Do You Believe that Acne Stops after Puberty? Here Are The Shocking Facts

Remember when you hit puberty and your body went through all the changes? One of the most feared and remembered changes has got to be the breakout of pimples or in some more severe cases turning into the dreaded acne.

If you are one of the lucky people who had skin as smooth as a baby’s throughout puberty then congrats! If not you will definitely remember those times with a shudder and a sigh of relief that those times are behind you now. Or so you think.

Do you know that there is something called adult acne and that it affects you even if you are over 25 years old? This is actually quite common and can be found in quite many adults, so rest assure that you are not alone.

The two main types of adult acne are known as persistent acne where it continues from adolescence and late-onset acne which only appears only adulthood. There are many myths and facts surrounding adult acne so we have decided to clarify some of these for you.

1. It’s Your Hormones

The sebum glands on your face are activated by hormones and problems occur when the hormones cause the glands to be overactive. This explains why some women get flare-ups before their periods start and why a pimplea started appearing when your puberty first hit.

The good news is that when women hit menopause, there is no more fear of acne suddenly flaring up as those hormones are already gone.

2. It All Begins with Blocked Pores

Pimples or acne are actually infected blocked pores. These blocked pores are also known as blackheads, where the sebum and dead cells are trapped. Pimples then develop when these blackheads get irritated and inflamed, especially when touched with dirty hands.

3. Acne is NOT Caused by Chocolate & Fried Foods

As mentioned above, acne is caused by blocked pores and not by the food you eat. But you have certainly heard the words of caution from friends and family that eating too much of these foods will cause you to breakout.

They are correct to a certain extent, as these foods actually cause your sebaceous glands to work overtime and produce too much sebum which may lead to blocked pores.

4. You can Use Makeup

Plastering your skin with foundation and concealer when you have acne may sound like a bad idea especially if you have heard that your skin needs to breathe.

However, there is actually no need to shy away from makeup  as covering those unsightly spots can actually give you a much-needed confidence boost. Just remember to use products that are suited for your skin and wash away all traces of makeup before you go to sleep.

5. More Women Suffer from Adult Acne Than Men

This is an unfair fact of life that about 12-22% of women will be affected by adult acne compared to about 3% of men. This is caused by the hormonal changes that us girls have to suffer through every month in order for us to have a healthy menstrual cycle.

Guys, if you are reading this, remember to treat your girlfriend/wife/partner better especially during that time of the month.

6. Adult Acne can be Treated and Cured

If you are one of the sufferers of adult acne, rejoice in the fact that it is treatable and can be cured. Depending on the severity of your condition, you can consult a dermatologist for prescription medications and topical creams or opt for over-the-counter medicines.

Benzoyl peroxide, salicylic acid, and tea tree oil are promising treatments but do remember that some products that are used for teenage acne can be too harsh for your adult skin. Steroids, laser treatments, hormone pills and antibiotics can help as well, just remember to ask your doctor before consuming anything.

This article was first published on Goodyfeed.com