Acne happens to the best of us and long past our teen years too.
Unfortunately it doesn’t discriminate with women (and men) of all ages suffering breakouts and at all ages. Even celebrities battle acne as several recent social media posts have shown.
Model, author and reality TV star Elyse Knowles recently posted a pic of her bare skin dotted with tiny pimples.
The 26-year-old Myer ambassador shared the snap alongside a heartbreakingly-honest and deeply brave caption.
“I tend to keep things bottled up because I know how blessed I am in many ways. But SKIN does get to me,” she wrote.
“We all need to be vulnerable & honest at particular points in our lives. It’s not about attracting attention, it’s about being human & reminding ourselves that we all battle with different things from time to time.
“My battle with skin has been ongoing & constant. While it may not look pretty, it’s real. I’m accepting it more and more, but would love to knock them out of the park,” she added.
Elyse revealed that while she was lucky enough to avoid breakouts during high school she has battled with breakouts ever since and is today at a loss as to how to improve her skin. Her many fans applauded her for her honesty and reassured her that she was still beautiful – perhaps even more so.
Elyse is not the only known face who has recently shared pics of problem skin.
Victoria’s Secret Angel Taylor Hill took to social media and shared a couple of snaps of herself bare-skinned and lovely in late 2018.
She looked as beautiful as always, but her skin was peppered with visible pimples. The post quickly went viral and garnered 734K likes and almost 6000 comments, the vast majority of which applauded the model for being confident enough to share a pic of the real Taylor.
“The best sun-kissed photo I have ever seen,” shared one. “You look so natural and particularly beautiful. Love you.”
Another posted that the image made her better able to embrace her own small flaws.
“When a VS Model gets breakouts too. I love this,” she posted.
Actress, author and comedian Mindy Kaling recently shared a snap of herself with pimple cream dotted about her face too.
That’s important for a couple of reasons. Obviously she’s famous so it’s admirable that she would share. But also at 39, Mindy is well past the age during which we expect to break out.
But there’s the rub – acne can occur at any age, not just during our adolescence.
“It seems unfair but it happens,” says Dermalogica education manager and skincare expert Emma Hobson.
So why do we get breakouts as grownups and what to do about it?
Unfortunately, the answer isn’t entirely clear. The main causes of acne are skin oil, acne-causing bacteria on the skin which block pores and cause inflammation. Hormonal fluctuations, stress, and to a lesser degree, diet play a part too. When you’re a youngster, hormones are fluctuating naturally and there’s not a great deal you can do about it. But as an adult you can manage those hormones somewhat by decreasing your stress levels and easing inflammation.
The other good news, says Emma, is there are some very effective acne treatments on the market – and better still, they’re appropriate for all age brackets.
First, you need to identify what type of acne you have, says Emma.
“If you get a few breakouts every month it’s likely linked to your menstrual cycle and that’s controllable,” she explains.
“If you know you get a few breakouts under the jaw and/ or chin or neck when you’re really stressed then that’s controllable too.
“However, if you have persistent breakouts and it’s persistent, inflamed, red and angry then you will need medication. It doesn’t mean you abandon home care, but you will need medication too.”
That medication might mean spot treatments and other products that are designed to keep your skin clear. A dermatologist might even recommend a course of chemical peels with a salicylic acid base. There’s also some research showing LED blue light might improve breakouts too, says Emma.
Other treatments to consider are products that include nanocinamide (which reduces shines), salicylic acid (which fights bacteria) and zinc supplements, which research shows can calm angry skin.
Other Tips To Try
Ice
Wrap some ice cubes in a soft cloth and hold again the area for three to four minutes. This should ease swelling.
Aspirin Paste
Crush an aspirin with a spoon and add a drop or two of water to make a paste. Apply it to the pimple/s and leave it for an hour or so. Aspirin contains salicylic acid – a known acne fighter.
Don’t Squeeze
It’s tempting but picking and poking will only make any pimples more obvious. Sorry!
