Adult Acne- Suffer No More!

by Dr. Lisa Benest

Once considered a teenage right of passage, today many people suffer from adult acne. If you have this potentially embarrassing, but very manageable condition, you should know the possible causes for your acne and, more importantly, what treatments are now available to you.

The first step in the treatment of adult acne – or simply to have a youthful, healthy complexion - is to implement the following as part of your overall health and fitness regimen:

● Cleanse twice daily: washing more frequently can trigger an over-production of oil.
● Maintain a healthy, well-balanced diet and drink plenty of water between meals.
● Eat organic whenever possible: your body does not need the extra hormones and antibiotics found in typical meats, chicken or even farm-raised fish.
● Refrain from touching, picking, rubbing and squeezing pimples or break-out areas.
● Take care to keep hair sprays and gels on your hair but off your face.
● Use a moisturizer if you need one. You don’t have to dry out your skin to treat acne.
● Try an over-the-counter homeopathic remedy.

If these basic steps do not resolve your acne, you should contact your dermatologist to discuss other treatment options. Your dermatologist may go over some of the common conditions that can result in adult acne to help determine the best treatment approach for you. If you are one of the many people who suffer from adult acne, you have probably tried at least one if not many treatments for your condition. Here are some of the most common conditions that can result in adult acne and their respective treatment options:

Stress
Stress can result in a break out. The most effective treatment for stress-related acne is to relax! To spot treat blemishes, you can try a prescription strength topical antibiotic gel. For over the counter options, a dab of tea tree oil or acne treatments containing salicylic acid or benzoyl peroxide (a low strength, such as 2.5%, works as well as a higher strength with less skin irritation). You should see some relief by the next day. In the case of a large or painful pimple, call your dermatologist, as they may have a more powerful option.

Diet
The typical Western diet of processed food, refined carbohydrates and sugars contributes greatly to the incidence and severity of acne. Cutting out refined and processed foods will help keep you blemish free. Avoid artificial sweeteners (Xylitol or Stevia are ok), refined vegetable oils and dairy products. Supplement your diet with omega-3 fish oils. As an added benefit, this type of diet helps control obesity, diabetes, heart disease and high cholesterol!

Problem zones
If you break out in one or several problem zones, you should suspect anything that comes in contact with your breakout area. It could be your telephone, your bangs or even your toothpaste or hair gel. Once you identify the cause, keep it out of contact with your face (i.e. clean your phone with alcohol, keep your hair off your face or discontinue the product). If you can’t identify the source on your own, your dermatologist should be able to help you figure it out.

Monthly period break-outs
Hormone imbalances can cause acne breakouts. Some birth control pills can keep pre-period breakouts under control by maintaining a balanced hormone level. If a hormone-based acne treatment isn’t an option, consider incorporating a cream called a retinoid (such as Retin-A, Differin or Tazorac) into your skin-care regimen. As an added bonus, you’ll also see a reduction in fine lines and wrinkles!

Chronic acne conditions
Once you are diagnosed, your dermatologist might suggest a prescription medication. These include a variety of creams, or an oral medication such as an antibiotic.

All of these, even chronic acne conditions, are manageable if treated in coordination with your dermatologist. You should also contact your dermatologist to learn about other treatments available only in your dermatologist’s office, such as fruit acid peels or light-based (laser) treatments.

Dr. Lisa Benest is a medical and cosmetic dermatologist in Burbank, CA. She and her staff provide comprehensive skin examinations as well as an array of non-invasive, cosmetic procedures and offer a full line of skin care products. To learn more about how to take care of your skin as well as the most up-to-date treatments in skin care, schedule a Free Consultation with our cosmetic nurse. Check out our website for a complete list of all our treatments: www.lisabenestmd.com


Lisa Benest M.D.
1624 W. Olive #B
Burbank, CA
818-729-9149
www.lisabenestmd.com

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