Skin Care for Adult Acne
No one is surprised when a teenager has acne. In fact, it's practically a rite of passage. However, adults can have acne, too. When adult acne sets in, it can be a bit of a surprise for the person dealing with it, as he may expect acne to be a problem of the past. Fortunately, there are good ways to manage adult acne.
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Identification
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Like teen acne, adult acne is typically marked by pimples, which are medically called comedos. According to WebMD, pimples are hair ducts or pores that may contain oil, debris, bacteria and keratin. A pimple that is open is referred to as a blackhead, while one that is closed is called a whitehead. Sometimes, a whitehead will damage the hair duct walls, which causes redness and infection in the area. This leads to cysts, papules (solid, rounded bumps) and nodules (inflamed lesions).
Types
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Adult acne may be the same type experienced by teenagers, which may be acne vulgaris and/or acne rosacea. Acne vulgaris can consist of pimples, cysts, papules and nodules. Acne rosacea is marked by reddened skin and pimples that appear on the face. Sometimes this type of acne can also cause a burning sensation in a person's eyes and on the eyelids.
Misconceptions
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It is a common misconception that adult acne results from problems with hygiene. According to the Mayo Clinic, a person can have very clean skin and still develop acne. This is because acne at any age is often caused by factors beyond a person's control, such as infection, hormones and excess oil secretion. Often, problems with the closing of hair ducts may lead to adult acne pimples as well. Washing with harsh products in an attempt to keep the skin super clean, won't work for adult acne pimples, as it may only lead to the increased production of oil. According to WebMD, it is best to wash the face with a gentle skin care product twice daily.
Prevention/Solution
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There are some solutions for dealing with adult acne pimples. One is to visit a dermatologist and have him use a sterile instrument to remove blackheads. Another is to use a mild face cleanser that has a low amount of benzoyl peroxide. There also are a range of skin care treatments that may be used for dealing with adult acne. Among the most popular are those containing retinoic acid, which is a type of vitamin A. Other acne treatments include benzoyl peroxide creams, alpha hydroxy acids, antibiotics that are applied to the skin, antibiotics taken internally and azelaic acid creams. A doctor may also prescribe medications such as isotretinoin (Accutane and Sotret) for dealing with severe cases of adult acne. It may also help to use sunscreens, moisturizers and lotions that are non-comogenic, which means they are not supposed to clog the pores.
Warning
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You may be tempted to treat pimples at home by squeezing them. This may provide a quick way of making the pimples less noticeable, but it can also lead to scarring. It is best to leave such physical acne removal efforts to a dermatologist. Additionally, women who are considering taking Accutane or Sotret should be sure that there is no chance of becoming pregnant by using a 100 percent effective method of birth control. According to Drugs.com, both of these medications have been linked to birth defects.
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