So what can we do? I'm so glad you asked. Luckily, there's this handy little guide of everything you need to know about adult acne: what causes it and how you can get rid of it. Check it out in full here, or just look at a few of my favorite pieces of advice below:
One, the most important thing you can do to stop adult acne is work on the cause of it. For most of us, this is stress. Stress causes our adrenal glands to increase hormones that cause acne (read more about it here). So if you want to cut down on your breakouts, you need to start replacing your incessant blackberry checking with some deep breathing.
Two, we can't just revert back to the uber-drying acne products we used as teens. Adult acne is totally different (see why here), and needs to be treated different too. Adults need to look for products that won't be drying and that also have anti-inflammatories and anti-oxidants, since we have the so-fun task of dealing with aging as well.
Three, if you can see a dermatologist, definitely do so. They can help determine both the cause of your acne and the appropriate treatment, whether that's oral antibiotics, birth control or topical products. It can be expensive, I get that, but for anyone suffering from serious adult acne, it's worth the investment if you can swing it.
If you can't visit a professional, you can try this acne-fighting skin care regimen, it will at least get you on the right track. Because while some of us might like to re-live the glory days of high school, no one wants to re-live the zits.
- On a budget? Then you'll love these affordable acne-fighting products.
- Need help covering up those pimples? We've got it here.
- Of course, you should never, never pop pimples. BUT, if you're going to, at least do it correctly, with help from this video.
