Fighting Adult Acne

Determining the cause and treatment

Though acne is usually associated with puberty, that doesn’t exclude the possibility for it to exist in adulthood. The factors can range across the board, proving that zits aren’t only teen-friendly.

If you are attributing those embarrassing breakouts to the chocolate bar you couldn’t resist the other night, you should be more aware of the possible causes. “You can have acne with a very, very healthy diet. The cause of acne is multifactorial,” says Dr. Lisa Kellett.

It’s important to know the cause before starting any treatment. But as Dr. Kellett stated, acne isn’t only hormone- or stress-related; it can also indicate underlying health problems you may be unaware of.

While a chocolate bar can only temporarily soothe your psychological pain, there is not much you can do about acne without professional help. Many women pick or squeeze acne in desperate attempts to hide the breakouts—something Dr. Kellett advises you should never do, explaining that it can cause scars and cysts.

Sun exposure can cause even more severe problems. Although many women find it helpful in drying acne up and making it less visible, ultraviolet light may actually cause skin cancer.

Dr. Kellett encourages women with acne not to take chances and stick to conventional methods of treatment by consulting a dermatologist.

“There are some treatments we can do in the clinic that can help, and that depends on what a patient needs.”

Although you may have flashbacks of acne from your teen years, you need different treatments than what you used years ago.

Dr. Kellett said adults tend to have less skin oil production than teenagers, and they are more likely to be irritated by over-the-counter products. The overwhelming variety of skin care solutions makes it hard to select a healthy choice.

While you may not exactly know what type of product your skin needs, a qualified specialist will be able to explain your options in detail. According to Dr. Kellett, you can even correct and prevent the signs of aging while treating acne—a nice bonus from modern dermatology you may consider.

“For adult women, you need to see a dermatologist because there are issues with aging as well. You can actually get products that treat acne and aging at the same time.”

Apart from the breakouts and scars, acne is hard to bear psychologically. In any case, it isn’t something you should suffer from and be embarrassed about. You can control acne, but unfortunately, there is no way to heal it. Dr. Kellett affirmed that the best way to treat acne is to prevent it by visiting a dermatologist and using proper skin care and appropriate treatments.

Dr. Lisa Kellett is a Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians of Canada, a Diplomat of the American Board of Dermatology, a member of the Canadian Dermatology Association, the Toronto Dermatological Society and Canadian Laser Aesthetic Surgery Society. She received training in Internal Medicine with a specialization in Dermatology from the Medical School of the University of Toronto and studied Cutaneous Laser Surgery at Harvard University. Apart from running DLK on Avenue Clinic in Toronto, Dr. Kellett makes a regular appearance in the media for those seeking her expert advice on skin treatments.