Why You Still Have Acne as an Adult

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Imagine how annoying it is to get over teenage acne in your 20’s and then learn the hard way that breakouts don’t necessarily end then.

Coming to terms with adult acne is very difficult, so imagine acne and wrinkles at the same time, it does sound like a sick joke right? Be rest assured, you’re not the only person dealing with this as it is getting common by the day. Some people are even getting it into their 50’s.

If you had acne as a teen, chances are you’ve got oily skin that’s prone to breakouts but even if you didn’t, it’s still possible you’ll end up with adult acne. Knowing what is causing your skin woes can help you clear and keep breakouts under control. We discuss the causes below.

 

Causes of Acne

1. Hormones

Fluctuation in hormones such as before one’s menstrual cycle(for women) is a big culprit. Male hormones like testosterone rears it’s ugly head and results in deep, painful cystic acne around the chin, neck and back.

2. Stress

Whether you work full time, are an entrepreneur or a stay at home mum, chances are your stress levels are high. When you’re stressed, your adrenal gland makes the stress hormone cortisol and is meant to put it back into the body to help the body deal with stress, but sometimes a bit of testosterone leaks out with it, driving the oil glands to produce more oil. Excess oil production is the root cause of breakouts.

3. Pollution

This just puts a layer of junk on your face, especially if you live in a city like Lagos. Generator smoke and the fumes from car exhausts during traffic is enough to give you a foundation of grime. Try this out, clean or wash your face, then go for a walk for an hour and when you get home wipe your face with a face wipe or face towel. Look at the color. You definetly won’t like what you’ll see.

4. Using the wrong products

If you have oily or combination skin and are prone to breakouts, you should be using skincare products labeled ‘oil-free’, non-comedogenic’ and ‘water-based’. This will ensure that the product isn’t going to clog your pores and make matters worse. Remember to read the labels before you buy store bought skincare products. If in doubt, just ask for help.

5. Cleaning too frequently and intensely

Over-washing your face can make acne worse. Cleansing more than twice a day is too much and can dry out your skin causing it to produce more oil to compensate.

6. Specific foods

We’ve all heard that chocolate, groundnuts, fried food, caffeine e.t.c cause breakouts.  If you break out when you eat chocolate then don’t eat chocolate. There’s really no cause-and-effect relationship with these food and acne breakout, you just need to know your body. For me, the culprit is coke and unfortunately I’m an addict but I’ve received salvation for a few weeks and still counting…

It is however recommended to avoid excess Iodine(not the type we use on wounds and cuts). Iodine causes acne in everyone if you eat enough of it. You can find iodine in shellfish like lobster, shrimp, crab and some greens like spinach.

7. Sugar

This also a skin saboteur because it raises your insulin level. Hope all you sweet tooth’s are reading this. Studies have shown that insulin boosts the oil triggering male hormones which would then trigger a breakout. So my advice is to stick to a lot of whole grains because they break down slower in the body and cause less of an insulin high. Your health will also be better for it too.

Hope you’ve learnt a few things.

Drop any questions or concerns in the comment box.

I’ll be sharing about ways to Get rid of Acne  next.

Have a super, duper SPAlicious day!

Do you know your skin type? If you don’t or you want to be sure, click on this link to get the ebook, “How to know your skin type”.