8 Things That Might be Giving You Female Adult Acne

You're not a kid anymore. You're 25, 30 or even in your 40s -- so what's with the pimples!? Weren't you supposed to leave those at your high school prom? You're not alone -- 50% of women suffer from female adult acne. So what can you do about it?

There are lots of products out there from all the big cosmetics companies promising to help you clear up your adult acne, but you can't tell what is right for you unless you know what is causing your bad complexion in the first place. The answer is usually androgen (male) hormones created by your ovaries. But you're a woman! Well, we all have a certain amount of so-called male hormones, too. These hormones cause almost all acne through a fairly complex process where they cause dead skin cells to clog your pores from the inside.

Acne is not a hygiene problem. In fact, the only washing that could help would be to wash away your mom and dad - they gave you the genes that have probably determined your fate when it comes to acne. Since acne is caused by hormones, most of the causes of adult female acne are hormone-related:

1. Hormone fluctuations. This is why most people get pimples during puberty when hormone levels spike. In women, you might get once a month breakouts at a certain time of your menstrual cycle.
2. Stopping birth control pills. Since the estrogen found in birth control pills can help prevent acne and offset those pesky androgen hormones, when you stop taking the pill, your acne can flare up. You'll need to go back on the pill or consider other methods.
3. Other medications. Are you taking other medications that could be triggering your acne? anticonvulsants, corticosteroids, and sobriety drugs can all trigger acne. So can birth control pills that contain progestins but not estrogen. You should talk to your doctor before stopping any of these medications, but let your doctor know that you might want a different formulation that will not flare your acne.
4. Heredity. Thanks mom. If your mother, father and immediate siblings have had acne, chances are you inherited it.
5. Stress. 25 years ago, dermatologists insisted that stress could not cause acne. Well, they were wrong. We now know that stress can and does increase the production of androgen hormones. So relax. If you learn to control your stress, you might be able to help your skin.
6. Diet. Some foods, particularly milk can aggravate acne and even cause breakouts. Try to keep track of the foods you are eating. If you notice your skin turn for the worse after eating a particular food, try cutting it out of your diet.
7. Skin care products. If skin care products are causing your acne, it is called acne cosmetica (as opposed to acne vulgaris which is caused by hormones) This is caused by oily sunscreens and other products that clog the skin from the outside. If you have acne prone skin, you should only use products labeled non-comedogenic.
8. Underlying condition. If you have other symptoms such as excessive facial hair, bald patches or thinning hair and irregular periods, there might be a more serious medical condition causing your acne. See a doctor if you have any of these other symptoms.

Now you probably have an idea about the cause of your female adult acne. Tailor your treatment options accordingly. Ask yourself the next time you are pitched an acne treatment product if that product is going to have an effect on your condition. Creams and lotions are probably not going to do much good if your acne is caused by hormones, but they can sure make your pocketbook lighter!