Acne Can Appear at Any Age
Acne is such a common skin condition, affecting many at some time in their lives and for a variety of reasons. Acne can appear in babies, teens, young adults and even beyond. Acne can be a recurring condition just to add to the angst.
It is so common that it is considered to be a normal part of puberty and even partly in adulthood with one in five adults possibly developing acne at some stage.
Fortunately, there is a lot you can do to improve the situation and even clear the condition completely.
What causes acne?
The pores in the skin contain sebaceous glands which, as the name suggests, make sebum. Sebum is the natural oil that lubricates your hair and skin and most of the time, just the right amount is made. However, if your hormones stimulate the glands to make extra sebum, the glands can become overactive and you are on the road to pores becoming clogged up with both too much sebum and too many dead cells. It is when bacteria gets trapped in these clogged pores - and then multiplies - that swelling and redness can result in white heads, blackheads and/or pimples.
The different ages when acne can occur
1. Acne in babies is common and usually does not last long - just a matter of a few weeks - appearing on the nose, the cheeks, forehead, the chin or on the back. It should be left alone without any excessive cleaning or product use. Likely causes of baby acne are the many hormonal changes during pregnancy.
2. Acne in the teens can be because the oil glands are stimulated to produce oil by hormones, specifically the male hormones called androgen. These hormones are produced by the testes in men and by the ovaries in women. In both sexes, androgen is also produced by the adrenal glands. During times of stress, the adrenal glands produce increased levels of hormones, causing even greater enlargement of the oil glands. During puberty, the oil glands become overactive in response to hormonal changes.
3. Acne in young adults can be caused by a variety of reasons. Stress can cause those oil glands to overcompensate while poor quality, expired or contaminated cosmetics can lead to bacteria-laden pores. Hormones can also cause those oil glands to overcompensate while birth control pills containing androgen can cause acne breakouts.
4. Acne in older adults is often caused by an imbalance in the hormones - and the specific hormones include those reproductive hormones such as estrogen, progesterone and testosterone. While acne in older adults can affect both males and females, it is more common in females because it can be linked to the menstrual cycle changes - along with menopause and pregnancy.
Other contributing factors to the appearance of acne in different age groups are:
- Some medications that can actually cause or worsen acne. Examples are those drugs containing iodides, bromides or steroids.
- In some occupations, workers are exposed to industrial products like cutting oils, petroleum or cooking oils which could be a contributing factor.
- Certain commercial cosmetics. It is wise to check the ingredients carefully and change to more natural products instead.
The story of acne and how it develops
- Acne usually begins first with blackheads.
- Red pimples only develop when blackheads become inflamed and they spread when you keep touching them (perhaps with dirty hands).
- Once a pimple becomes infected, it can develop a white head or pustule.
How can you tackle acne naturally?
By applying our own H-Acne Formula which is formulated to naturally treat acne symptoms without any harsh chemicals. It can be used safely on pimples, whiteheads and blackheads, allowing the natural blend of pure ingredients to go to work. The Formula is perfect for all skin types whether oily skin, dry skin, combination skin or sensitive skin.
This link will take you to our image gallery, showing images of the various symptoms that can be treated with our specific Healing Natural Oils products.
And this link will take you to our health articles covering all the conditions for which we have products.
Sources
Rakel D, ed. (2018). Acne vulgaris and acne rosacea. In: Integrative Medicine. 4th ed. Elsevier. https://www.clinicalkey.com.(Accessed February 7 2021).
Acne. National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases. https://www.niams.nih.gov/health-topics/acne. (Accessed February 7, 2021).
Kraft J, et al. (2011). Management of acne.
ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3080563/ (Accessed February 7, 2021)
See How to Identify Different Skin Conditions
Written by Jane Chitty
Jane writes for Healing Natural Oils, a producer and retailer of high-quality, all-natural treatments for a variety of conditions as well as a range of beauty products. Apart from writing about those various conditions, she also covers general health, environmental and other subjects of interest. She has lived in Kenya as well as Cape Town, South Africa and spent time in San Diego, USA. She now lives in Somerset, England with regular visits from her far-flung children and grandchildren. She is a keen gardener and enjoys growing fresh fruit and vegetables with her husband on their joint allotment. As a result, there is something available to use in the kitchen virtually all year round. Her regular posts can be found on our blog.