I'm No Teen. Why Am I Breaking Out?
Locker combinations. SATs. A debilitating crush on your lab partner. These, along with pimples, are a few of the struggles of teenagers.
Board meetings. Bills. A lifelong effort to be a role model for your kid. These are the struggles of grown folks, so why, why, why does acne still make the list? Shouldn't it have fallen from your pile of pubescent pains, to make room for -- I don't know -- marriage or mortgage payments?
"Adults don't expect acne," says Amy Wechsler, a New York-based dermatologist and psychiatrist. "They feel like they're alone with their acne, but they're not." In fact, acne is fairly common among adults in their 20, 30s, 40s and 50s, and women are more prone to it than men.
What gives? Hormones often play a role. Ladies, you may notice that your breakouts are more prevalent right before or during your periods, as well as during pregnancy and menopause. A family history of adult acne, along with stress -- maybe now more about car payments than your driver's license test -- are other common causes of acne.
[See: 9 Tips to Tame Work Stress .]
And while the cause of your acne may have changed, the effect is not much different. Whether it's a pimple on prom night or a breakout before the board meeting, acne is a drag. In fact, it can lead to low self-esteem and depression, according to the American Academy of Dermatology.
"You have to deal with both looking at the mirror at yourself, and with how other people look at you, too," Wechsler says.
But here's the good news: While Wechsler has seen patients come to her feeling and acting bummed -- not taking risks, avoiding eye contact -- she's also seen them become much happier after treatment. There is an acne treatment option for everyone, in forms of creams, pills and sometimes procedures. The key is to find a solution tailored specifically to your skin and its needs, says Susan Huang, a dermatologist and instructor at Harvard Medical School's Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center. Here's how to do just that:
Where do I start?
Begin with over-the-counter acne treatments, although note that their popular agents may work better for teens' skin than for yours. Huang, who also authors the patient advice blog DermBytes, explains that as we age, our skin becomes drier -- part of why we get those sophisticated wrinkles -- and active ingredients such as salicylic acid and benzoyl peroxide can dry your face even more. In lieu of treatments that specifically target acne, alternative facial cleansers may also help clear pores and thus prevent breakouts.
But Wechsler says if these over-the-counter products alone aren't cutting it, and you're still dealing with acne after a few weeks of using them, it's time to talk to your primary care physician or make an appointment with a dermatologist. The American Academy of Dermatology website states that you should see a dermatologist, too, if your acne makes you feel shy or embarrassed, or if it's leaving scars or darkening your skin.
[Read: Scars: Make Them Go (Mostly) Away .]
How will a doctor help?
If you see your primary care physician, check that he or she is experienced with treating acne. How will you know? Ask. And expect the doctor to be thorough. "They should take a really good history, ask how long you've had your acne, what treatments you've tried and what accompanying symptoms you have," Huang says. "And then they should take a good assessment and take a look at your skin to formulate the treatment plan."
Your primary care doctor or dermatologist needs to get an in-depth look at your specific kind of acne and causes to tailor the most effective treatment for you. Whiteheads and blackheads may need different treatment than acne that's more red and cyst-like, for example. Hormonal acne may be treated differently than acne caused by medications or stress. And with a thorough examination, a doctor will also be able to determine whether your acne is actually acne or another skin condition like rosacea, and if your acne is caused by an underlying health concern.
[See: U.S. News' Doctor Finder .]
What treatment options will the doctor prescribe?
After assessing your type of acne and its cause, a doctor may prescribe a topical medication (a treatment applied directly to the skin) that may either fight the bacteria in your pores, reduce oil or inflammation. Another option might be medicines you take orally, such as antibiotics to combat bacteria and reduce inflammation, or a type of oral contraceptive for women whose acne is caused by hormonal imbalances. In some cases, for people who have severe, scarring acne that won't respond to any other treatment, a physician may prescribe a powerful drug named isotretinoin, Huang says
There are also a few procedures on the table to complement your acne treatment plan. Light therapy sessions are used to kill acne bacteria and (with a certain kind of procedure) shrink oil glands, according to the Mayo Clinic. Steroid injections are used to flatten nodules and cysts, the clinic states, and chemical peels and microdermabrasion are used to essentially buff the skin by unclogging pores and clearing dead cells.
Huang points out that these kinds of procedures are sometimes not covered by insurance, and so they can add up -- especially if you need repeat treatments. But if they sound promising to you, bring it up with your doctor. As she helps you conquer your acne, you can have fun with the grown-up stuff, like not stressing about locker combinations. Or SATs. Or that crush on your lab partner.
[Read: 5 Tips for a Smooth Doctor's Appointment.]
Laura McMullen is a Health + Wellness reporter at U.S. News. You can follow her on Twitter, connect with her on LinkedIn, circle her on Google+ or email her at lmcmullen@usnews.com.
