Adult Acne Causes and Treatment

Have you ever had skin problems or irritated skin? The likelihood is that most people reading this will have experienced spots and inflammation at some stage of their lives. At a recent beauty awards ceremony, we were having a discussion with some of the other finalists about what is the best acne treatment for adult acne? As a follow-up, we decided to do some research into what is clearly a problem for many.

Whilst largely associated with teenagers, acne and troubled skin are unfortunately not limited to youngsters going through massive hormonal changes and indulging in late night binge drinking sessions / fast food diets. In fact, acne has been recognised as one of the most common skin conditions in both adolescents and adults.

In order to understand what we are dealing with, we asked - what exactly is acne? Well, in pure technical terms, it is the overproduction of sebum by the sebaceous gland in the pilosebacious unit. In plain English, this translates as “the clogging up of your pores by overproduction of oil which would normally condition your skin and hair follicles”. If left alone, this forms an ideal breeding ground for bacteria.

The next question is, what causes it? Well, obviously, lifestyle is a major factor. What goes in plays a significant part in how you look, i.e. “what comes out” – think rashes and breakouts here. In addition, these days we are also subject to a constant environmental bombardment of airborne pollutants which, if not managed with a proper daily cleansing routine, can easily lead to blocked pores, blemishes and inflamed skin.

What may come as a surprise to some however is the fact that adult acne causes and treatments are pretty much the same as for juvenile acne. Hormones do not disappear after you hit your twenties and emotional stress pretty much feels the same whether you are sweating over A-levels or worrying about your mortgage, whilst clogged pores are likely to result in bacterial infections and inflammation whatever your age.

This leaves us with the final and most important question – what can we do to get rid of it?

The pharmaceutical industry has obviously recognised there is a ready and very profitable target market for adult acne treatment. Pharmacy shelves carry a wide range of topical acne creams containing anything from Salicylic Acid and antibiotics such as Tetracycline, to antimicrobial agents such as Benzoyl Peroxide. Although these products are widely used and are generally safe and effective, they can quite often result in a number of unpleasant side effects, including (surprisingly) skin irritation, itchiness, redness and dryness.

The good news is that even acne prone skin can very often be successfully managed without the use of these “heavy duty” remedies. With the right skincare routine and clean beauty products, such as Maiiro’s organic soap and our 83% organic anti-blemish hydrating cream, which both contain 100% natural, proven anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial ingredients, skin breakouts can be contained or avoided altogether, whilst avoiding known irritants such as artificial fragrances and petroleum-based preservatives.

Unfortunately, we are not yet able to regulate your hormones, emotional health or credit card balance. However, we are happy to share our free common-sense advice instead – stay hydrated, moderate your alcohol intake and avoid fast food binges of course . . . .