Fantasia Salon / Spa and Wig Specialists

For many adults, particularly women, exiting the teen years does not always guarantee peaches and creme skin.

Sometimes, the problems of adolescence persist. Teen acne and adult acne are different; teen skin tends to be very oily while adults with skin issues often suffer with dry skin.

With the teens, typically males suffer acne in greater numbers than females and with adult acne, the problem tends to be more prevalent among women, often accompanying pregnancy, menstruation and menopause.

Unfortunately it’s difficult because, unlike the teens, adults cannot be told they are going to “out grow” the acne. However, there are a lot of treatment options out there, you just need to take the time to discover what’s going to work for you.

It’s not one size fits all, that’s for sure. Different things will work for different people.

Acne occurs when the skin’s oil glands over produce, clogging the skin’s pores. This causes growth of naturally occurring bacteria, which releases enzymes that cause the skin to swell and redden and can lead to whiteheads or blackheads.

Pre-menopausal women, who produce less estrogen, are more prone to acne. No matter what the cause of the acne, it can change a person’s overall appearance and even one’s life.

One acne sufferer who dealt with severe acne until her late 20’s, said she tried a bunch of things to no avail. Then, she found an esthetician who worked with her over a two year period, and helped her clear up the acne. They did several glycolic acid peels and a rigorous skin-care regimen. The former acne sufferer reports that her self-confidence skyrocketed after her acne cleared up. In her opinion, the most awful part of acne is what it does to a person’s self esteem. This particular person became so confident, she left her former career as an interpreter for the deaf and went to school to become an esthetician. Today she is a supervisor at a spa, helping others with skin care issues.

Facials can be a great help for those suffering with adult acne but you won’t be able to turn things around with a single facial. This is where it is helpful to work with an esthetician to establish a treatment plan. Usually Spas offer packages where you can save on the cost of facials by purchasing several at once.

Other treatments proven to be beneficial are BLU-U treatments and PPx Therapy. These are FDA approved devices for the treatment of acne. There are also laser facials where a device heats up the upper dermis layer of the skin, stimulating collagen growth. As with facials, this is not a one time treatment. Typically you would need about 4 treatments to begin noticing a difference.

There are many treatments available today for adult acne but you will have to experiment (and spend some money) to see what is the best treatment option for you. Fortunately, with modern technology, there are ways of beating acne, not only the scourge of adolecsence but some adults as well.

Many adults who have always enjoyed unblemished, peachy looking skin are having a problem with adult acne. True, it’s not life threatening but it can be soul destroying.

Adult acne damages self-esteem and can be physically painful with scarring which can last a lifetime. Adult acne is on the increase and, contrary to popular belief, is not always caused by junk food diets or poor hygiene.

The main culprit for this scourge is genetic, hormonal imbalances, nutritional deficiencies and low immunity and stress. Unfortunately it can strike anyone at any time and there is no way of knowing if it will be a phase or there for the long haul.

Skin experts suggest that if you think you are suffering from more than just break outs, you should take immediate action and seek professional help. Adult acne generally cannot simply be treated by using a strong face wash and often needs to be looked at by a qualified skin professional or dermatologist.

One thing doctors fail to tell their patients is that intestinal health has been found to be important in the severity of adult acne. In one study, 50% of those with severe acne had increased blood levels of toxins that were being absorbed from a faulty gut. This suggests that many acne sufferers need a several-pronged approach, which not only helps the skin to return to normal functioning but also repairs and heals an impaired digestive tract.

It is vital to treat the skin from the inside as well as the outside by balancing hormone levels and using a good skin care approach. A good internal nutritional cleansing program such as Isagenix, would be beneficial with regard to decreasing toxin levels in the body.

Additionally, there are some foods which can help prevent acne:

• Calcium: A calcium rich diet has been found to help reduce the severity of acne. However, that does not mean you should mega-dose on dairy. In fact, it would be a good idea to eliminate cow’s milk and cheeses for a while as the lactose (sugar) in dairy product may be causing a hidden food intolerance. Instead, get your calcium from nuts and seeds, dried fruits, oily fish with bones, beans, green leafy vegetables, broccoli and shellfish.
• Vitamin A: Helps maintain normal skin functioning. Dietary sources include all the yellow fruits and vegetables, especially carrots and fish oils.
• Zinc: Helps your body absorb vitamin A. Good food sources include pecans, peanuts, shellfish, turkey and wheat germ.
• Bananas: Help the good bacteria in your gut. If your acne is severe, take a pro-biotic supplement also and drink at least two liters of water daily to help the body flush out toxins as well as increasing your intake of dietary fiber.

And, one final tip. Try to reduce the stress levels in your life. The largest study ever conducted on acne reveals that people under high levels of stress are 23% more likely to develop severe acne.