Testosterone, the male hormone coursing through adolescent veins, triggers new and more abundant hair growth within teens, as well as increases in the skin's natural oil production. In the meanwhile, enzymes produced in this process tell pores to get bigger in order to accommodate the new hair and the greater oil flow.
The idea behind this skin madness is that those hair follicles that are more developed and dilated have more room for proper flow of oil and dead skin cells, along with more room for bacteria-killing oxygen to get in and air these pores out. In other words, the skin is better able to clean itself!
In girls, pores that are not quite developed yet, and/or contain male hormone receptors that are more sensitive, get backed up with oil and dead skin cell over-production, which means they don't receive enough oxygen from air flow to kill bacteria. The result is acne that is impacted and inflamed.
To make matters worse, there can be a genetic propensity for oil to be a little more sticky, and with faster cell turnover creating a greater number of dead skin cells than otherwise would, a mass of dead skin cells all stuck together collects inside pores creating impactions. This is a condition called Retention Hyperkeratosis.
Normally, dead skin cells come to the surface of the skin to be sloughed off throughout the day, and oil flows through and out of pores and onto the surface of the skin to be washed away. The cause of Retention Hyperkeratosis and why oil in people with genetic acne has a stickier fatty acid makeup in some people and not in others, is still being studied.
With Retention Hyperkeratosis leading to more extreme pore congestion, once a pore becomes swollen or impacted enough for air not to be able to get inside, bacteria at the bottom, which live and thrive without oxygen, can now breathe, eat, poop, and grow like crazy. To top it all off, their waste actually creates inflammatory fatty acids, which make it even easier for them to eat, and everything just gets so much worse.
The genetic tendency to easily accumulate oil and dead skin cells (which create the mix that blackheads are made of) does become less severe as the person ages, but it pretty much stays around until pre-menopause (or in some people, even after menopause). It doesn't mean all is hopeless, but it does mean you need to be ever vigilant in guarding your skin from pore clogging substances, dehydrating agents and irritants. Retention Hyperkeratosis, and the acne that is caused by it, can be controlled.
Here's the thing, though. A sizable percentage of people with adult acne never had acne as teens. This means pore impactions and inflammation now cause problems their skin is not designed for! In this case, since their pores were not told to get larger during puberty, when various circumstances cause oil rushes in the skin, these pores are not large enough to accommodate this unusual oil flow during adulthood.
With Retention Hyperkeratosis leading to more extreme pore congestion, once a pore becomes swollen or impacted enough for air not to be able to get inside, bacteria at the bottom, which live and thrive without oxygen, can now breathe, eat, poop, and grow like crazy. To top it all off, their waste actually creates inflammatory fatty acids, which make it even easier for them to eat, and everything just gets so much worse.
"Ok, so, I'm not a teenager anymore. Now what?"
The genetic tendency to easily accumulate oil and dead skin cells (which create the mix that blackheads are made of) does become less severe as the person ages, but it pretty much stays around until pre-menopause (or in some people, even after menopause). It doesn't mean all is hopeless, but it does mean you need to be ever vigilant in guarding your skin from pore clogging substances, dehydrating agents and irritants. Retention Hyperkeratosis, and the acne that is caused by it, can be controlled.
Here's the thing, though. A sizable percentage of people with adult acne never had acne as teens. This means pore impactions and inflammation now cause problems their skin is not designed for! In this case, since their pores were not told to get larger during puberty, when various circumstances cause oil rushes in the skin, these pores are not large enough to accommodate this unusual oil flow during adulthood.
Very specialized help is a rarity in these cases, which is the primary reason I specialize in adult acne!
In all cases, every single thing that goes on the skin; body products, hand products, haircare products, makeup, and of course, skincare, need to be monitored by a skincare professional who is expert in Adult Acne issues (like me!). Additionally, your diet must be taken into account, as foods rich in iodine, sugar, and in some people, dairy, can aggravate acne conditions. Cleansers must be thorough without stripping the skin of oils, hydration must be maintained using the right non-clogging moisturizers and/or serums, and the right exfoliation for your own particular acne condition is an important requirement.
For 100% personalized help in choosing the right skincare products along with advice on the right haircare, body care and makeup that won't thwart your acne clearing, I invented my Eval by Email® skincare coaching services specially for Adults who left their teen years behind long ago, but are still breaking out!
Know of anyone else who has been plagued by teen and acne but still are breaking out in their 30s, 40s or 50s? Please share this post!
In all cases, every single thing that goes on the skin; body products, hand products, haircare products, makeup, and of course, skincare, need to be monitored by a skincare professional who is expert in Adult Acne issues (like me!). Additionally, your diet must be taken into account, as foods rich in iodine, sugar, and in some people, dairy, can aggravate acne conditions. Cleansers must be thorough without stripping the skin of oils, hydration must be maintained using the right non-clogging moisturizers and/or serums, and the right exfoliation for your own particular acne condition is an important requirement.
Know of anyone else who has been plagued by teen and acne but still are breaking out in their 30s, 40s or 50s? Please share this post!
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