Causes of Acne in Adults

Long after the carefree teenage years are gone, you are suddenly reminded of your adolescent years. This reminder is made by the ugly acne popping up on your face. Acne, a common teenage problem, can make its way into your adult life. You have no choice to groan in dismay and seek treatment for the same. There are number of causes of acne in adults who have crossed their mid-20's. If you ask 'why' then go read further to know more about what causes acne in adults.

What Causes Acne in Adults

Acne eruptions are seen affecting adult women as well as men. They occur on the face, chest and even on the back. It is very common to see acne eruptions during puberty. Only a few chosen ones can flaunt clear, blemish free and acne free skin all their lives. However, acne striking people in adult age is nothing unheard of. There are many causes of acne in adults. Let us cover some of these causes of acne breakouts in adults in the following paragraphs.

Blackheads
One of the most common causes of acne breakouts in adults is blackheads. These are nasty dead cells and excess oil trapped between your skin pores. They block your ducts and trap bacteria in their. When exposed to air, these plugs turn black. When these blackheads are inflamed due the bacterial growth within them, it leads to red acne. When the pimple gets infected, it turns into a whitehead that bursts and leaves ugly scars. So, make sure you wash your face with a face wash at least twice a day. An occasional visit to a beauty spa for face cleaning will also help keep blackheads under control and prevent acne in adults.

Hormones
Yes, even adults suffer from hormonal imbalance. The ovaries release a hormone called estrogen and testes release the hormone androgen. These hormone helps stimulate the sebaceous glands that produce oil. Increase in oil production makes the skin oily and more prone to acne.

Menstruation
Women suffer from a sharp rise and drop of hormones during their menstruation cycle. Ovulation, menstruation, pregnancy, perimenopause and menopause are the different biological process occurring in a woman's body, at different stages of her life. These biological process are controlled by hormones, and any rise or fall in the hormones leads to acne. Women using birth control pills are also found to suffer from acne.

Testosterone
The male hormone, testosterone, is the culprit behind acne breakouts in adult men. High levels of testosterone in the body leads to acne in men. You can read more on acne breakout causes.

Make Up
Use of excessive make up tends to clog your skin pores. Moisturizers, hair care products and plenty of make up tend to form a layer on your skin. It prevents the skin from breathing and blocks the pores. This leads to inflammation and acne eruptions. You need to use less of make up and make sure your clean your face with a good cleanser every night to avoid acne.

Bad Diet
One of the causes of acne in adults is obesity. Excessive weight gain can lead to acne eruptions, especially if you are on the wrong kind of diet. Eating more of oily foods like burgers and fries and drinking more of cola can lead to acne. Over consumption of carbohydrates like processed breads, pastas, sweets, etc. can increase the production of insulin in the body. This makes matters worse and cause more acne eruptions.

Stress
Talk of adults and you remember the monster called stress, plaguing them. Stress, whether psychological, physical or emotional, will lead to acne. Stress weakens your immune system and makes it very easy for bacteria to attack your skin. Also, it affects the adrenal glands that secrete more hormones leading to more acne.

Medications
As mentioned earlier, use of birth control pills in women can induce acne. Apart from that, use of steroids, hormone therapy drugs and medications containing lithium, iodine, rifampin, can lead to adult acne.

Genes
Genes have a major role in acne breakouts. You can't help it, but acne runs in your family. The type of skin you will have depends on your genes. In some cases, your skin is genetically programed to be acne prone.

Causes of Cystic Acne

Cystic acne is a serious form of acne that causes very large cysts on the skin. They are extremely painful and require medical attention. The causes of cystic acne in adults are similar to the causes of common acne. Excessive use of makeup that blocks pores and sebaceous glands, genetics, use of harsh cleansers, eating the wrong diet and environmental conditions can lead to cystic acne in adults.

Effective acne treatment involves use of ointments and creams that help get rid of acne. You should follow a healthy diet consisting of fresh fruits and vegetables. Exercise regularly for healthy blood circulation to your skin pores. Wash your face with a mild cleanser to get rid of the dirt and grime. This was all about causes of acne in adults. If nothing seems to help you get rid of acne, speak to a dermatologists for more help.