Acne is a skin condition that develops when excess oils and dead skin cells form a blockage in the hair follicles. While acne is largely associated with teenagers, many adults also experience acne breakouts. If you’re a man struggling with acne at 25 years, you are not alone. Learn how to get rid of acne …
More than 10% of men aged 25 and above experience regular adult acne breakouts. This skin condition may not be dangerous, but it can be distressing. This article takes a detailed look at male adult acne, including male acne treatment, shaving with acne, and some other valuable acne tips for guys.
Differences Between Men and Women’s Skin
Men have larger sebaceous (oil) glands, so they tend to produce more oil than women.
The cells in these glands have more positive receptors for androgens (male hormones).
So, men have oilier skin. Moreover, women have thinner sebum, thanks to the female sex hormone, estrogen. With thicker sebum, men can get more congestion such as blackheads and angry breakouts.
The higher levels of sebum are also one of the reasons why hormonal acne in men lasts longer. Conglobate acne is a particularly severe form of acne that is seen almost exclusively in men. Read our next post what is conglobate acne and how to get rid of it forever.
Different Ages, Different Problems
While anyone can get acne regardless of age, it is more common in teens.
Mild to moderate acne may either continue past the teenage years or can appear in adulthood.
However, severe acne is very rare past the age of 45 years.
How to Prevent Acne in Men
To prevent an acne breakout, you should follow these tips:
- Maintain cleanliness
Wash your face at least twice a day with at least just water. You can also use soap and cleanser.
- Exfoliate Regularly
Scrub your face 2-3 times a week. Besides removing the dead skin cells and promoting new cell growth, exfoliation also unclogs pores, keeping your face acne-free.
- Treat Oily Skin
Extremely oily skin increases acne breakouts, making it difficult to manage. This is normally caused by excess sebum production. To prevent acne, take measures to reduce your skin’s oiliness. Consider using a face wash that makes your skin dry. A face mask can also help minimize the production of sebum.
- Shave carefully
You don’t want to cut yourself when shaving your beard. The cuts result in wounds, which normally inflame the skin, causing irritation. These could exacerbate acne growth.
- Wash your hair
Your hair may be short, but if left unclean, dirt and other substances like dandruff and oil could end up on your face and neck when you sweat. This can promote acne growth.
How to Treat Acne in Men
Basic male acne and blackheads treatment involve keeping follicles open. This can be done using various skin cleansers that get rid of dead skin cells.
There is a wide range of non-prescription gels, lotions, pads, and creams that can help exfoliate and clean your skin. These remedies contain two common ingredients:
- Benzoyl peroxide – It is effective in destroying bacteria that can get into your follicles and cause infection.
- Salicylic acid – It helps unclog pores. You should use it regularly as it provides only temporary relief.
If you don’t get satisfactory results from these remedies, your dermatologist can recommend several other acne and pimple treatments, including:
- Antibiotics – You can take them orally or rub into your skin to control bacteria.
- Retinoids – These are vitamin A derivatives which help unclog pores and keep them open.
- Corticosteroids – These anti-inflammatory medications are injected directly into a pustule or an inflamed cyst to subdue severe breakouts.
My dermatologist prescribed AcneAdvance to me and it really worked! I had bad hormonal acne around my chin. Took this twice a day for about 3 months and my hormonal acne just went away! Been taking this with milk thistle (twice a day 150 mg) during the first 3 months. Now I’m only taking 1 per day for both of the supplements and my acne is still in control. Also boosted my immune system in this. Have not had colds or cough when I was taking this. Just be patient and you’ll see results.