I was roused from my sleep the other morning by the noise of heavy stomping, suppressed cursing, and combs, hairbrushes and ointment tubes being hurled around. I got up, rubbing my half-awake eyes, only to be greeted by the sight at the dressing table of an almost out-of-control wife in tantrum. The issue: facial zits.
WHAT THE ….??
As an adult, acne is one thing from your teenage days that you’d never want to ever relive. Never mind algebra, getting shrugged off by your crush, and the frequent manhandling by the school bully. Those are “welcome” essentials of your adolescence. But, pimples? Somebody kill me now.
Acne is basically attributed to genes, which explains why some people are more likely to have it than others. It usually strikes during adolescence as a result of unstable hormonal levels, and the enlarged oil glands produce more oil which, in turn, fuels acne. Good thing this episode almost always settles down during your late teens to early 20s. And then, what?
(Z)IT’S BACK!
You’re thirtysomething and you face the mirror. Pimples!!! Now, if you’re like my wife tranquilizer shots are certainly in order. Otherwise, you might just want to turn to your favorite search engine and, barring all odds, land on my page and get some form of help and enlightenment. Can’t be any truer. :)
Among the various culprits to having adult acne are the following:
HORMONES…
As cited earlier, abnormal hormone levels contribute to acne breakout. A good example would be “premenstrual acne.” During such “monthly” periods, fluctuations in hormone levels are prominent, and pimples are the manifestation. Women who are on the pill, as well as those in the family way, become acne-prone also due to hormonal instability.
STRESS FACTOR…
I’ve always known stress is a killer. Enough said.
COSMETICS…
Certain skin types just can’t tolerate foreign “material” on it. Exaggerated makeup and the use of too much oil-based facial whatever clog skin pores and cause acne.
MEDICATIONS…
This would be far too technical for my intellectual powers to sensibly discuss. But it’s all about the adverse reaction of your body to certain medications. Think of it as similar to allergic effects, only less symptomatic.
OCCUPATIONAL "HAZARDS"
Continual exposure to heat, oil and chemicals, as in the case of mechanics, kitchen and factory workers (to name a few), may cause acne.
FACE THE FACE PROBLEM
Prevention comes easy if you know the cause. But if the zits persist and still manage to come out, here are some practical tips to help you take a stand…
LEAVE (Z)IT ALONE…
It goes without saying that this is first on my list. If you are not like the rare few who seem to be gifted with indifference to pain, then for heaven’s sake DON’T EVER exfoliate, pick, press, scrape or otherwise manipulate those pimples!! These ill practices cause inflammation due to infection, and ultimately result in ugly scars.
CLEAN, BUT NOT TOO CLEAN…
If you’re like most others who are sold to the myth that you can always wash acne away, then this is a sure eye-opener for you. In most cases, the recurrence of pimples has nothing to do with cleanliness. You can be so clean as to wash your face a dozen or more times a day and still have those zits on you. The oil that facial washing removes is skin surface oil, and not the oil from within the plugged ducts of the skin. So you’re clean on the outside, while the deep-seated sebum and bacteria remain untouched somewhere beneath. Forget it. Washing twice or thrice daily with a mild soap or facial wash by the gentle and light rubbing of fingertips on the face should be your best bet.
FROM OIL TO WATER…
Everything oil-based – moisturizers, cleansers, greasy hair products, etc. – need to go. It’s time to help stop clogging those pores, and switching to water-based makeup should do its trick. If at all possible, opting for powder blushes and loose powders may also be considered. Also, if hair is naturally oily, frequent shampooing would be a good idea. The trend to follow is: Stay away from the oil!
HANDS OFF…
Try getting used to not constantly touching your face. The hand-to-face contact causes trauma to the acne which is pretty much similar to when you pick the pimples, except less painful but irritating just the same. If it can’t be avoided, just be sure you’ve washed or sanitized your hands thoroughly.
Extremely irritating as it is, patience should play an important role in effectively dealing with acne. In worse cases, the zit-sufferer might brush aside all monetary concerns and consider getting a costly facial treatment. This may be a recommendable move IF you are absolutely certain that you’d be given a facial by someone who’s an AUTHORITY on the matter, as the procedure, when not done properly, might do more harm than good. At any rate, this is a decision that deserves serious, careful thought.
