You thought you were done with pimple breakouts once you hit your 20s. But long after you left your teenage years behind, you seem to still be battling acne.
That is my story. And the story of many of my friends.
Sure, we put up with the odd spot that appears around that time of the month. But as we age, more of us are noticing that the spots don’t seem to go away. In fact, some even get angrier and redder.
So what gives? Are we going through another round of puberty? (Please, no.)
I ask Dr SK Tan, founder and medical director of aesthetics clinic IDS Clinic, about it, and he says there is no special cause of adult acne. “All acne is caused by overactive oil-gland activity, inflammation and blockage of pores by dead skin and oil.”
Why does it happen? Dr Melvin Tan, medical director and founder of Epion Clinic, also an aesthetics clinic, says adult acne can be directly or indirectly caused by your hormones, which affects sebum production in your skin.
So, being on your period, experiencing stress, environmental factors, and even a change in your diet, skincare or haircare, can make your skin break out. “Also, certain types of medication such as corticosteroids and lithium are known to increase acne,” says Dr Melvin Tan.
Dr Melvin Tan shares an overview of what’s happening inside it.
Blackheads and whiteheads: Congested non-inflammatory acne and should improve with deep cleaning and regular exfoliation using AHAs or Retin-A (a topical treatment to treat acne and combat wrinkles).
Red and angry bumps: A more inflammatory component, which Dr Melvin Tan says usually responds well to antibiotics (both topical and oral), and treatments using broadband light, LED light therapy or lasers.
Large and deep cysts, especially around the mouth, jawline and back: Usually from hormonal causes.
So what works?
For over-the-counter products, Dr SK Tan says the most common ingredient to keep an eye out for is salicylic acid, which helps to unclog and clean out the pores.
Other helpful ingredients, says Dr Melvin Tan, include benzoyl peroxide that is commonly used to help reduce the amount of acne-causing bacteria in skin and glycolic acid, an AHA that exfoliates skin.
As for those popular pimple patches, Dr SK Tan says that if it’s packed with the right concentration of salicylic acid, it can help to reduce inflammation or even ‘shrink’ the pimple.
But these patches tend to be more useful for smaller breakouts, adds Dr Melvin Tan, helping to ‘dry out” the zit. It’s unlikely to help larger, deeper pimples, except perhaps to “stop you from touching and picking at it”.
Your ultimate blemish banish battle plan
Here are seven products to get your skin clean, clear and healthy once more.
A silicone-free pore-treating serum that dissolves the impurities that clog pores, preventing inflammation and blemishes, and promoting natural cell turnover.
Available at www.sephora.sg and at Sephora stores
Remove bacteria-causing dirt and impurities with this oil-free, gel-to-foam cleanser. It features 100 per cent natural salicylic acid and other ingredients to reduce excess sebum production while minimising and tightening pores.
Available at www.sephora.sg and at Sephora stores
Brought to you by IDS Skincare, this power-packed SOS spot treatment clears zits, calms skin and controls excess oil production.
Key active ingredients include aluminium chlorohydrate to dry up blemishes, salicylic acid to unclog the gunk in pores, and centella asiatica to soothe and calm skin.
Available at www.jyx.shop
A multi-tasking mask that deep-cleans, calms, hydrates and nourishes skin with its rich green tea extract formula. The mask helps control excess sebum production and brighten the skin. Plus, it’s even been tested to clear skin of fine dust pollution too.
Available at www.ksisters.sg
Using minerals and mint from Jeju Island, South Korea, this lightweight powder helps control the oil-water balance in skin to keep the complexion shine-free and fresh. Choose from six limited-edition designs.
Available at Innisfree official stores at www.lazada.sg and www.shopee.sg, and Innisfree counters.
A night-time serum that boosts skin repair with its cocktail of multi-acids – glycolic, lactic, pyruvic, BHA and PHA – as it gently sloughs off dead skin cells, refines skin texture and keeps skin blemish-free. Plus, probiotics, niacinamide, tamanu oil and a white and green tea complex to strengthen, soothe and protect skin, and keep it hydrated.
Available at www.sephora.sg and at Sephora stores
Promises to kill blemish-causing bacteria while preventing new zits from forming, using an anti-bacterial formula of lysozyme, colostrum and water-soluble vitamin A. Skin is clean, clear and spot-free. We like the subtle minty finish that leaves skin feeling refreshed.
Available at www.reerth.com
That said, what if nothing works? And when should you seek medical help? Both doctors advocate a sooner-the-better approach. “Any breakout that bothers you, should be treated,” says Dr SK Tan. “All breakouts will recover but the danger is that it may leave long-standing marks or hyperpigmentation or, worse still, permanent damage to the skin and scarring.”