Why Do I Still Have Acne in My 30s?

There are some things you wouldn’t mind revisiting when it comes to the past, such as that youthful, well-toned skin you took for granted. The one skin condition that you’re happy to leave in the past, however, is acne.

Of the two — youthful skin and acne — it’s the acne that’s followed you into adulthood and, here you are, in your thirties, dealing with what you assumed to be a teenage problem.

Acne is, far and away, the most common skin condition and affects up to 50 million Americans at any given time. And you might be surprised by how many adults are included in this large number — 33% of women get acne in their thirties as well as 25% of women and 12% of men in their forties.

Board-certified dermatologist Dr. Juan-Carlos Caballero and our expert team at Warrenton Dermatology & Skin Therapy Center are well aware of the large numbers of adults who still get acne, and we’re here to help.

Here's a look at why adults still get acne — and what we can do to help clear your skin.

What’s behind acne — at any age

No matter your age, acne largely boils down to four things:

Excess sebum (oil) production in your skin
Clogged pores
Bacteria
Inflammation

These are the direct causes of acne, but we want to focus on more indirect influences, which can explain why you’re getting adult acne.

The indirect causes of acne, which means those factors that can encourage or lead to any of the direct causes we just outlined above, include:

Reproductive hormones that influence oil production
Using pore-clogging products, such as makeup
System-wide inflammation, which can develop through sugar-rich diets
Stress, which can increase androgen hormones that encourage oil production
Inflammatory conditions, like polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS)

As you can see, these factors — especially stress — can readily follow you into adulthood, which is why people in their thirties, forties, and even fifties can still get acne. And the reason why adult acne tends to strike more women than men is due to the hormonal influences.

Banish adult acne to the past, where it belongs

We know that you’re not thrilled with your adult acne, and we want to assure you that we have some highly effective treatments that can clear your skin. These options include:

Oral and/or topical antibiotics to combat bacteria and inflammation
Topical medications that unblock pores, such as topical tretinoin, clinical-strength benzoyl peroxide, and salicylic acid
Chemical peels to clear out pores and dead skin cells
Hydrafacial® treatments to unclog pores and deep clean skin
Steroidal medications to reduce inflammation
Medications to suppress androgen hormones
Isotretinoin (Accutane®) for severe nodular acne

The best way to determine which acne treatment or combination of treatments is right for you is by scheduling a consultation with one of our dermatologists. To get the ball rolling, call our office in Warrenton, Virginia, at 540-341-1900 today, or request an appointment online at your convenience.