Adult Acne

Combating Adult Acne

You thought, as a grown woman, you had said good-bye to those pesky zits forever, but now they’re back, ruining your life, and undermining your self-esteem. But, unfortunately, acne the scourge of pubescences, as many of us have discovered, is not just a teenage problem. According to statistics, acne will affect at least half of women and a quarter of men at some point in their adult lives. Moreover, acne among women is increasing at an alarming rate, in fact, at least 70 percent of women older than 30 will have at least one event.

So what’s the problem?

Male hormones.

Male hormones, or, more properly, androgens are the primary cause of adult acne. Adult acne is different from teen acne in several important ways. Although the cause is the same, adult acne is different in that hormonal patterns cause lesions or blemishes to form on the chin, neck, and jaw line, as oppose to the T-zone (forehead and nose region) found in “teen” acne; adult acne also is more cystic and inflammatory.

Several male or androgenic hormones cause acne: DHEA, testosterone, and its metabolite (hormonal by-product), Dihydrotestosterone (DHT) — the enzyme 5a-reductase converts testosterone into DHT.

In both sexes, the adrenal glands secrete all three hormones. Other organs producing androgens are the ovaries, prostate gland, hair follicles, and the testes.

However, the real hormonal villain is DHT, which stimulate the hair follicles to produce more keratin (the protein that makes up hair, nails, and skin). This excess keratin ends up clogging the pores, causing acne.

At the same time, testosterone, DHT’s parent hormone, contributes to the process by causing the oil glands to grow larger and to go into hyperdrive, producing more oil, and creating the perfect incubator for bacteria.

So if male or androgenic hormones are the culprits, why are women affected at such a high rate, when their levels of androgens are so low?

Hormonal imbalance

Hormonal imbalance due to stress is most likely the primary reason. Other conditions that trigger an imbalance are menstruation, pregnancy, and menopause. It’s during these times, like 2-7 days before your period, that androgenic hormone levels go up and other hormonal changes occur.

So what’s the solution?

Two ways to combat the effects of DHT is to either inhibit the enzyme, 5a-reductase, that produces it, or make it breakdown faster through the liver. One way to inhibit 5a-reductase is through supplementation and diet. Zinc, pumpkin seed, flaxseed, evening primrose oil, and soy inhibit the activity of this enzyme, Diets high in saturated fats does the opposite, so avoid eating a lot of meat and butter.

Detoxification through the liver can reduce DHT. Eating a diet high in garlic, for instance, and plants in the cabbage family, like broccoli and cauliflower will accomplish this. Vitamin supplements A, C, E, with berry fruits also help in detoxifying and reducing DHT levels.

The “pill” — the combo version that contains both estrogen and progestins — is another choice for controlling the production DHT. The pill works by reducing DHT levels by inhibiting 5a- reductase. It also decreases the levels of DHEA and Testosterone.

Lastly, Spironolactone, an anti-androgen…This is a synthetic steroid that binds to the body’s androgen receptors, blocking androgens from binding with the cell receptors. It also inhibits 5a-reductase activity.

To combat adult acne, anti-androgen treatments are a good start; however, for a more permenent solution, I highly recommend the Acne No More system. Acne No More is a holistic anti-androgen system that will help you regain the natural inner balance that will help you maintain clear skin without the side effects of many of the acne treatments mentioned above.