No one wants it and certainly no one likes seeing spots – but it happens, even when you’re an adult. So be in-the-know and be done with it…
By Adriana Ermter
Zits, pimples, spots, blemishes, breakouts…the list of names for acne is long. While “pizza face” may not have been your personal experience growing up, it’s safe to say we’ve all lived through our own “zit-storm” at one point or another. You might even, quite possibly, be seeing spots now. That’s because, according to the Canadian Dermatology Association, acne affects 5.6 million Canadians each year. That number is literally parallel to the current population of British Columbia, or all of the people living in Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Prince Edward Island combined. And these stats aren’t just for the kids.
“You may feel like you are the only one struggling with skin issues that are normally associated with teenagers, but you are not alone,” affirms Canadian journalist, medical esthetician and author Denise Surette in her recently published book Skin Deep Beauty Bible: A Complete Guide to Adult Acne. “Adult acne is one of the most common issues I deal with as a medical esthetician.”
The rationale
Having a genetic predisposition isn’t the only reason why these skin imperfections can persist long after high school graduation. Even if you were pimple free as a teenager, multiple factors can lead to an adult breakout – from sweating through a CrossFit class, living in a smoggy city, eating a poor diet and stressing out about a work deadline, to dancing in heavy drag makeup and then over-cleansing your face to wash off every layer of foundation, contour, highlighter and blush. While the Canadian Dermatology Association says women make up 75 per cent of all adult acne cases, men get blemishes too. “It’s all about the hormones,” explains Victoria Pedraza, the senior formulator for Montreal-based Groupe Marcelle Inc., producers of the new three-step Clari-T skincare line for adult skin. “The hormonal process is very integral [with adult skin imperfections], especially for women with monthly menstruation cycles and menopause. That, and a lack of hydration.”
The barrier
Unlike teenage skin, which is fuelled with excess sebum (face oil) to keep it hydrated, adult/aging skin isn’t so well lubricated thanks to years of wear and tear. Yes, adult skin has natural sebum. A research article in the Journal of Lipid Research states that our faces have approximately 900 sebaceous glands per square centimetre of skin, where sebum is produced before being released through the follicular ducts in our pores. The growing hairs then pull the oily substance up and onto the surface of our skin, where it forms a barrier to prevent water loss and keep our skin looking and feeling smooth, supple and plump. Or, at least, that’s what it did at a time when we had fewer lines around our eyes and weren’t pining for our youth every time a Facebook “memory” popped up on our smartphone.
This older, drier version of our skin comes complete with a weakened epidermal barrier that’s vulnerable to producing blemishes. “That’s why it’s so important to hydrate the skin at the same time as when you have these imperfections,” says Pedraza, “to support the protective barrier with moisture and reduce sebum [for clearer looking skin].”
The solution
The hydration hero ingredient to look for in adult clarifying skincare brands (such as Mario Badescu, Murad, skinfix, Naturium and Marcelle’s product labels) is hyaluronic acid. A natural substance produced by the body, this skincare favourite helps add and lock moisture into the epidermis. But that’s not all. In a 2017 study published by the National Library of Medicine, hyaluronic acid was noted as helping control sebum production, making it beneficial for acne prevention. Add it to sodium pyrrolidone carboxylic acid (PCA), a humectant that increases the amount of water in the dermis and epidermis, and skin becomes stronger, more resilient and less prone to imperfections.
“For healing, preventing and improving the appearance of blemishes, look for salicylic acid,” advises Pedraza. “This is a gentle exfoliant that removes the impurities, the excess oil on the skin, and it won’t damage or block the pores.” The inclusion of niacinamide can help minimize the appearance of pores, calm redness and boost hydration. Ingredients like bakuchiol, a vegan antioxidant, can reduce the appearance of blemishes, improving skin’s texture and tone, while botanicals like lavender, chamomile and aloe vera soothe and calm inflammation and skin irritations. “These ingredients in [skincare] formulas perform,” adds Pedraza. “If we let blemishes persist, the impact on the epidermis may become chronic. Get into a good skincare routine. Take care of imperfections and blemishes as soon as possible to avoid infections, redness or further irritation.”
Acne Defined
“Acne is an inflammatory skin condition and there are three types: comedonal acne, which presents mainly blackheads and whiteheads; inflammatory acne, which is made up of pustules and papules and can also include blackheads and whiteheads; and cystic acne, which includes inflamed cysts and nodules, the type of pimples that are large, painful and do not come to a head,” writes Surette in her book. Here’s how to identify each unwanted spot:
1. Blackheads: small bumps with a dark or black centre
2. Cysts: very large, painful, soft red or white lumps filled with pus deep within the skin
3. Nodules: hard, inflamed bumps deep within the skin
4. Papules: small, sometimes painful, bumps beneath the skin’s surface that appear solid and raised
5. Pustules: large, sometimes painful, bumps filled with white or yellow pus
6. Whiteheads: small bumps with a white centre
ADRIANA ERMTER is a Toronto-based lifestyle-magazine pro who has travelled the globe writing about must-spritz fragrances, child poverty, beauty and grooming.
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