Acne in women is often associated with anxiety, depression, social insecurity, and impaired quality of life. It can extend into adulthood or disappear and then return later in life. Different from teenage acne, adult female acne has multiple factors that can be involved. The management is more complex but it remains very treatable!

Up to 20% of women can have acne for the first time after the age of 25, and when acne starts or extends to the age around menopause, it requires different and often multiple treatments.

A recent medical review of the standard treatment for adolescent and young adults shows best practices usually involve good skin hygiene, benzyl peroxide, a retinol (most often Retin A or similar), a topical antibiotic, oral antibiotics, and sometimes spironolactone or Accutane.

If you have had extended good care of acne previously, you probably recognize many or all of the above. But if you have read this far you are probably still having problems!

Potential Causes

Adult female acne has more potential causes, and includes diet (high sugar, low phytonutrients, low fiber, and high dairy), aging dehydrated skin, specific skin bacteria, excess sebum (oily white body production in pores) and endocrine/hormonal changes. Unfortunately, some cosmetics, medications, excessive washing, and even stress and poor sleep can exacerbate adult female acne.

By this point you are probably saying “with all those potential causes, how do you possibly get it under control?”

What Can I Do?

• First, do a review yourself and see how many of these things are real issues for you.

• Second, establish a gentle nightly skincare routine, which can include calming ingredients for your skin, and for your relaxation and sleep. (see related blog post on sleep hygiene)

• Third, review with your healthcare provider your treatment regimen, your medications, and the possibility of hormonal involvement.

If you have done this already or if you just want to centralize it in one place, you are welcome to come for a consultation with me, Dr. Macfarlan, to help you with the assessment, offer some treatments, and also offer the Picosure laser treatment that can address a number of the skin problems which are associated with adult female acne including the reduction of acne scars!

And don’t forget, if you have acne/inflammation associated with hair growth in virtually any part of your body, laser hair removal is a fantastic treatment for eliminating that!

We are here to help you create Smooth Skin for simplicity, beauty, personal confidence, and quality of life!