We live in a world that still sees acne as a teenage affliction. From the time that first ugly zit mars our complexion, someone is reassuring us, “Don’t worry, you’ll grow out of it.” But the fact is, many of us never grow out of acne.
No one is sure why more adults are suffering from acne. Some experts believe it has a lot to do with the stress from our lives. Others think it has more to do with our diet, or even the extra hormones found in the dairy products we consume. Whatever the cause, the fact remains that the number of adults suffering from acne is steadily increasing. In fact, the American Academy of Dermatology claimed that up to 20% of all adults are currently dealing with acne.
Unfortunately, most pimple-fighting creams and washes are still formulated and marketed for teenagers. Adolescents usually have overactive sebaceous glands that result in oily skin, so they benefit from products that help dry things out a bit. These same products are much too harsh and drying for the average adult’s skin. A regimen that hydrates and moisturizes the skin is better for acne sufferers in their twenties and older.
Men and women who are still waiting to “outgrow” their acne problem often suffer from depression, social anxiety, and low self-esteem. Dealing with what seems to be a “teenage problem” is humiliating, and many are too embarrassed to seek help. Instead they disguise their blemishes with cosmetics, or they become withdrawn and hide from the world as much as possible. Many women even hesitate to pursue love and romance because they’re afraid of how they’ll be perceived once the makeup comes off.
Perhaps the worst thing about adult acne is that it can plague us when we’re starting to get wrinkles and gray hairs. It’s bad enough to be afflicted with this skin disease when we’re young, but it’s downright infuriating to deal with both acne AND the negative effects of aging. An effective skin regimen that both controls acne and has anti-aging properties is ideal at this point.
Living with adult acne is a terrible blow to the psyche, but it doesn’t have to be this way. While there is no cure for acne, there are hundreds of different medications and skin regimens that will control adult acne until it is effectively nonexistent. The best way to begin is to talk to a dermatologist, who can help you get started finding a regimen that works best for you.
