Acne is an inflammatory skin disease that affects more than half of teenagers around the world, causing discomfort that is often hidden.
While adolescents are the most affected by this pathology, it also affects a large number of adults and women in particular, significantly impacting their daily lives.
What are the symptoms and causes of adult acne? How to get rid of it permanently? This is what we invite you to discover in this detailed article on the subject.
What is Acne?
As we indicated in the introduction, acne is one of the most common skin diseases. This pathology with various and varied causes, is characterized by an excess of sebum leading to the appearance of pimples. on certain areas of the skin, mainly at the level of the upper part of the body as well as the face.
Nevertheless, in order to better understand the process leading to the appearance of adult acne, it is important to know what sebum is, as well as the role it plays on our skin.
Sebum is a fatty (oily) substance which is secreted by glands attached to the epidermis, called sebaceous glands. It is located at the root of the hair follicle. During “normal” secretion, the sebum creates a sort of film on the skin, which will help protect it against drying out and certain microbes, while preserving its suppleness.
For different causes that we will see in the next section, a disorder can affect the sebaceous glands, thus creating an oversecretion of sebum.
This hypersecretion or overproduction of sebum in turn causes clogging of the pores, which leads to the appearance of blackheads or whiteheads, called comedones, which turn into papules, pustules, or even nodules over time.
Acne can be very difficult to live with, especially in adulthood. Indeed, it causes psychological discomfort such that many women use makeup to hide pimples and scars, which instead increases infection.
What are the symptoms of adult acne?
Different from one person to another, acne manifests itself in several forms. It is according to the cause, the type of skin and the extent of the disease, that the latter will make its appearance.
There is retentional acne, which mainly affects adolescents and which manifests itself in the form of open or closed comedones, either blackheads or whiteheads.
The second form of acne that interests us is inflammatory acne that affects adult women. Indeed, in women over 25, inflammatory acne mainly affects the upper neck and face, with areas more sensitive than others, such as the chin and nose.
These lesions often appear at the time of menstruation or following hormonal treatment.
In summary, as shown in the diagram above, the 3 most recurrent symptoms of adult acne are:
What are the main causes of acne in adult women?
There are many causes for the onset of acne in adulthood.
Indeed, if a hypersecretion of sebum causes the appearance of pimples, it is therefore necessary to be interested in the causes which are at the origin of this hypersecretion. And these can be internal or external.
Before that, it is important to remember that all of these factors can trigger or promote the development of adult acne, and it is essential to keep in mind thatabsolutely do not touch or pierce the buttons. This aggravates the inflammation and causes pimples to spread in the affected area.
Acne | Internal causes
Concerning the acne of the adult woman, by internal causes, we are essentially talking about the female hormones, progesterone and estrogen. Indeed, hormones are the main factor responsible for adult acne.
As such, many women see pimples appear on the face a few days before their period and/or during pregnancy. Others are prone to inflammatory acne when taking hormonal treatments or contraceptives, or during menopause.
The genetic factor can also influence the appearance of adult acne. Thus, we can notice that some families are more prone to the disease, than others.
It should also be noted that taking certain medications, such as corticosteroids or certain antibiotics, can cause an acne eruption.
Acne | External causes
Unlike internal factors, there are many more factors of external origin that influence the appearance of acne in adult women.
Among the most recurrent, we can cite:
Pollution
Sebum is mainly used to protect the skin against any damage it risks on a daily basis. Indeed, atmospheric pollution, spores and other VOCs – volatile organic compounds – contained in the air, have a significant impact on the general condition of your skin.
The latter, feeling attacked, can generate an overproduction of sebum in order to create the famous protective film, leading to the appearance of acne pimples.
Makeup and cosmetics
Despite the fact that it enhances natural beauty, makeup and especially foundation, clogs pores allowing acne to emerge on certain areas including the forehead and chin.
Also, the cleaning routine must imperatively include make-up removal before sleeping, and to avoid chemicals of dubious origin.
Stress and lifestyle
It has been shown that stress, mental load, anxiety and any other pathology impacting your psychological well-being can also influence your skin.
Moreover, apart from acne, many women see spots or swelling appear on the body, following an episode of intense stress. This is mainly related to hormonal variations.
Sun and UV exposure
The sun does not directly cause the appearance of acne pimples and it works via a slightly more vicious mechanism… In short, the skin dries out and thickens following long exposure to UV rays.
Once the tanning session is over, the sebaceous glands will activate twice to cure this dryness, causing a hypersecretion of sebum and therefore acne on exposed areas.
How to treat acne in adult women?
Just like for hyperpigmentation problems, the best treatment to follow to make your acne disappear will be determined according to its cause and the characteristics of your skin.
Having witnessed irreversible damage to the skin of several clients, we encourage you to always consult a professional before starting an acne treatment at home.
At Papillon de beauté, we specialize in the treatment of acne (whether of hormonal origin or linked to external factors) and all of our staff are trained in this type of analysis. We do not offer a standard acne program, but favor tailor-made programs that may include:
With us, you have the assurance of an optimized program and regular monitoring to avoid any risk and quickly obtain the best results. We invite you to book your skin analysis below.
Skin Analysis
Your consultation takes place in two parts.
First of all, we speak with you to better understand your skin problems, your needs and your goals. Then, we analyze your skin to determine the source of any abnormalities.
We can then give you personalized advice on your skin type, the treatments that are right for you and the products to use (or avoid) in your daily beauty routine. Objective: no waste and maximum efficiency.
If necessary, we recommend a professional treatment program to quickly reach your goals.
Our skin analysis is billed at 50.- and you receive a voucher of 50.- to be redeemed on all of our facial treatments.
