Adolescent Facial Acne

Dismissed by the lion’s-share of adults who view it as a teenage problem, facial acne doesn’t necessarily reside with adolescents alone. Yes teenagers are the primary sufferers, and a majority of adolescent acne cases vanish after a few years, but a surprising percentage of women and men over 25 have facial acne men in particular. In most cases of adult facial acne, the breakouts phase themselves out by the mid-forties.

Hormonal imbalance is the most frequent cause of adult facial acne among women. The adrenals or ovaries of some women over-produce androgens, hormones that can impart male characteristics. Excess hair on the lips, chin, or above the navel, or any significant deepening of the voice, indicate that a woman should seek medical help. Not only do androgens increase incidences of facial acne; in very rare cases, the adrenal glands or ovaries can develop tumors from overexposure to excess androgen production.

Even if no glandular problems exist, many women take birth control pills that contain synthetic testosterone-like hormones. Among their effects is adult facial acne. Fortunately, newer androgen-neutral and even testosterone-blocking birth control pills are now on the market. On the other hand, a majority of women experience a lessening of facial acne symptoms while using traditional oral contraceptives -- so the lines between cause and effect can be somewhat blurred.

Drugs like prednisone, prescribed to treat asthma and autoimmune conditions, could also be to blame for facial acne. Additionally, any woman who has experienced sudden facial acne flare-ups at “that time of the month,” or just before an important event, would probably say that stress can induce facial acne breakouts. The jury is still out on that one -- but a bit of stress reduction would certainly be helpful in any case. If your psychiatric health improves and your skin clears, who really cares whether or not your stress-reduction strategies made your skin clear up? In most cases, topical antibiotics are used to treat milder cases of adult facial acne -- while oral antibiotics are prescribed for more severe cases. Substances like Retin-A, benzoyl peroxide and salicylic acid are also commonly used. While research has not yet directly linked facial acne to diet eating plans that provide a better balance of various types of fat could help (while also boosting the immune system).

Finally, according to Germany's Commission E, their FDA equivalent, Brewer's yeast may help chronic facial acne. May be worth checking out!

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