Save Your Skin – Adult Acne in Your 50’s

Skin Changes in Your 50’s

Save Your Skin – Adult Acne in Your 50’s. Let’s face it (no pun intended), we’re all going to age. And whether we like it or not, the first noticeable place – either to us (because we are all self conscious) or to others (and you know other people could really give two hoots), will be on our face. All those years in the sun, maybe a few too many cocktails, cigarettes (GUILTY AS CHARGED), or stress – it’s all going to catch up with us. And now we begin to see the change.

There is a silver lining for a lot of women once they turn 50, and that is they can finally relax when it comes to acne breakouts. Why is this? Well one of the reasons is as we age our skin becomes drier and this makes breakouts less common. Lucky them. But not so lucky for the rest of us – the other 22 percent of women who battle adult acne.

So what brings on acne in our adult years? There’s a few reasons – see if you can relate to any of them.

Stress and Hormones – Stress from marriage, motherhood, careers. Excess stress leads to production of androgen hormones and cortisol – which activates sebaceous glands that produce excess sebum, which can result in acne.

Menopause – which also causes hormonal imbalances and stress, and can also result in acne. And when you have this hormonal imbalance, the acne you get will usually develop on the lower third of your face, around your jawline, chin and mouth.

Medications – some meds like lithium, chemotherapy drugs, seizure meds and hormonal meds, can really cause you to get acne.

How you can help to prevent Adult Acne

For HORMONAL ACNE – you can talk to a dermatologist about prescription medications. There is one called spironolactone, which blocks androgen receptors. But I am not one who is too hip on ANY medications – so please do your research first for side effects and what foods you should avoid when on this medication.

STRESS RELATED ACNE – find a way to reduce stress through exercise and meditation. It won’t be the cure all but exercise and meditation is not only helpful to your physical and mental help, but it may also keep your skin clear too.

FOOD RELATED:
SUGAR – is high on the glycemic index (GI), which you’ll find in refined carbs. Eating a high GI spikes your insulin levels, which triggers excess inflammation and oil production in the skin. Limit high GI foods like white bread, rice, potatoes, sugary drinks, snacks, fries, and donuts.
DAIRY – like cow’s milk, which tends to spike oil production and clogging of the pores. Try an alternative like almond milk.

MAKEUP – like your foundations, concealers, and powders, which may contain pore-clogging oils or drying alcohol. Look for products that are labeled oil free and noncomedogenic to avoid clogging your pores. Also using dirty makeup brushes (which may contain oil, bacteria and dead skin cells) or sleeping in your makeup, can be a reason as well. Always remove your makeup and clean your skin thoroughly before you sleep or exercise with a gentle cleanser.

So now that we know the causes and some solutions, let’s dig deeper with some products that really work when it comes to ADULT ACNE.

Adult Acne And Products That Work

As we know, our skin becomes drier when we get into our 50’s, and some of the topical drugstore OTC treatments like OXY10 that contain 10% benzoyl peroxide, may not work for you anymore, even as a spot treatment. Plus it’s just going to be too harsh on your skin and may end up really drying and irritating your face. NOT GOOD. But here are two ways you can help get your adult acne under control with over-the-counter products.

#1 – choose a Gentle Cleaning Wash and use it twice a day. First when you wake in the morning and then at night before bed.

Click here to read my review of these 5 Best Cleaning Washes for Adult Acne

#2 – add a Topical Retinoid Cream to help unclog pores and stimulate anti-wrinkle collagen growth.

Click here to read my review of these 5 Best Topical Retinoid Creams

Smoothies and Juices to Help Control Acne

If you choose to take a visit to the dermatologist, they can prescribe an oral antibiotic to help calm inflammation (see my thoughts on prescriptions above). Just be aware of the side effects.

So there you have it – some information on what you can do if you’re now experiencing adult acne. And don’t worry, it’s just a life unexpectant that can be treated. Just invest a little time, a little bit of money, and have some patience. Best wishes to you all