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2023 Author: Gabrielle Mercer | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-05-21 12:25
Pimple? Acne? Blackheads? For a long time a foreign word for our editor - until she was suddenly confronted with late-stage acne, also known as adult acne, in her late twenties. How she got the skin disease under control again.
That might sound unfair, but I've never really had a problem with pimples. Even during puberty I was spared acne outbreaks and even when I stopped taking the pill years later (this is how the copper IUD is * really *), my skin was unimpressed. Just in time for my period a couple of isolated pimples appeared once a month, which I was able to tackle with a little concealer.
Oh well. Until my skin suddenly went crazy in the summer of 2019. New pimples sprouted up on your chin and cheeks every day. Not a day without another blackhead infected. Deposits, pimple marks, blackheads, real acne. At first I didn't really take the problem seriously. I blamed exercise and sweating, bought opaque makeup for the first time in my life, and ignored my budding adult acne away.
Pimples In Their Late 20s: How I Tackled My Adult Acne
Until it was no longer possible. I felt the impure pimply skin more and more as a burden, didn't want to leave the house without make-up and felt maximally uncomfortable. Now, over a year later, I have my skin under control again and I want to share a few tips and tricks with you so that you don't need months and months to find the right treatment.
My first path led me to my dermatologist. The diagnosis? Acne tarda, or also called late acne. How does this stand out? Find out more HERE. Most adult acne occurs in women between the ages of 25 and 45. Stress, hormone fluctuations, improper care and diet can be the trigger. The adult pimples on the chin and cheeks particularly like to show up.
1. Antibiotic ointments
Above all, my dermatologist advised me to be patient - acne tarda is quite persistent and it takes a lot of patience to get the skin back into good condition. To get the acne bacteria under control, it can be helpful to smear antibiotic ointments on the affected areas. In the best case scenario, taking antibiotics orally can be avoided. You don’t want to grab the antibiotic club straight away? Proper care is (anyway) the be all and end all.
2. Care
The care itself should be as gentle as possible. In order to declare war on deposits, calloused skin and pimples anyway, you can stick to a 4-step program for the time being:
- Clean. Cleanse your face with a mild cleanser for acne-prone skin to remove dirt and excess sebum. Make sure that it does not contain any fragrances.
- Exfoliate. A chemical peel, especially a BHA (salicylic acid) peel, is perfect for adult acne. It removes dead skin cells, cleanses deep into the pores and thus helps prevent new pimples. In addition, salicylic acid has anti-inflammatory effects and reduces pimple marks.
- Benzoyl peroxide. Use benzoyl peroxide to fight the bacteria (P. acnes) that are causing blemishes. Products with concentrations of 2.5 to 10% are available without a prescription in pharmacies or drugstores. It's best to start with a low concentration. A product that contains 2.5% benzoyl peroxide is less irritating to the skin than one that has 5 or 10 percent, and still may prove to be just as effective.
- Humidity. Acne skin also needs moisture. Protect your skin with a light moisturizer. Use a cream with an SPF of at least 30 for the day to avoid inflammatory reactions from sunlight. The lotion should still not be greasy. Good ingredients such as hyaluronic acid gel, fruit acids or retinol (vitamin A) give the skin moisture and still have an anti-aging effect!
It is very important that your skin care products do not contain ingredients that are irritating to the skin, such as camphor or alcohol. These are often found in sebum-absorbing products that fight blemishes. Such products will only make your skin problem worse or cause dry, flaky, reddened skin. However, if you don't see any improvement after four weeks after following these steps, we really recommend seeing your dermatologist and asking about a medical treatment for blemishes. Possible options are topical products that contain retinol (vitamin A) or an antibiotic with benzoyl peroxide.
3. Cosmetics
Aside from proper care, you should also go to a (medical) beautician at the same time. She will find the right treatment for you to get rid of deposits and blackheads. Regular cleansing can work wonders, especially at the beginning of the treatment. Salicylic or fruit acid peelings also help to successfully combat acne bacteria. (HERE all information.) If you want to have pure skin again as quickly as possible, a visit to the beautician is inevitable. Most of all, it keeps you from lending a hand and only making things worse …
4. Diet & Lifestyle
Animal products - especially milk and meat - are considered inflammatory foods. Not without reason - after all, they are full of growth hormones that we don't necessarily need in our organism. So anyone who suffers from acne is well advised to refrain from excessive consumption of meat and dairy products for at least a while. There are now so many alternatives that it is anything but difficult to do without. Promised. Nicotine and alcohol aren't exactly our skin's best friends either. Plus points if you cut your sugar intake and drink more water. What should be easier: relaxation. Stress in particular is partly responsible for our late acne. It is important to avoid that. Treat yourself to a massage, go for a walk or go to the sauna more often. In any case, listen to my doctor's advice: Be patient. In this case, pressure is of little use …