older. When you make a significant change to your lifestyle, even if it’s positive, your skin can react in a not-so-positive-way.
Weight fluctuations, skin hygiene habits, exercise, dietary shifts… all these factors can mess around with your hormones and cause breakouts.
As you get older, your lifestyle and needs will change. Perhaps you never had to wash your face as a teenager or could get away with skipping the shower after a workout, but doing those same things now will wreak havoc on your skin.
And if you’re making better decisions for the health of your body and skin, then remember to be patient. It won’t happen overnight. Your body needs time to adjust. Allow your body to do its thing and you’ll soon see the results, not only in the appearance of your skin but in the way you feel about yourself too.
Reason #3: Your new skincare obsession is to blame.
Yes, we’re looking at you triple sheet masks and twelve-step skincare routines.
Of course, it’s great to see more people becoming aware of the health of their skin and taking action to look after it, but this is also one of the reasons why dermatologist appointments have gone through the roof in the last few years.
Everyone seems to be jumping on the skincare bandwagon. Trying anything and applying everything without an idea of what their skin really needs or even knowing what ingredients are in the products. The truth is using a bunch of popular products and DIY acne treatments can aggravate your skin further and in short, destroy your skin barrier to the point where you’re dealing with some pretty hardcore cystic acne.
This isn’t to say you should stop what you’re doing. It just means you need to make smart decisions when it comes to taking care of your skin. This way, you also save a ton of money by avoiding the products you just don’t need.
Say it with us: simplify, simplify, simplify.
Stop over-cleansing and excessively exfoliating. Stick to the few products you know work with your skin, not against it. Learn about the ingredients used in your products and what immediate and long-term effect they have on your skin.
This is why we use tried-and-tested natural ingredients in our skincare products because they’re both gentle on the skin and effective at banishing acne for good.
Reason #4: You’re a ball of stress.
Note to self: Relax, take a breath, you are enough, and you’ve got this
When life gets hectic, the body releases the stress hormone, cortisol, known to trigger acne breakouts. This is why stress is such a significant contributor to acne in adults.
As real as the stress gets at times, we have a choice. We can either let it take control of us or decide to take control of it.
Try out yoga, go for a run and do more of the things you love and help you relax. Meditation, reading, long baths or just taking time out for yourself in the evenings. If you’re battling to chill out and calm the chaos going on in your mind, try out an app like Headspace – a few people in our team recently signed up and we’re loving it!
Reason #5: Your skin is having a moment.
You’ve tried everything under the sun to try clear your skin, and despite your best efforts, the breakouts just keep coming back. You follow a strict skincare routine, you’ve made changes to your diet, you’re exercising more, and you’ve finally got the stress under control. So then why can you still play a game of joining the dots on your face?
The truth is there isn’t one simple answer to why you’re experiencing breakouts during adulthood. More often than not, it’s a culmination of many factors. And although we’ve explored the possible reasons for why this is happening to you, sometimes you won’t be able to pinpoint the exact cause.
It may feel like all hope is lost, but there are treatments out there that really do work. Just because adult acne is on the rise, doesn’t mean you have to live with it. There is a way to take back control of your skin.
At times, it can feel like you’re in a vicious skin cycle with no way out. We know what it’s like so trust us when we say you can break the cycle. We’re here to help you on your journey to clear skin.
If you have any questions about adult acne and how our natural skincare solution can help clear your skin, send us a message, we’d be happy to chat about it.