Causes Of Adult Acne

1. Hormones

As teens experiencing breakouts and acne, it is easy to correlate those breakouts with the hormonal fluctuations that happen during puberty. Similarly, for adults, hormones also play a big part in explaining adult acne. One of the main causes of adult acne in females is from going off birth control and dealing with the body’s response in trying to balance out the hormones naturally. This is because birth control pills contain a regulated amount of synthetic hormones so quitting birth control leaves your body in a state where it has to find its natural homeostasis. This results in large fluctuations. Another potential cause of hormonal acne in females can be due to polycystic ovarian syndrome, or PCOS, which is a condition caused by abnormal amounts of the hormone testosterone or estradiol. This results in benign cysts growing on the ovaries. Other symptoms of PCOS include facial hair, weight gain, hair thinning, and more. Some popular natural supplements and herbs used to balance hormones include maca root powder, Vitex (chasteberry), DIM, and Dong Quai. Before trying any, be sure to consult your general physician or gynecologist for advice and a hormonal blood or saliva test. Keep in mind that the supplements are specific for specific conditions so be sure to research each and find which one will be best for you.

2. Environment

Environmental factors such as pollution often have a lot to do with adult acne. In addition to pollutants harming your skin from the outside, breathing harsh chemicals, such as cigarette smoke, can interfere with the liver and cause breakouts. For this reason, try to avoid smoke and harsh chemicals as much as possible. In addition, dirt from cell phone screens often ends up on our face so make sure that you avoid touching your face with your hands and phone. Use headphones when you take a call or make sure to wipe your cell phone screens as much as possible. Lastly, be sure to change your pillowcases as dirt on the pillows can also cause bacteria formation and acne.

 3. Diet

It is important to consume foods that are good for you because a healthy body means healthy skin. Eliminate processed foods and refined sugars. For many, common allergens or sensitivities to food include dairy and gluten. Getting an allergy panel from your physician may not be helpful in identifying sensitivities to food. Instead, the elimination diet is an accurate way of testing food sensitivities. Try giving up a certain food item that you think may be causing your acne (for example, dairy) for a couple of weeks and see if your symptoms are improving.  

So there you have it. These are a few of the causes of adult acne. I certainly hope that you can take as much information and do the necessary precautions to alleviate your skin situation.