There are few things that effect our self esteem more than having adult acne. We’re no longer in high school, so why are we breaking out? We see patients all the time who one day woke up and no longer had clear skin and come in wanting answers! Everyone in our clinic has been there, we know the pain of one day waking up without clear skin and we’re here to help!
After the age of 25 there are 4 main contributors to adult acne. This includes excess oil production, pores becoming clogged by “sticky” skin cells, bacteria, and inflammation. Oil production is most commonly influenced by hormones, stress, menstrual cycle. Clogged pores can be caused by hair products, skin care not appropriate for your skin, sleeping on dirty sheets and makeup. Inflammation is commonly linked to diet and allergies.
Our skin is the body’s largest organ and is primarily made up of epidermis (outer layer), dermis (middle layer), and subcutaneous (fatty layer). Stratum corneum is part of the epidermis and acts as a skin barrier it is made up of corneocytes which acts like tightly bound bricks and protects you against pollution, UV rays, inflammation, infection, dehydration, toxins, and if it is damaged it can lead to skin problems.
The skin barrier is easily damaged by:
- dry/humid environment
- hot/cold weather
- allergens
- smoking
- to much sun exposure
- hot baths/showers
- harsh soaps/detergents
- poor skin care
- cuts
- unhealthy diet
- over washing/ exfoliating
- medications
- stress
- lack of sleep
- skin conditions
- aging
If you feel your skin problems are related to damage to your skin barrier. A product with RFp2 peptide technology would be beneficial.
Breakouts appear roughly 6 weeks after the your skin trigger. This information is helpful if you’re in a process of elimination on finding your skin’s stressor. Look at the past 6 weeks and start from there. While breakouts can clear up rather quickly it takes time for a breakout to present itself. Another helpful tip is that the placement of acne on the face can be helpful in telling you what the problem is whether it be hormones, diet, allergies, irritation, dehydration, or bacteria from your phone or sheets.
We would recommend that instead of tackling this alone to schedule an appointment for a consultation at our clinic. Where we go over anything that may have triggered your breakouts and give you information and make suggestions based on your skin and history. We will also run labs and go through a process of elimination. Skin is so difficult to regain control over once it spirals and we’re here to help!
What ingredients should I look for in my skin care?
Benzoyl Peroxide: Kills acne bacteria
Salicylic Acid: Unclogs pores and is great for black heads
Glycolic Acid: Renews skin
Sulfur: Dries Sebum
Natural Dicarboxylic Acid: Normalize skin
(Click on the active ingredient to see the skin care we recommend for you.)
Picking a skin care with an active ingredient that best aligns with the problems you’re having with your skin is the first step. Breaking the cycle of the active breakouts should be priority so you can then focus on keeping your skin clear. If you’re not using the right active ingredients for your skin type, your skin will not improve. We commonly pick skin care based on recommendation but if your problem skin is not the same as the person recommending the product it may help, but it won’t eliminate the problem.
What services can I get to help with my skin? Services such as a hydrafacial , custom facial , and chemical peel can help. The Skinwave or hydrafacial uses a delivery system to cleanse, exfoliate, and perform painless extractions. The Skinwave accomplishes this through its dual action handpiece that suctions and simultaneously delivers various solutions. Treatment solutions include: Alpha Hydroxy Acid (AHA), Beta Hydroxy Acid (BHA), and Hyaluronic Acid (HA). The solutions used are totally customizable to your concerns and needs. Custom facials can help because it requires a professional evaluating your skin and picking products to use on you as well as extractions and is an hour of pure relaxation. Chemical peels rapidly exfoliate the skin, allowing dead skin cells to shed more effectively. By keeping dead skin cells and excess oil from clogging the hair follicle, pore blockages and pimples can be reduced.