Adult Acne - Causes, and Best Treatments

Adult Acne - Causes, and Best Treatments


As beauty therapists, we find about half of the people we see come to see us about their acne and how to treat their problem skin. Most people think that acne is something that only teenagers go through but we find that 80% of people we see are between the ages of 20 and 40 years old.

What Causes Acne in Adults


Most people think that having an oily or dirty skin can be the cause of acne in adults. This may be true for some people with oily skin but it's not always the cause of acne for everyone. We see many people with dry skin type who experience breakouts or acne. People are individual and a thorough consultation is needed to determine what could be the cause for each person. Here are just some possibilities that could cause acne in adults:


  • Oily skin prone to clogging and blackheads 
  • Hormones 
  • Stress 
  • Overtreated skin 
  • Harsh products 
  • Disruption to the skin barrier 
  • Food intolerances such as gluten or dairy 
  • Too much sugar in the diet 
  • Inflammation associated with poor diet and lifestyle 

What Is the Strongest Treatment for Acne?


This is a question that people ask us often because they want to be rid of acne fast. The problem is stronger is not necessarily better and can actually make things worse. We frequently see people who come to get our advice when they have over treated their skin and the acne has gone worse.

Your skin and the barrier is a very delicate system and scrubbing of burning away acne is not the answer. Your skin needs time to heal, repair, rejuvenate. Treatments that help heal acne and heal the skin are the best treatments for acne. Balance is the key when treating acne and preserving the skin barrier to ensure long-term skin health.

Best Acne Treatment Products for Adults 


Some of the best acne treatments are treatments you can do at home. This should be the starting point for anybody who wants to improve their skin. How you treat your skin every day makes the biggest difference in gaining results. In fact, we find 80% of the results come from your daily skincare routine.

Gentle cleansing twice a day to perfectly balance the skin is important before any treatments are applied to the skin. Avoid using harsh cleansers that strip your skin because this can make the acne worse. Follow with a soothing anti inflammatory toner to help reduce redness in the skin.

A serum with active ingredients to target infection and inflammation should be applied before moisturising. Look for serums that contain salicylic acid which is a potent ingredient that targets bacteria and helps to reduce inflammation. Added herbs and botanicals will help to reduce inflammation and promote skin healing. Choose moisturisers specifically formulated to help treat acne. Look for ingredients such as zinc, niacinamide, retinol, jojoba oil, rosehip oil, licorice, allantoin, centella asiatica, and glycerrhetinic acid which help calm, soothe and heal the skin.

You can exfoliate your skin once or twice a week but be careful not to overdo it. Avoid harsh scrubs, these aggravate the skin and can make the acne worse. If you’ve had a big breakout and need to calm the skin fast, use a mask formulated to treat acne breakouts. Masks are excellent for fast results.

Best Acne Treatments for Adults 

There are a number of treatments we can do in a professional setting to speed up the results. These include


  • Acne facial treatments 
  • AHA/BHA peels 
  • Lymphatic drainage massage 
  • High frequency treatment 
  • LED light therapy
  • IPL or laser treatments


Avoid microdermabrasion or micro skin needling as these do not successfully treat acne and can make things worse. These are excellent treatments to do after the acne has cleared to treat acne scarring but are too aggressive to do over active acne.

Selecting the best products and treatment options for your skin as an individual choice. Your beauty therapist will advise you on the best products to use at home and the best treatments to have in the skin clinic. The combination of professional products and treatments will give you the best results.

💌 Click here to join my newsletter now:  SUBSCRIBE

You’ll receive:

  • Weekly skincare tips and myth-busting advice
  • Expert product recommendations
  • Updates on the upcoming coaching program
  • And a few little surprises just for subscribers…

Get Clearer, Healthier Skin – Starting Today

Get Clearer, Healthier Skin – Starting Today
Download your FREE skincare guide and get expert tips that work.

Popular posts from this blog

What is the difference between a beautician, beauty therapist, esthetician, aesthetician and dermal therapist?

Image
Beautician, beauty therapist, esthetician, aesthetician, dermal therapist - what do all these mean? These terms are different in various countries whether you are in Australia, Europe, Asia or the US. I will try and explain the terms as they are used in Australia. Beautician BEAUTICIAN  Certificate III in Beauty Services (3-6 month study) Beauticians can be trained on the job by their peers with no formal qualification or training. Some beauticians, however go to TAFE and have a Certificate III in beauty treatments. Beauticians mostly perform beauty services such as spray tanning, waxing, tinting, nails enhancements, express pedicures, makeup and lash extensions. They may be allowed in some salons to do basic facial cleanse in preparation for make up aplication, basic manual body treatments and massages under the supervision of a suitably qualified beauty therapist.   Beauty Therapist BEAUTY THERAPISTS / ESTHETICIANS / AESTHETICIANS Certificate IV Beauty Therapy (6-12 m...
Read more

Is Micro Needling Better Than Chemical Peels?

Image
One of my students sent me this question:  "Do you feel that needling is better than chemical peels?" I thought it's an excellent question because, because with so many people talking about these skin rejuvenating treatments, it can be quite confusing.  Micro-needling and chemical peels are two different modalities used for various purposes. It's like comparing apples to bread. Not everyone needs micro-needling, and not everyone is a suitable candidate for chemical peels. What Is Micro-needling or Dermarolling?  Micro-needling, skin needling (or dermal rolling) was used initially as a clinical treatment for improving and reducing post-acne scarring. It works by breaking down existing scarred tissues with fine needles which stimulate the skin healing and rejuvenating process. Over the past few years, it has become a popular modality for reducing the appearance of aging, lines, wrinkles and tightening the skin. The process is called Collagen Induction ...
Read more

CONGESTION: a cluster of small, deep, skin coloured, painless, stubborn lumps / bumps on the skin

Image
Congestion can be a stubborn problem to clear, it can linger and be a real nuisance. In oil related congestion, the sebum is thick and waxy and has settled deep down in the hair follicle. Usually found around the chin and cheeks, it feels like a cluster of small, deep lumps under the skin. Congestion is usually skin colored , is not painful and does not itch. Once it appears, it usually just sits there and does not clear on its own. The waxy sebum can be a result of poor nutrition, certain food intolerance, a sluggish metabolism, hormones,  not drinking enough water, etc. and  if left untreated, can potentially lead to ruptured follicles, papules and painful lesions or acne.  To clear it, the waxy sebum has to be broken down, liquefied , and allowed to flow freely to the surface.  If congestion occurs around the jawline and cheeks, and occasionally on the neck, then it is either caused by over nourishing products or it's an internal problem, where the bod...
Read more

Best Ways To Get Rid of Ingrown Hair

Image
Watch the video or read the article below. Listen to the podcast: Listen in your favorite app Available on 10 platforms Have you got areas of your face or on your body where you can see a tiny hair trapped in the pore or under a layer of skin? Or have you got a pimple with a black dot or a clearly visible hair in it? This may very likely be an ingrown hair.  What does an ingrown hair look like?  Ingrown hair are sometimes clearly visible short hair laid flat against the skin trapped under a layer of clear skin. Others are red, sore bumps with a black dot in the middle showing in the tip of the hair. These can then become infected and look like red sore pimples filled with yellow pus.  What causes an ingrown hair? Ingrown hair is  hair trapped under a layer of skin and can occur on the face or body. Most people can get ingrown hair after shaving and sometimes after waxing. After hair removal, as the hair grows back, it...
Read more