Stubborn Acne Around the Chin and Mouth

As an Esthetician specializing in Adult Acne and Sensitivity, acne in pores where oil glands are larger due to being located in the “T-Zone” but where pore sizes are smaller due to facial contours, is the most common problem I see in my clients, both in the salon and in my online adult acne coaching service across the nation.  Excess oil from all kinds of hormonal changes rush into pores causing inflammation of pore linings, resulting in swelling, redness and pain.

These areas of larger glands and smaller pores are located on the sides of the chin, around the mouth, the inner cheeks, and between the brows.  Sometimes, the sides of the chin will also extend to the inner jawline and lower cheeks.  

Enjoy Your Chocolate This Valentine's Day!

I wrote about the connection between various foods and Adult Acne breakouts. Naturally, the time around Valentine's Day brings up questions about the chocolate-breakout connection. Dermatologists have long poo-pooed the idea that there is a connection between the two, and I think it's because the focus was always on the chocolate -- that is, the cocoa.  There's more here than meets the eye!

Think about this: when are you most likely to eat chocolate? Around your period!  And when do you break out the most? You get the idea...

However, and this is a big however, with mounting evidence that there is indeed a connection between dairy and some acne conditions, and between sugar and increased inflammation in the body leading to worsening of existing acne conditions, chocolate is starting to be seen under a new light.

7 Ways to Clear Adult Backne

Back and Chest Acne in Adults

In the 17+ years of experience in skincare and acne clearing, I have observed that chest and back acne in adults is often completely baffling to the person going through this. 

As explained previously, acne in adults often hits with little prior history, if there’s any history at all, which is why it differs from teen acne so much of the time.  It can be such a total mystery for them, their skin has become completely jacked up from all the wrong products and medications by the time they contact me.  Body acne in the average adult occurs in quite the same way - - with little to no previous experience with it.

I have found that there are a few surprising aggravators of body acne, besides the obvious stress factors and drastic hormonal changes of life. 

Adult Acne and Acne Medication: Why Not Meds?

In last week's post, I discussed a few of the various types of medications that are sometimes prescribed for acne.

As an Virtual Skincare Coach specializing in acne conditions in adults 30+, I've noticed for years that many people who come to me for help have been disappointed by prescriptions that either simply didn't work or actually appeared to make things worse.  I have indeed seen skin clearance with medications as well - after all, prescriptions are not given based on nothing. They do sometimes help.

So why do medications disappoint so much of the time?

Approaching Anti-Aging For the Acne-Prone: Part 2

Last week, I talked about the issue of Adult Acne not being addressed enough by the myriad of anti-aging and anti-acne skincare products that are currently available on the market. 

We are seeing a little about it being mentioned here and there, but the ads for just about every product line that's supposed to address adults and not just teens still feature pictures of women in their 20s. But what about those of us 30-, 40- and 50-somethings? I believe women in these age groups are still being ignored.

Win-Win!

The amazing thing is, the very ingredients that address the cell damage that results in premature aging can also address acne issues for adults in their 30s, 40s and 50s!  

Approaching Anti-Aging For The Acne-Prone: Part 1

Why do I specialize so narrowly in Adult Acne, as opposed to just "plain" acne, or even teen acne? What's so unique about adults in their late-20s** to 50s that I feel like they deserve such special attention? After all, acne blemishes form the same way inside a pore no matter a person's age. The only difference between one person and another is what triggers or aggravates the acne, whether it's pore-clogging products, a sudden excess of oil production, genetically "sticky" dead skin cells, or certain skin sensitivities.

** Most of the time acne in one's early-to-mid-20s is simply a continuation of teen acne.

The Problem

In the world of skincare there are products and treatments for acne, and products and treatments for anti-aging concerns. It's a considerable problem that these two concerns are so rarely considered together, despite Adult Acne being a significant issue for many women up until their 50s. In many cases, acne products treat skin as if it's 16-years old, while anti-aging products treat skin as if it's a dried up old prune! 

This very conundrum is the reason adults actually have acne problems that teens don't have. The vast majority of anti-aging products on the market today contain pore-clogging ingredients, both drugstore and department store brands alike. For so many people, the cycle of Adult Acne begins with pore-clogging ingredients in their anti-aging products!

Skincare Q&A: Pregnancy-Related Acne Issues

As an online esthetician, I'm always answering questions about adult acne, ingrown hair problems, rosacea, or general skin sensitivities. So! I thought that I would feature a skincare Q&A on my blog to address some of these issues.

There are some questions that are sent to me via email or through ChickRx, a now-defunct site where anyone could ask questions that relate to various lifestyle topics and experts (like myself) would offer valuable advice or suggestions. If you have any questions that you would like to ask (or have featured on the blog), please don't hesitate to speak out in the comments below! If you would rather have a question be answered privately, I am always available by email. :)

This week's Skincare Q&A features concerns of pregnancy-related adult acne and beauty issues. 

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"I recently found out that I'm pregnant. Do I need to worry about what's in my skincare and beauty products? Should I switch to all-natural? What about the products that contain Salicylic Acid or BPO?"

Skincare Q&A: Birth Control and Adult Acne

As an online esthetician, I'm always answering questions about adult acne, ingrown hair problems, rosacea, or general skin sensitivities. So! I thought that I would feature a skincare Q&A on my blog to address some of these issues.

There are some questions that are sent to me via email or through ChickRx, a now-defunct site for women where anyone could ask questions relating to various lifestyle topics, and experts (like myself) could offer valuable advice. If you have any questions that you would like to ask (or have featured on the blog), please don't hesitate to speak out in the comments below! If you would rather have a question be answered privately, I am always available by email. :)


This week's Skincare Q&A will feature questions about birth control and its relationship to breakouts, adult acne, and more...

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