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.
