ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Thought you’d grow out of acne but it’s still creeping up, decades later? You’re not alone, and how you’re responding to it could actually be making it worse.
Dermatologist of Dermaclinique Dr. Priya Nayyar says first, try to understand what kind of adult acne you’re experiencing. She explains there are several, including “environmental factors, there’s hereditary and genetic components and then there’s hormonally based.”
Environmental acne may be the easiest to treat. Dr. Nayyar says to start by cutting out added sugar. “A high sugar diet, there have been links to increased acne.”
She says it's often found in foods and drinks that many believe are healthy, “skim milk, for example, has a lot of added sugars,” Nayyar said.
If you’re battling hormonal acne, including flare-ups around a menstrual cycle, you’ll want to talk to a doctor about supplements that you’re taking. “You have a lot of women who are perimenopausal, on estrogen, or men on testosterone; that can absolutely cause acne,” Nayyar says.
Overusing products can also backfire. Dr. Nayyar says to pick a gentle cleanser and simplify your skincare steps.
“Always start with a vitamin C, which is an antioxidant in the morning and you use sunscreen after that. That’s all you need for the morning and in the evening, you can use a topical retinoid, which is anti-aging and alternate it, use it every other night, that’s about it and a good moisturizer,” says Nayyar.
If you’ve switched up your routine and are still experiencing breakouts, Dr. Nayyar says to get a face wash that has strong acne-fighting ingredients.
Look for salicylic acid, glycolic acid, or benzoyl peroxide. Then keep an eye on its impacts, “anything you’ve used for 6-8 weeks consistently and you’ve seen no improvement, we usually bump up to oral but that’s after you’ve also tried prescription-strength topicals.”
If your breakouts are linked to wearing a mask, better known as “maskne,” Dr. Nayyar says cleanse with ingredients that rid the skin of bacteria, like benzoyl peroxide or salicylic acid, then use a topical wipe with glycolic or salicylic acid, “or clindamycin, which is a topical antibiotic,” Nayyar sats. She says that will sit on the skin and serve as a barrier.