Adult Acne - Fed Up With "Teenage Skin"

Dear Sarah,

I have lots of spots around my jaw line and chin and the odd one on other areas of my face.

I am 25yrs old and fed up with having 'teenage' skin.

I have been using Clinique 3-Steps, twice a day (strictly) for 7-months and my skin has not improved at all.

Which of your products would help me?

Susan

Dear Susan,

I would recommend our Geranium & Thistle Cream. Geranium is brilliant at rebalancing the skin and Thistle oil is a beautifully dry oil that reduces pores and clears congestion.

Only apply in the morning and leave your skin to breathe at night. Also avoid cleansers or face washes that foam as they contain chemical detergents which strip away your natural oils and leave your skin feeling taut.

The main detergents to look out for (and eliminate) are Sodium Lauryl Sulphate and Cocoamidopropyl Betaine.

Opt for a detergent free cleanser instead (such as our Camellia & Rose Cleanser) and use just in the evening to clean your face.
.
A few helpful tips:

• Treating the spots.
  
  Jaw line spots are hormone related. Try a hot compress on them as bacteria can't live where there is an adequate bloody supply.
  
  A hot cloth applied to the spot will draw blood flow to it and help speed up the healing process. Apply a hot compress for 10-15 minutes twice a day.
  
  Smaller spots can be treated with a dab of lavender essential oil, applied on a cotton bud. It can be a bit kinder on the skin than tea tree oil or conventional spot creams.
  
  

• Correcting hormone imbalance.
  
  Avoid products with parabens in them. These are common preservatives used in cosmetics. There are five types of paraben but the most common are: butylparaben, propylparaben and methylparaben.
  
  Parabens are known hormone mimickers and absorption of these foreign oestregens are thought to be a potential cause of adult acne (among other things!).
  
  Phenoxyethanol is another common preservative used by a lot of the more natural skincare brands that is also thought to have oestregenic properties.
  
  Always check the ingredient lists of the skincare products you are using and avoid products containing these chemicals. Be sure to check your more general toiletries too as parabens are in everything!
  
  

• Improve the health of your digestive tract.
  
  Increasing your intake of Essential Fatty Acids (omega 3, 6 & 9) is a good way to do this. Oily fish, nuts and seeds are all excellent sources. If your diet is lacking these foods then flaxseed oil would be a good supplement. You can buy in most good health food stores and it should be stored in the fridge.
  
  Try and cut down on your dairy intake too as well as foods with a lot of refined sugar in them.

The above steps won't change things overnight so be patient. Rebalancing your hormones is a gradual process and you should start to see an improvement after 2-3 months.

**All content provided is for general information only. It should not be treated as a substitute for medical advice from your doctor or other health care professional.