TOP TIPS TO FIGHT ACNE

Teenage acne is usually associated with excess oil, with an abundance of blackheads and pimples found all over the face.

Adult acne is usually localised in one or two specific areas - often the jaw line or cheeks, and is often more sensitive and inflamed with breakouts lasting for longer and healing slower.

While the cause of teenage acne is the onset of puberty, adult acne can have a number of triggers.

•  Hormones play a huge role in adult acne, the main one being testosterone. When there is too much of it in our body, it causes an overproduction of oil in the skin.
• As adults, our hormones can fluctuate massively for lots of different reasons, such as menstruation, pregnancy and menopause, so acne may start to develop or get worse around these times. Some medications can make acne worse, especially any medication designed to adjust hormone levels in the body, so it is important to identify if this is why your acne is there.
• The environment you live in can have a huge impact on your skin and the development of adult acne. Heat, humidity and pollution can lead to excess sebum production and bacteria build up on the skin. Likewise if your skin is becoming dried out due to cold weather or air conditioning. It may start to over produce oil to make up for the lack of water in the skin, causing more breakouts.
• Skin problems can also be hereditary, and genetics may play a part in some people having adult acne while others may breeze through life without a spot.

• Over exfoliating or cleansing - People who suffer with adult acne often feel the need to excessively wash and scrub their skin so it feels “clean”.
  This actually causes more damage than benefits, as over cleansing can dry out the skin, stripping it of its natural oils and moisture, and over exfoliating can cause micro tears in the skin bringing more inflammation and longer healing time.
  
• Not using any skincare at all - On the other end of things, there are people who feel they shouldn’t use any products on their skin because they don’t want to cause any further problems. This will actually worsen the acne, as there will be a build up of oil, bacteria and dead skin cells on the skin that will clog pores causing even more breakouts.