Just when you thought you had left your teenage skin issues far behind, adult acne rears its ugly head. Adult onset acne has become increasingly common with women aged 20-60. Hormones are likely to blame for this unwelcome skin problem, causing excess oil production and clogged pores. Many times, your skin can be both dry and broken out at the same time, complicating treatment. If you are suffering from adult acne, read on for the latest treatment options.
Retinoids are the gold standard for acne treatment and have been for many years. This vitamin A derivative, prescribed by your doctor, is available in a variety of strengths. Over-the-counter skincare lines do not contain enough active ingredient to be effective. Retinoids work by clearing pores of sebum. As a bonus, retinoids are approved by the FDA to treat wrinkles by increasing collagen production, improving blood flow, fading age spots, and more. This treatment should be started gradually to avoid peeling and irritation, and augmented with an application of a rich but gentle moisturizer. Ask your dermatologist about retinoid formulas that are less drying and those that are combined with moisturizers.
Laser treatments for acne work by destroying bacteria on the skin, which can cause acne, and by shrinking your oil glands. Laser treatments also help encourage collagen growth, which is the structural protein in your skin. You could consider collagen to be the underlying framework of your skin, and loss of it can give skin a saggy, thin appearance. Laser treatments vary in cost from $75.00 to $400.00 per treatment, and you could need as many as 4-8 treatments.
Photo Dynamic Therapy, sometimes called "blue light therapy", uses a photosensitive drug combined with a specific wavelength of light to reduce the size and activity of the sebaceous oil glands. The use of PDT can be customized depending on what photosensitive drug is applied to the skin before treatment, with aminolevulinic acid being the drug commonly used for the treatment of acne. PDT treatment will also exfoliate the outer layer of the skin, providing a result similar to a laser peel.
There are many other traditional treatments for acne, such as benzoyl peroxide and salicylic acid, but both of these can be extremely drying and irritating. The options above can be customized to target your specific skin issue, so consult with your dermatologist to find out what option is best for your skin. With the correct treatment, you can have clearer, younger looking skin.