Over 40 and still struggling with Acne

My fight against Acne

When I look back and think about me as a young girl going through puberty, the first thing that goes through my mind is “acne”. I was about 12 years old when the first pimples started to show up in my face. Gosh, I hated it. During my whole youth I suffered from acne. I tried everything from prescribed medication to home remedies, changing eating habits but nothing really worked. I found out that there are many myths around solving the acne problem.

• Myth: Acne is caused by dirt.
  Fact:  Many people think that “having acne” means that their face is unclean, but that’s not true. The truth is, acne is a complex skin disorder that can’t be boiled down to simply “dirt.” It’s likely that the connection between the skin condition and dirt was made because blackheads are black (read: dirty) BUT blackheads aren’t caused by dirt. Blackheads are dead cells that have clogged the pores. Acne occurs when a pore is blocked off partially or fully by a combination of oil, bacteria and dead skin cells.
  –> Acne is caused by dead skin cells and bacteria that clog the skin pores.
• Myth: Acne can be eliminated by washing your face more often.
  Fact: We know now that acne isn’t caused by dirt, so you can’t just wash it away. A cleanser with ingredients like benzoyl peroxide, salicyclic acid and sulfur compounds will help clear the skin, but it won’t clear it any faster if you wash your face more often or scrub harder. Scrubbing harder or washing too often will even exacerbate acne on the skin.
  –> Wash your face regularly (no more than twice daily) to help the expenditure of dead skin cells, excess oil, and dirt from the skin surface.
• Myth: Squeezing pimples can eliminate acne effectively from your face.
  Fact: Hitting or breaking the pimples can cause wounds, redness, and perhaps more shocking, scars that will stay with you forever.
  –> Stop squeezing your pimpels now unless you like scars.
  
• Myth: Acne is unrelated to what we eat.
  Fact: It’s still not clear whether acne is caused by certain food or genetics. Some doctors will recommend to eat less fatty food or to limit the intake of dairy products.
  –> Ask your doctor if he or she recommends changing your diet to help clear your skin.
  
• Myth: Sunlight can help eliminate acne
  Fact: Tanning does help hide acne, but the UV rays ultimately dry the skin, and can make the skin condition worse. Besides worsening the acne, tanning causes premature aging, which we certainly don’t want.
  –> Limit exposure to sunlight in areas prone to acne on your body. Do NOT avoid the sun completely because we can get our natural vitamin D through sunlight.
  
• Myth: Acne is just for teens
  Fact: Not only teenagers, but everyone can have acne. Acne is not only connected with teenagers. Most teenagers have acne because of hormonal changes in their teenage years. According to a study examining the prevalence of acne in adults over age 20, acne affects:
  • more than 50 % of women between the ages of 20-29 and
  • more than 25 % of women between the ages of 40-49
  –> Acne is sensitive to hormonal changes. 

So far the facts and myths. It is clear to me that acne is caused by unbalanced hormone levels. I remember that my acne disappeared from the moment that I started taking the birth control pill, more specifically “Diane-35” which regulates your hormones: estrogen and progestogen (reproductive hormones) and androgen (which can cause acne, by prompting excess oil production in your skin). The days of shame and ugliness were over ! I enjoyed my acneless life for more than a decade. Until I turned 35… I stopped taking “Diane-35” and thought I was old enough to have passed “my puberty”. But it was more a wish than a fact. The first pimples started to show up again. Now 5 years later, I am still struggling with acne as you can see on the picture. The only difference with my puberty is that the acne now is more concentrated around my lower face and neck. It is a bit less visible than in my youth but still very annoying.

My conclusion

I felt like a rare case because of my acne at this age (40) but statistics confirm that more than 25 % of women my age are fighting the same battle. I do not feel alone anymore but that doesn’t make my pimples disappear ! I decided to see a doctor to ask for the appropriate treatment for my skin. Curious to see the result of my visit and treatment? Here you will find the fabulous results of my treatment.

Sources: Livestrong, Science Daily, Medical News Today, Health Today.