Suffering from adult acne? Keep getting pimples in the same spot?

Have you been wondering what causes adult acne?

In this article, I’m going to share acne treatment tips that I learned from Japanese dermatologists and the leading Japanese skincare magazines.

Acne is not just teenagers’ problem, but it can trouble us in our 30’s, 40’s or even it can go into your 50’s. Over the past decade, statistics show that adult acne has been increasing.

I’m in my late 30’s, and I still get pimples, especially around the chin and sometimes in the forehead. Gosh!! I hate it when this happens! I feel like the end of the world… lol

So, wow can we get rid of it or better yet prevent it?

Let’s get to it now!

What Causes Adult Acne & How To Get Rid Of It Fast

1. Why Do We Get Adult Acne?

According to Dr Tsuda at TSUDA clinic based in South of Japan, the root causes of adult acne are:

• Disruption of the skin’s turnover
• Decreased skin barrier function

This is how it happens:

1.  Sebum secretion increases due to stress, sickness, hormonal imbalance, and lack of sleep etc.

2.  The above causes bacteria in sebum to react to environmental factors like UV rays and pollutants, which produce active oxygen.

3.  It then damages the surrounding tissues as a result, which leads to the skin barrier function weakening and inflammation

4. The skin turnover cycle then gets disrupted, and it starts to malfunction.

5. The pores get clogged as the skin barrier is in an ill state. 

2. Is Adult Acne Different From Teen Acne?

Adult acne and teen acne are actually NOT medically distinct, but the causes can be different.

In teens, it’s mainly caused by increased sebum secretion. In adults, it’s more to do with hormonal fluctuation caused by high-stress, unhealthy lifestyle, poor diet and possibly wrong cleansing methods.

Many people think acne = oily skin (too much sebum) and try to get rid of the oil by cleansing more, but it actually makes it even worse.

First and foremost, it is BEST to start with the following:

• Reviewing your lifestyle
• Adjusting hormone balance
• Keratin treatment for healthier skin turnover
• Sufficient moisturising 

Additionally, you need to make sure you are getting enough Vitamin B. Vitamin B helps balance the sebum secretion.

3. Where Does Adult Acne Appear?

[FOREHEAD] – Sebum, Bangs (Fringes)

Caused by excessive sebum in the T zone. 

It can be shampoo or conditioner not rinsed properly and left on the skin, or if you have a bang (fringe), your forehead may be prone to pollutants and impurities with it covered with hair all the time.

[CHEEKS] – Dry and Clogged by Makeup

Caused by low sebum secretion and dryness.

As foundation clogs the pores, you are more likely to get acne. Even makeup brushes that have not been washed for a while can cause acne too.

[NOSE] – Sebum and Clogged by Dead Skin

Caused by increased sebum secretion and clogged pores.

The area is more prone to high sebum secretion, and it’s also where makeup can still easily be left after cleansing.

[MOUTH, CHIN] – Digestive Problems, Too Much Stress

Caused by stress (could be hormonal) and poor diet

If you are under a lot of pressure and stress, it can lead to digestive problems. They normally manifest as acne in the chin area. On top of that, it’s got a rougher surface than the other parts in the face and easier for any dirt to be leftover after cleansing. Also, if you are under a lot of pressure and stress, it can lead to digestive problems. They normally manifest as acne in the chin area.

4. How Can You Prevent Adult Acne?

Many people think they must have oily skin just because they keep getting spots, and they start treatments for oily skin.

Don’t!

As mentioned earlier, the root causes of acne are:

• Disruption of the skin’s turnover 
• Decreased skin barrier function

Think like your skin is being very sensitive and out of balance. So actually you need to add some appropriate moisturiser.

Check below to see if you tick any of them. If YES, you are WELCOMING acne!

[ Check Points] – Your Skincare Routine

✓ You wash your face too much

✓ When it’s cold outside, you wash your face with hot water to feel warm.

✓ You skip a moisturiser (cream) thinking it makes the skin oilier.

✓ You skip your skincare routine thinking it irritates acne. 

✓ You don’t wear sunscreen.

[ Check Points] – Your Lifestyle

✓ You don’t sleep enough, or You feel continuously fatigued.

✓ You are surrounded by people who are under a lot of stress.

✓ You are too busy, so you skin your skincare routine.

✓ You feel overly irritated before period.

✓ You cannot resist eating chocolate and sweets

✓ You hardly have a bath, or you don’t sweat enough (by exercise)

✓ Your diet is poor.

5. How to Treat Adult Acne

Most important is to focus on getting your skin barrier function healthier.

[Your Skincare Routine]

It is crucial to keep your skin clean. However, if you wash your skin repeatedly or wash it several times a day, the barrier function will weaken.

Wash gently with foam and rinse away from the skin while removing dirt thoroughly. Also, make sure you don’t rub anything against your skin. 

Avoid having a bath with high temperature and washing face with hot water. Hot water deprives the skin of the natural moisture barrier, leading to dry skin and breakouts.

[Your Lifestyle]

Your skin is a mirror of your inner world. Your state of mind can have a big impact on how much your skin glows or radiates. If you are constantly stressed, your chance of getting acne will be much higher. Stress is really the enemy of beautiful skin.

Another big factor is your sleep. Irregular lifestyle with sleep deprivation advances skin ageing, and you become susceptible to adult acne. 

If you don’t get enough sleep from 22:00 to 2:00 when a lot of growth hormone is secreted, the skin will get rough. 

This time zone is called the golden time for beautiful skin (at least in Japan!). It is the time when skin cells get regenerated. If you are always staying up late, try to be a morning person and get your sleep during the golden time.

[Your Diet]

A balanced diet is vital to have acne-free skin. Particularly vitamins are essential for acne prevention. You can get them via eating lots of vegetables and some fruits. 

Also, drinking alcohol consumes a lot of vitamins, so ideally you want to drink less alcohol if you want to prevent acne in the long run.

If you like high-fat and high-sugar foods, this can keep causing adult acne. These foods will increase the level of sebum, and your skin becomes more prone to acne. 

6. How Japanese Women Prevent Acne with Foods

Japanese women are VERY conscious of what they eat as they know it has a HUGE impact on the moisture level and overall texture of the skin.

I recommend you introduce more fish and vegetables (lots of greens!) in general, like the Japanese diet. This excludes ready meals which are high in salt and fat. 

Salmon is, for instance, full of astaxanthin which can help prevent damage to skin cells. If you don’t like fish, you can try taking astaxanthin supplements.

For a better digestive system, Japanese women also eat a lot of fermented foods such as natto and miso-based dishes. They are known as anti-ageing or beauty foods in Japan. Those foods are Japanese staple foods, and almost everyone from young to old eats them daily.

7. My Personal Experience & Advice

I’m personally very sensitive to environmental change or stress from daily life, and sometimes I get pimples around the chin non-stop for a while. It is really painful, and I know how much it can impact your self-image. 

When I keep getting adult acne, it’s when I am overly stressed with work, relationships, and neglecting my diet and self-care routine. 

Every time this happens, I remember to look inwards and be kind to myself prioritising my wellbeing and health. For me, even taking time to have a bath, take some time to meditate or reducing meat and eating more vegetables can bring so much difference to my skin in a matter of days.

At times, I also review my skincare routine as to especially how I am washing my face with what type of product. Recently, I started to get acne from one to another around the chin, mouth and forehead. It was literally like a disease – pimples just kept coming back!

I was very careful with food, so it was due to the prolonged period of stress combined with a wrong cleansing method for my skin at the time of year. I changed my usual cleansing routine from oil to cream. By changing to milk-based cleansing (in this case, it was Caudalie Gentle Cleansing Milk), I tried to not strip off too much of my skin’s natural oil (barrier).

courtesy of brand

Also, I made sure I use lukewarm water ONLY, and I paid SUPER extra attention to putting the least amount of pressure when washing my face.

Meanwhile, I was committed to securing some time every day for myself (even if it’s a short time) to treat me with good food and sleep. I worked very hard to take care of my mental health.

Within a week since I made all of those efforts, finally and I pimples started to calm down and go away!!! Time and time again, I realised how IMPORTANT to:

• Stick to a balanced diet
• Use the right type of cleansing product
• Respect my well-being

So, if you are suffering from adult acne or recurring pimples, I highly recommend checking the above three points.

So, there we are 🙂

Hopefully, my tips above can help you with fighting acne and getting clear skin! If you need any help with choosing the right cleansing products or buying acne-combating Japanese food, just let me know in the comment section below – I’m here to support ❤️️

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