Treating Adult Acne
Despite it being the bane of the teenage existence – be it mild, moderate or severe – pubescent acne can still be chalked down to a teen rite of passage (alongside gluey glitter eye shadow, over-plucked eyebrows and sticky lip gloss). But, when this beauty woe doesn’t leave us, well into adulthood, it’s much more difficult to deal with. Adult acne can be a horrible burden to bear, and can feel extremely alienating when you’re a grown woman battling oil slicks, whiteheads or (most painful) cysts. So, we enlisted the expertise of Jill here at Luminosity to shed light on the cause and, more importantly, cure for adult acne. Consider this your beauty bible for dealing with extreme breakouts.
THE CAUSE:
The true underlying cause of acne is overactive sebaceous glands. The skin’s oil glands causes pimples. Rogue glands produce too much oil and too many skin cells that then block the pore, and thus the acne cycle begins.
WHAT TO USE:
Jill advises that the most important thing to understand with acne is that, whilst there are certain things that can aggravate it, unless you treat the cause, it can become a chronic condition. She suggests a three-step approach: the first (and main) step in eliminating acne is to destroy the glands that are causing issues. Secondly avoid triggers- stress is generally the biggest in adults. Lastly she preaches patience! It is so important to stick it out- while you can spot target, treating the cause takes time.
A great starting point is to ensure that you’re not sabotaging your complexion yourself- don’t touch your face, use non-comodegenic makeup, change sheets often and clean your phone screen. Next is your home skincare routine; make this your plan of attack:·
- Biretix Cleanser Purifying Cleansing Gel: morning and night is essential to remove pimple causing bacteria and surface oil.
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Dr Natasha Cook Clarifier: use after cleansing to further break down oil and aid exfoliation.
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Biopelle Retriderm Vitamin A Serum: Vitamin A or Retinol is an active that can be used to keep pores clear. A common choice we use is Biopelle's Retriderm Serum that is available in a moderate and maximum strength. When beginning with topical retinoids, we recommend starting with a lower strength, before building to a higher potency.
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Oil free moisturiser- don’t be tempted to starve your oily skin of moisture, this will only exacerbate the problem. Lumi Moisture + is oil free and is great just to replenish moisture "Not Oil" back into your skin.
Oral treatments are another option: Jill explains that the contraceptive pill can be effective, but often acne returns once it is no longer taken. Oral antibiotics prescribed by a GP are available, but can fail long term as sufferers develop a resistance. Accutane is the only permanent option for acne sufferers, but often the side effects put people off, but it is worth a discussion.
IN-CLINIC TREATMENTS:
If spots persist, or you are dealing with a more sinister form (think deep, painful cysts), a trip to a skin specialist is in order. Laser Therapy is an option that controls breakouts at a cellular level . Quick and only with minor discomfort, this treatment, which involves tiny probes zapping the sebaceous gland. It permanently removes the cause, destroying those rouge sebaceous glands. With a 90% success rate, it’s certainly worth a try for stubborn spots.
As far as scarring goes, fractional resurfacing and skin needling techniques can create thousands of micro injuries that stimulate skin cell turnover and can help with smoothing the skin.
To overcome your acne issues call Today on 5221 7676 or book online for a free consultation with Jill.
