They say you can never go back, but it seems your adult acne is saying something entirely different. Like a time-machine straight back to high school, that Vesuvius-size pimple on your formerly lovely visage is sending flashbacks of anxiety and self-consciousness to your mature adult heart. I mean, really… you’re already dealing with the signs of aging (i.e. wrinkles, thinning skin and sunspots), to add adult acne to the mix – Mother Nature is being a total witch… minus the ‘w’ and add a ‘b’.

In reality, we can’t blame Mother Nature entirely – but the blame can definitely be placed on her minions: hormones and genetics. And, in this case, the old adage “if it walks like a duck and talks like a duck then it must be…” isn’t entirely true. Your adult acne isn’t exactly the same beast as the acne that plagued your first date. While your former high-school self may have broken out in your T-zone (forehead, nose and chin) – your adult self is more likely to break out in your V-zone (jawline, chin, lower cheeks and upper neck). What?! You mean even my T-zone has gone south?! Yes, Virginia… that’s exactly what we mean.

Come, come now. Tears won’t solve this conundrum. Take comfort in the fact that you’re not alone. According to the University of Alabama, nearly half of all adult women between the ages of 35 – 60 will experience adult acne at some point and a good portion of them will seek a doctors care, ‘cause let’s face it, treating acne without exacerbating the facial follies associated with aging (fine lines, dryness, age spots – oh, my.) could prove to be a challenge.



The best rule of thumb, despite the urge that’s telling you otherwise, is to resist the need to scour your face. No amount of scrubbing (especially with abrasive cleansers) is going to wash that adult acne away, in fact it could have the opposite effect. You see… both black- and whiteheads are simply clogged pores. As you age, your skin loses its ability to retain moisture – leading to dryness. At the same time your ever-changing hormones (*Tears! Delirious joy! Hot flash! Tears!* REPEAT) cause an increase in oil-production. Scrubbing the crap out of your poor pores will only ‘cause more inflammation and will eventually rupture underneath the skin – aka. A pimple. And that, kids… is how a pimple is born.

(DRY SKIN ADDENDUM: DO NOT SKIP YOUR MOISTURIZER. It will only lead to dryer skin, which will lead to more oil production, which will lead to crater-face.) You’re skin needs moisture.

Instead of overzealous scrub-a-dub-dubbing, try clearing your skin with a salicylic acid. This will loosen up the dead skin in and around pores, clearing them of any gook that might clog them and nipping the whole oily-pore-pile-up in the bud. You can also try an antibacterial wash with benzoyl peroxide to kill bacterial. This too, has a slight peeling effect – and while women with sensitive skin might find it irritating – it could be a good fit for someone with a tougher façade.

Another consideration might be a little variety. You wouldn’t rock your thigh-high suede boots in the scorching hot sun, nor would you slide into your skimpiest summer sandal in the dead of winter – so why would you use the same products to tackle those both those low-estrogen days and those days when your hormones are in overdrive? Does you’re skin get oilier during the week before your period? Try using salicylic acid cleanser instead of your usual mild face wash, see what happens. Sometimes a change in cleanser is all it takes to clear up a breakout.

Experimenting with you’re skin care routine is never fun – it takes several weeks to see the result and gosh darn it! We like our immediate gratification. But consider a breakout as your skin’s cry for communication – the two of your will never live in harmony unless you listen to what it’s telling (yelling at) you.

A flabby core – despite the barrage of sit-ups you do each week – is proof positive that ‘spot-treating’ doesn’t work. And don’t think your skin doesn’t know it. If you’re going the route of salicylic acid or benzoyl peroxide (or any other acne fighting treatment) – don’t forget to treat the surrounding area as well. Where one zit pops up, you can be sure it’s friends are getting ready to join the party – treating the area makes sure your skin is an unwelcome place for a pimple to play.

If all this fails and you’re break-outs are erring on the side of constancy… you may need a visit to your trusty dermie – who can arm you with a prescription for a clear skin heavy-hitter, like retinoic acid. This dermie treatment of choice helps prevent acne, decrease post-acne spotting and minimize wrinkles. (Multi-tasking! Hurrah!) You can even apply a thin layer of moisturizer first to stave off retinoic acid’s draw-back redness and peeling – this wonder still works!

Go ahead, have a little heart to heart with your skin (and possibly your dermatologist too) – there is no need to miss the prom (or the cocktail party) over an outbreak of pimples.