It comes with the territory of being a hormonal teen, but as an adult? It’s hard to wrap your head around fighting acne and wrinkles at the same time, but adult acne is increasingly common with up to 15 per cent of Australian women suffering. We give the lowdown on what you should be doing to achieve good skin once again.
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Everyone should have a good skincare routine, but those with acne its even more important to cleanse every day. But, Associate Professor Dr Greg Goodman from the Dermatology Institute of Victoria, says not to wash your face more than twice a day and only use cool or warm water and a gentle cleanser to avoid irritation and flare ups. He recommends using your hands or a cleansing brush for 30 seconds to gently exfoliate the pores and pat – don’t rub – your skin dry.
Great daily cleansers to try are Neutrogena Acne Stress Control Wash, $14.99, Paula’s Choice Clear Pore Normalizing Cleanser, $19 and Dermalogica MediBac Clearing Skin Wash, $51.
- Choose the right products
When it comes to choosing skincare Goodman says to look for products labeled ‘oil-free’ and ‘non comedogenic’, which won’t block the pores or cause acne. For mild acne, over the counter products containing salicylic acid and benzoyl peroxide (between 2.5 to 4.5 per cent to minimise irritation) will help to clear blockages.
A good start is Neutrogena’s Deep Clean range like the Deep Clean Facial Cleanser, $13.99 and Gentle Scrub, $12.99, which clean deep down into the skin’s pores dissolving away dirt and impurities that cause breakouts. Products do need time to work, so allow up to six weeks to see the full benefits and always read your labels. Applying more product than required won’t make the acne disappear any quicker.
- Try light therapy
Blue light therapy can give acne skin a radiant glow once again.
Try OMNILUX Revive Treatment (from $90, 1800 808 993), which is a non-invasive treatment that emits pure blue light, and helps eradicate the bacteria that causes acne and promotes your body’s natural healing process. After your therapist cleanses your skin of make-up, you simply lay under a bright lamp and twenty minutes later, you’re done. For best results, it is recommended that you have around two treatments a week, with a total of eight to 10 treatments. There is no downtime so you can literally do it in your lunch hour.
- Go sugar-free
While munching on that block of chocolate watching Netflix might seem like a good idea at the time, if you’re suffering from acne “sugar will just cause inflammation in the body which will then show up through the skin’s surface,” warns Goodman. Studies have shown that a low-glycemic index diet, aka low sugar, may have benefits for acne sufferers. So you know the drill ditch the packaged food and increase fresh fruits and veggies in your diet.
Supplements like zinc, vitamins A, C and D and essential fatty acids can also help the skin’s condition. Try Blackmores BioZinc, $16.99.
- Check Your Hormones
The causes of adult acne have been linked to hormones and polycystic ovarian syndrome, so see your GP or dermatologist to determine the type and cause and to rule out an imbalance in hormones. “The oral contraceptive pill can be a way to correct an imbalance,” says Goodman.
This is a sponsored post by Neutrogena. All opinions expressed by the author are authentic and written in their own words.
