Adult Acne Causes
All adult acne causes affect the skin pore in one way or another. This skin pore which is also known as the pilosebaceous unit, consists of a sebaceous (oil) gland and the hair follicle from which the hair grows.
Factors which cause adult acne breakouts include the following:
Excessive Oil
The skin produces oil to keep itself moisturized, soft and supple. However when the oil production is excessive, it clogs the skin pore and causes acne eruptions.
Plugged Skin Pores
When the skin pore gets plugged by oil from the sebaceous gland and dead skin cells, acne breaks out due to the accumulation of oil within them.
Bacteria
Bacteria like Cutibacteriuum acnes which was formerly known as Propionibacterium acnes and Corynebacterium granulosum which was formerly known as Propionibacterium granulosum contribute to the development of acne when they multiply in the plugged pore.
Inflammation
The accumulation of bacteria in the plugged skin pore causes the immune system to set up an inflammatory response which results in the development of red acne lesions. Stress and other factors also contribute to the inflammation of acne.
Adult Acne Causes: Natural Hormone Changes
Physiological hormonal fluctuations are the changes in hormone levels that occur as part of a woman’s normal body changes.
These normal hormone changes that can cause adult acne include those that occur just before the menstrual periods causing premenstrual pimples. These changes involve levels of androgens like testosterone with respect to levels of estrogen and they result in painful cystic acne lesions that develop around the mouth, chin, jaw line and even the neck.
These androgen level changes contribute to the development of premenstrual pimples by causing changes in the amount of oil and in the consistency of the oil in the skin’s sebaceous glands since it becomes thicker and therefore more likely to clog the pores.
Other physiological hormonal changes that contribute to adult acne include those that occur during pregnancy, just before menopause (pre-menopausal) and during menopause (menopausal). These hormone changes all result in an increase in the production of oil by the skin and clogging of the skin pores which leads to acne breakouts.
Hormonal Conditions
Hormonal conditions are other adult acne causes. These hormonal diseases that cause acne include polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) which affects around 10% of all women. PCOS is characterized by acne affecting the chin and jaw and it is accompanied by excessive growth of hair above the upper lip, on the chin, sideburns and other parts of the body. Other PCOS symptoms include irregular periods, diabetes and infertility.
Women without hormonal conditions can also develop non-physiological hormonal fluctuations that lead to acne breakouts when they start or stop oral contraceptive pills (birth control pills).
To learn how to treat adult acne caused by hormonal changes Consult our Doctor or read Natural Adult Acne Treatment for Hormonal Acne PDF Ebook or Natural Adult Acne Treatment for Hormonal Acne Amazon Ebook
Adult Acne Causes: Stress
Stress is another major cause of adult acne in men and women.
Studies have proven that stress causes acne eruptions and increases the severity of acne. This happens because when a person encounters a stressful situation their body releases cortisol to help with the fight or flight reaction.
However, the release of this stress hormone also results in an increase in levels of androgens like testosterone which increases oil production by the sebaceous glands and cause acne to flare up.
To learn how to treat adult acne caused by stress Consult our Doctor or read Natural Adult Acne Treatment for Stress Acne Amazon Ebook or Natural Adult Acne Treatment for Stress Acne PDF Ebook
Adult Acne Causes: Diet
Studies have linked acne with the consumption of dairy products like milk, cheese and yogurt. This link is thought to be due to the hormones present in these animal products.
High glycemic index (GI) foods like sweets, white bread, cakes, cookies and other sugary foods baked with white flour, have also been shown to contribute to the development of acne lesions.
These high GI foods raise the blood sugar level which results in a rapid rise of the insulin level in an attempt to take the sugars into the cells. However, this insulin also increases the levels of androgens which increase the production of oil by the sebaceous glands and result in acne eruptions.
Foods which are high in iodine like lobster, shrimp, crabs and other seafood as well as kelp and spinach, can also cause acne when the iodine builds up in the body.
To learn how to treat adult acne caused by diet Consult our Doctor or read Natural Adult Acne Treatment for Dietary Acne Amazon Ebook or Natural Adult Acne Treatment for Dietary Acne PDF Ebook
Adult Acne Causes: Genes
Medical studies suggest that a person with a close blood relative like a parent, brother or sister with acne, has a higher risk of developing adult acne.
Adult Acne Causes: Skincare Habits and Products
Bad skincare habits are other common causes of adult acne. These habits include excessive cleansing since washing the face more than twice a day dries it up and makes the skin overproduce oil in an attempt to compensate for the dryness. The resultant increased oil then clogs the pores and causes acne breakouts.
Using rough skincare products on the face can irritate the skin and contribute to acne breakouts. This usually happens when mechanical exfoliators like sugar scrubs are used on their face or chemical exfoliators are used several times a week. Rough washcloths or sponges can also irritate the skin and cause breakouts.
Applying finishing powder to a made up face when it becomes oily without first patting the excess oil with blotting paper can contribute to acne by plugging the pores.
Applying makeup before styling the hair can cause acne since one is not able to wipe the face with a cleanser to remove any hair styling products left on it. The heat from blow driers can also sweating which can combine with the hair care products and makeup to clog the pores.
Sleeping with makeup at night also contributes to breakout since it clogs the pores.
Touching the face when thinking or picking pimples also causes acne by transferring bacteria to the face from the fingers.
Using fingers instead of a clean cotton ball to apply skincare products which are packaged in jars can transfer bacteria from the skin to the products and propagates their reapplication to the skin.
Not washing makeup brushes and blending sponges regularly also contributes to adult acne because it facilitates the reapplication of bacteria and dirt to the skin.
Not storing makeup brushes in their pouches and blending sponges in their containers is another cause of adult acne since it allows these implements to come in contact with other items that may harbor a lot of bacteria like money and keys.
Sharing make up and makeup brushes can also contribute to acne breakouts since it facilitates the transferring of bacteria from one person to another.
Exercising while wearing a full face of makeup is another cause of adult acne in Kenya because the mixture of sweat, dirt and makeup clogs the skin pores.
Using skin care products with comedogenic ingredients is a major cause of adult acne because they clog the pores on the face. This is especially true if they are not labeled “water-based” or “oil-free” or “non-acnegenic” or “non-comedogenic” (which means they will not clog pores).
Natural skincare products and organic skincare products can also cause adult acne if they contain comedogenic ingredients like beeswax, cocoa butter, coconut butter, coconut oil, mango butter and shea butter.
Acetylated lanolin, algae extract, benzaldehyde, isopropyl palmitate and lauric acid as well as D & C red # 3, D & C # 17, D & C # 21, D & C # 27, D & C # 30, D & C red # 36 and D & C # 40 are other pore-clogging chemicals that are commonly used to make cosmetics and skin care products.
Other comedogenic ingredients of skincare products and cosmetics that can cause acne include acetylated lanolin alcohol, algae, algin, butyl stearate, carrageenan, cetearyl alcohol + ceteareth 20, cetyl acetate, chlorella, chondrus crispus (aka irish moss or carageenan moss), coal tar, coconut alkanes, colloidal sulfur, cotton awws oil, cotton seed oil, corn oil, decyl oleate, dioctyl succinate, disodium monooleamido, ethoxylated lanolin, ethylhexyl palmitate, glyceryl stearate se, glyceryl-3 diisostearate, hexadecyl alcohol, hydrogenated vegetable oil, isocetyl alcohol, isocetyl stearate, isodecyl oleate, isopropyl isostearate, isopropyl linolate, isopropyl myristate, isostearyl isostearate, isostearyl neopentanoate, kelp, laminaria digitata extract, laminaria saccharina extract (laminaria saccharine), lanolin, laureth-23, laureth-4, mink oil, myristic acid, myristyl lactate, myristyl myristate, octyl palmitate, octyl stearate, oleth-3, oleyl alcohol, peg 2- sulfosuccinate, peg 16 lanolin, peg 200 dilaurate, peg 8 stearate, pg monostearate, ppg 2 myristyl propionate, plankton, polyglyceryl-3 diisostearate, potassium chloride, propylene glycol monostearate, red algae, seaweed, shark liver oil, sodium laureth sulfate, sodium lauryl sulfate, solulan 16, sorbitan oleate, soybean oil, spirulina, steareth 10, stearic acid tea, stearyl heptanoate, sulfated castor oil, sulfated jojoba oil, talc, wheat germ oil and xylene.
To learn how to treat adult acne caused by poor skin care Consult our Doctor or read Natural Adult Acne Treatment for Bad Skin Habits Acne Amazon Ebook or Natural Adult Acne Treatment for Bad Skin Habits Acne PDF Ebook
Adult Acne Causes: Hair Care Products and Habits
Applying products on the hair can cause pomade acne on the forehead if they have comedogenic ingredients like those listed above.
Styling the hair with fringes and bangs can cause adult acne since it brings the strands with their products to the forehead and cheeks.
Wearing headbands, hats and caps which are not lined with a soft material when exercising or engaging in other vigorous activities can cause friction over the forehead and crushing the oil glands which causes mechanical acne.
To learn how to treat adult acne caused by poor hair care Consult our Doctor or read Natural Adult Acne Treatment for Bad Hair Habits Acne Amazon Ebook or Natural Adult Acne Treatment for Bad Hair Habits Acne PDF Ebook
Adult Acne Causes: Lifestyle Habits
Lifestyle habits are other relatively common adult acne causes. These habits include not cleaning mobile phones daily with alcohol wipes or hand sanitizers. This is because the screen can harbor numerous bacteria which can cause breakouts when they come in contact with the cheeks and are incubated by the warmth of the breath.
Not cleaning pillowcases and bed sheets weekly also causes acne since the dirty linen applies the oils from the hair onto the face as the person tosses and turns in their sleep.
Sleeping on rough pillow cases and bed sheets can also contribute to irritation of the skin and cause break outs due to the friction between the sheets and the cheeks during the night.
Smoking cigarettes also increases a person’s risk of developing acne since it destroys the skin’s collagen and results in larger pores which hold more oil and are therefore more likely to clog.
Adult Acne Causes: Medications
Medications that can clog pores and cause adult acne include:
Antituberculosis TB medications like isoniazid, rifampicin and ethionamide.
Antiepilepsy medications like carbamazepine, phenytoin and Phenobarbital.
Antidepressants like lithium and amoxapine.
Corticosteroids like prednisone and dexamethasone.
Anabolic steroids like danazol, stanazol and nandrolone.
Halogens like iodides, bromides and halothane.
Amphetamines like adderall which is used for ADHD
Other prescription medications like azathioprine, ciclosporin, epidermal growth factor receptor inhibitors and biologic agents like TNF inhibitors.
B complex vitamins like B6 or pyridoxine, B7 or biotin and B12 or cyanocobalamin.
Multivitamin and multimineral supplements that contain iodine.
If you are taking any of these medications, consult your Doctor and ask they can change the medications for you.
Damaged Skin
Collagen in the skin can be damaged by air pollution, smoking and the sun’s rays. The effects of this damage include sagging skin with enlarged pores that are more likely to get clogged since they tend to create and contain more oil.
