Most of us get acne while growing up. We wait till we hit our twenties for the acne to disappear. But when acne carries on past one’s teens it is known as adult acne. So what causes adult acne and what are the treatment options available? Sk chats with leading dermatologists to find out…
Causes
Dr. Chiranjiv Chhabra says, “Common causes of adult acne are hormonal imbalance during pregnancy and menopause and polycystic ovary syndrome. While the connection between acne and stress has been debated, scientific research indicates that increased acne severity is significantly associated with increased stress levels. Hair Dandruff can also aggravate the problem. Pollution is another cause. People with oily skin and exposure to pollution are prone to having breakouts.”
Dr. Harshana Bijlani says, “Weather changes, hereditary causes and junk food or consumption of chocolates can also lead to acne. Scientifically, there is no correlation between food and acne but I do find diet to be a cause of acne in my patients. Some times usage of creams or face products that are too thick for the skin cause acne”
Treatment
Dr. Chiranjiv adds, “It’s necessary to consult a dermatologist who will suggest topical medicines, some supplements and also some sterilizing treatments to fasten the treatment. Treating Acne is very important .There is a popular myth ‘Don’t treat acne as it will go by itself as you get older’. The frequency of acne attacks reduces with time but tell tale signs of acne i.e. scars and blemishes do not. They have to be addressed medically if you wish to have a blemish free face. There are excellent medical therapies and lasers like NDYAG, Affirm fractional and medlite C6 to treat acne and acne scars. If we treat acne in the early stages then the acne scars do not develop or are less so are easier to treat.
”Homeopathic doctor, Dr. CK Menon suggests homeopathy to eradicate acne completely. “Homeopathy corrects your constitution and solves the issue internally. Faulty diet and sweaty pores can also be causes of acne. It takes 6 months to a year to treat acne with homeopathy but the treatment is effective with no side effects,” he says. Dr. Harshana says that the treatment varies depending on the cause of acne. “I try to treat my patients with topical creams first. If that doesn’t work, we do a hormonal profile of the patient. Most patients get treated within a maximum of 3 months. We prescribe antibiotics for a maximum of 3-6 months after which the skin can be maintained topically.”
Precautions
Dr. Harshana adds that many patients are unaware of the medicines they take for their skin. “A lot of dermatologists recommend birth control pills to control acne but they can lead to further complications in the future. You need to check patient history before prescribing any such medication. If a patient has history of breast cancer in the family, I won’t put them on birth control pills at all. If there are gross hormonal issues with a patient like unusual prolactin levels, I recommend seeing a gynecologist.”
Be it allopathic or a homeopathic doctor; make sure you consult a skin expert if you suffer from acne. Like any ailment, if not treated in time, acne only gets worse.