“Why Am I Breaking Out?” Adult Acne Explained…

If you’re asking yourself “why am I breaking out?” this article is for you! We’re taking a look at the causes of adult acne, and what you can do to tackle it head on…

“I’m in my 30s, why am I breaking out?”

Listen, our skin is a complex world where hormones, stress, and even the air outside can play a big part. But, if you find yourself wondering why you’re breaking out more often than not, there might be something you can do about it. Our skin is like a diary of our daily lives; so, let’s dive into the why’s of adult acne, and find a game plan to bid those uninvited spots goodbye…

1. You have clogged pores

The root of all acne is clogged pores. Your pores – which are simply the opening that surrounds each hair follicle, are also home to your sebaceous glands.

These glands secrete sebum (oil) through the pore opening, which helps keep your skin soft and protected. But if the pore gets clogged by dirt, dead skin cells, excess oil, and possibly bacteria, you’ve got a recipe for a pimple.If you’re suffering with adult acne, the chances are you may also have large pores. Having large pores doesn’t automatically mean you will develop spots, but it is an indication that your oil glands are a little bigger – and people with oily skin tend to be more prone to blackheads.

An excellent way to stop this from becoming an issue, is to maintain a gentle and regular skin care regimen. Always cleanse twice a day, and use a pore-minimising toner to really tackle the root cause.

Best cleansers and face washes for adult acne prone skin:

2. You’re using an abrasive face wash

Not cleansing your skin thoroughly can be a huge cause of adult acne, yes – but scrubbing your skin too much (whether with an abrasive washcloth or a rough facial scrub) your breakouts are only going to get worse.

To put it simply – the idea here is to repair your skin’s protective barrier to keep bacteria out, not to cause even more trauma by scrubbing the shit out of it!

Instead, choose a gentle face wash that is 100% organic & natural and has been designed for breakouts, spots and acne-prone skin like the ones above, along with a super-soft face cloth.

The best face washes and cloths to use for adult acne:

3. Sebum production

So, we already know our pores produce sebum – but what does that actually mean?

Well, contrary to popular belief sebum production is NOT a bad thing! Your body naturally produces sebum, an oily substance protect your skin from free radicals that speed up the skin’s ageing process.

Without sebum, your skin would be vulnerable to damage from the elements, but when your body produces too much, it can mix with dead skin cells and block your pores.

To help prevent adult acne breakouts, you need to manage your levels of sebum production – and more and more people are turning to sebum-controlling products to do this.

Along with other traditional plant extracts used to tackle sebum production, CBD is one ingredient that has been taking the beauty industry by storm for this very reason. Though research into CBD and how it can control sebum production is still in the early stages, recent studies suggested that hemp-based products may help to reduce the way in which your body’s cells produce sebum.

The best products to use to control sebum production:

4. Your diet is to blame

Doing everything right with your skincare but still suffering breakouts? One way that we can better manage adult acne include looking at our diet and lifestyle and making modifications.

Holly Zoccolan, Nutritional Health Coach & Founder of The Health Zoc explains: “Reducing dairy consumption has been shown to help improve acne breakouts as well as reducing the amount of processed sugars in your diet, too.

“You want to be making sure that you are eating wholefoods and including plenty of healthy fats in our diet to help manage acne flareups.

“A diet rich in vegetables, oily fish such as salmon, avocados, nuts and seeds, chia seeds and flax seeds and a range of fruits are great to add into your diet to help manage acne. These types of foods really feed the skin from within and can help the skin to heal by reducing inflammation.”

The best foods to eat for clear skin:

• Foods high in vitamin E: including, almonds, avocado, hazelnuts, pine nuts and sunflower and corn oils.
• Selenium-rich foods such as: brazil nuts, fish, shellfish, eggs, wheatgerm, tomatoes and broccoli.
• Foods rich in antioxidising Betacarotene, such as: carrots, sweet potatoes and pumpkin, kale, papaya and spinach.

5. It’s your pillowcase

Dirt, dust and oil from your hair can collect on your pillowcase – especially if you’ve been having one of those ‘dry-shampoo-weeks’, (we’ve all been there girl!)

Add some possible dribble (again, you’re not the only one) and your pillowcase can very quickly become a breeding ground for bacteria without you even noticing. Make sure to change your pillowcase at least once a week, and invest in a satin pillowcase where possible, as it doesn’t absorb moisture in the same way cotton does and will be a lot kinder to your skin and hair.

The kindest bedding and pillowcases for your skin:

6. You smoke

Every time you light up a cigarette, you decrease the amount of oxygen that can get to your face which can not only cause the breakdown of collagen and elastin that leads to wrinkles and increased pore size, but the carcinogen in the smoke also irritates your skin and dries it out, triggering your skin to produce more oil and possibly more breakouts.

To minimise the effects, you should obviously give up smoking – but that’s easier said than done. If you’re not ready to quit, at least make sure that you’re cleansing your skin thoroughly every morning and evening.

7. You’re not taking your makeup off

This one speaks for itself: sleeping in your makeup is not only going to clog your pores, but it’s going to put even more dirty skin cells into your pillow. Make sure you’re cleansing, toning and moisturising each night before bed, and always wash your face again in the morning before applying any products.

8. Your brushes are dirty

Whilst we’re on the subject of makeup, one of the dirtiest items in our makeup bag is actually the one that touches our face the most: our brushes. If you don’t clean your make up brushes regularly, then you’re not alone, but you’re not doing yourself any favours.  

9. You’re not getting enough sleep

Last, but absolutely not least – a lack of sleep can cause your skin to break out terribly.

Studies have shown that by disrupting your hormones, sleeplessness also unsettles the chemical balance in your skin that wards off pimples.

The best products to help you get a better night’s sleep: