womenshealthmag:

Adult Acne: It’s Not a Myth! How to Get Blemish-Free Skin

It’s easy to associate a pimply face with backpacks, braces, and Bieber fans—but things can get spotty later on too. Research from the University of Pennsylvania has found that low-grade, persistent acne is common among women in their twenties, thirties, and forties (yep, that magical time when wrinkles start to appear).

While acne may be nonexistent or dormant for years, certain factors—like stress, hormones, and diet—can eventually cause it to surface, with frustrating emotional side effects.

“I’ve seen patients shy away from certain situations—they’ve canceled dates and rescheduled meetings at work—because they’re ashamed of their breakouts,” says Joshua Zeichner, M.D., director of cosmetic and clinical research in the department of dermatology at Mount Sinai Medical Center in New York City.

Because no woman should have to endure extra bumps in the road (or on her face), here’s a simple zit-erasing plan.

1. STRESS LESS
First things first: Don’t freak out if bumps show up; it’ll only make things worse. Shamban recommends getting eight hours of sleep each night—it’s how much you need to reduce excess cortisol and let your skin regenerate—and making time for stress-relieving activities like a 30-minute daily workout or even (yes!) sex to stay Zen. “These reduce excess cortisol and produce endorphins, which have a calming effect,” she says. A bonus? Exercise delivers oxygen to your skin cells, making it hard for CVhating acne bacteria to thrive.

2. TREAT TOPICALLY
Though the same ingredients that clear up teen acne also work for the adult kind, grown-up skin is thinner and more prone to irritation—so you need a gentler, more moisturizing approach. “Using an acne wash, an acne lotion, and an anti-aging cream simultaneously may dry out the skin,” says Fusco.

Start slowly: Wash your face twice a day with a salicylic acid cleanser to help dissolve dirt and oil and gently exfoliate the skin (if skin is on the dry side, cut back to once a day). Try (c) Origins Zero Oil Deep Pore Cleanser ($19.50, origins.com). If zits persist, cover them in a thin layer of a lotion with 0.5 to 2 percent salicylic acid at night Zeichner likes La Roche-Posay Effaclar K Daily Renovating Acne Treatment ($30, at drugstores). After two weeks—the amount of time it takes for your skin to get used to a new product—bump it up to twice a day. Got wrinkles too? Try a retinoid cream instead. “It smooths lines and speeds up the shedding of dead skin cells so they don’t block pores,” says Zeichner. Try RoC Multi Correxion Night Treatment ($26, at drugstores).

Either way, slather on SPF every morning, as zit fighters can make skin sun-sensitive. Try (f) Olay Professional Pro-X Clear UV Moisturizer SPF 15 ($30, at drugstores).

3. BE STARCH-SMART
High-glycemic-index (GI) carbohydrates like white bread and sugar-laden foods aren’t just waistline saboteurs: “They raise blood sugar and insulin levels, another male-hormone-boosting process that may lead to breakouts,” explains Glenn Kolansky, M.D., a dermatologist in Red Bank, New Jersey. Balance your hormones with low-GI eats-think whole grains and veggies—that won’t aggravate acne. As for chocolate, despite past research that put the sweet stuff in the clear, a more recent study by the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine found that men who consumed six ounces of 100 percent pure cocoa daily got breakouts in a week. “It’s likely that chocolate affects a woman’s skin the same way,” says Zeichner.

4. CONSIDER POPPING A PILL
If your pimples come out to play about a week before your period, your doctor may prescribe an oral contraceptive to help stabilize hormone levels throughout the month. “Birth control pills like Beyaz, Yaz, and Yasmin contain analog hormones that may help clear the skin,” explains Shamban. (Or you can try spironolactone, a drug that may help nix breakouts and is available by prescription.) Birth control pills can also help women who overproduce male hormones, as in the case of PCOS (ask your doctor for a blood test if you have other hormone-related issues, such as an irregular cycle).

5. VISIT A DERM—STAT!
If you’re plagued with deep, painful red bumps that just won’t go away, schedule a doctor’s appointment ASAP. “Cystic acne heals slowly and can leave permanent marks,” says Zeichner. Your dermatologist will prescribe a topical retinoid (like Retin-A), antibiotic (to kill bacteria and reduce inflammation), or Aczone—an anti-acne, antiinflammatory gel that’s great for those with sensitive or aging skin. Curious about Accutane? It works as a last resort for severe teen acne, but it won’t combat the underlying hormonal issues of adult acne, and Zeichner says it “may come with unpleasant side effects,” like depression, headaches, and thinning hair. Plus, you can’t take it while pregnant—it can cause birth defects—or breastfeeding.

MORE: Click through for more advice including how to cover blemishes with concealer and how to fade acne marks

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Registration ends TODAY for Divas, MPH’s Saving Our Sisters from HIV/AIDS: A Day of Labor and Love event.  Visit www.soshealthsummit.com to register for DC or ATL events!!!!  Be there!

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npr:

The poll found that although black women are heavier than their white counterparts, they report having appreciably higher levels of self-esteem. Although 41 percent of average-sized or thin white women report having high self-esteem, that figure was 66 percent among black women considered by government standards to be overweight or obese. (via Black women heavier and happier with their bodies than white women, poll finds - The Washington Post)

Photo credit: Marvin Joseph / Washington Post

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