Adult acne is actually some kind of cruel joke. It’s the adult equivalent of running into puberty at your ten year high school reunion only to think… oh god, not you again. But it actually is you again and somehow it’s deeper, angrier, and somehow even more high maintenance than the last time you met.
One minute you are flying high on the delusion of being a fully-fledged adult with your life together, complete with a skincare routine, a job, and a vague if not fleeting sense of emotional stability. Next you have what can only be described as Mount Vesuvius forming in the depths of your chin and jawline (yep, that’s the hormonal acne valley of death we are afraid to inform you). If you have had the displeasure of experiencing this, then you know that it can feel like a deeply personal battle with your own face.
But don’t be fooled, adult acne (or hormonal acne) is a lot more common than you probably realise. Unlike the more surface level breakouts that come along with your teen years, acne in your adult years can, oftentimes, feel more inflamed and stubborn. It’s the kind that lingers, reappears, and can leave traces in the form of acne scarring long after the battle has been won.
So if you have found yourself spiralling into late-night subreddit on hormonal acne treatments, or wondering whether you need to throw out your entire skincare routine, this is your sign to take a beat. Let’s break down what is actually going on beneath that skin of yours in your 20s, 30s, and 40s, and most importantly, how to effectively treat it.
What is hormonal acne?
Let’s start with the 4-1-1 of hormonal acne so to speak, what is it, and why does it often come back with a fierce vendetta in our early adult years? Well, the thing with acne is it is often far more complex than what appears on the surface. The odd pimple here and there can feel like a personal attack (and it often does) but it is usually our skin’s way of telling us that there is something else going on, and oftentimes, these have nothing to do with the skin itself.
Hormonal acne is usually driven by fluctuations in hormones, particularly androgens, which increase the oil production in the skin. That excess oil mixes with dead skin cells, clogs your pores, and creates a perfect breeding ground for bacteria. The result is those textbook deep, inflamed, often painful breakouts that don’t come to a head and don’t seem to exit stage left despite your greatest attempts.
If this all sounds a bit too familiar, congratulations, you have officially entered hormonal acne territory.
Hormonal acne in your 20s
Your 20s tend to be when your hormonal acne will make its grand entrance. Your skin is still relatively resilient, your collagen is still pumping, but your hormones are still very much in the experimental phase. This means that breakouts during this period will very often be cyclical. You will probably notice them popping up around your period, almost always on the chin and jawline, very rarely missing their schedule.
This is the time when building a solid skincare routine really matters. A good cleanser is non-negotiable, obviously, and something like the Murad Clarifying Cream Cleanser, will carry you through the monthly hormonal breakouts with relative ease. This is because it contains the kryptonite to acne at any age and stage; salicylic acid. This secret weapon works hard to dissolve excess oil, clear out pores, and prevent future breakouts, long after it's been rinsed off. It’s basically short-contact therapy for your skin. And while we are beating this dead horse, any products that contain salicylic acid will generally be effective for acne prone skin as it penetrates deeply into the pores and breaks down debris that often causes congestion in the first place. Pair this with niacinamide, another oil production regulator, and you have a very very solid foundation to your skincare routine.
You can also introduce gentle exfoliation with something like an AHA/BHA cleanser to help improve cell turnover and keep pores clear. Just don’t overdo it. Over-exfoliating in your 20s may be a rite of passage, but it doesn’t have to be yours.
Hormonal acne in your 30s
Hormonal acne in your 30s can feel like even more of a personal affront. You have your routine, you are doing everything ‘right’, and yet your skin is still behaving like a spoiled toddler. While the basic formula remains the same, at this stage in your life, another factor is likely to have entered the group chat; stress. Stress is a major acne trigger, increased cortisol levels can lead to more oil production, which feeds directly into breakouts. Pair this with some hormonal shifts, potentially pregnancy or postpartum changes, and suddenly your skin will be doing the absolute most, and not in a good way.
This is where two of the most frightful skin truths will start to intersect; acne and the early signs of ageing. This means that when you are treating your acne, you also need to be thinking about texture, pigmentation and fine lines more than you might have been in your Roaring 20s.
Your 30s in general will require somewhat of a skincare and skin treatments overhaul. Retinol will become a key player if it hasn’t found a place on centre stage yet. This will help to give your skin that gentle encouragement for cell turnover which helps with preventing clogged pores, target overactive sebaceous glands and reduce inflammation. Products like the Murad Retinol Youth Renewal Serum are particularly useful because they will target both acne and early ageing at the same time, which is exactly the kind of efficiency we are looking for (especially in our busy 30s).
In-clinic treatments will also become even more of a game changer during this era of your life, while at-home products still set the stage, professional treatments will take things to the next level. Treatments such as LED Light Therapy and the Blemish Control Facial are the go-tos for our clients who are suffering from hormonal acne. These treatments will reduce inflammation, target bacteria, and speed up healing in a way that topical treatments alone are unlikely to be able to achieve on their own.
Hormonal acne in your 40s
By your 40s you are probably expecting things to have calmed down quite a bit. Well, instead, hormonal changes linked to perimenopause can trigger a whole new wave of breakouts, often paired with dryness and sensitivity. This can actually mean you are dealing with the double whammy of a compromised skin barrier as well as acne, which requires a slightly more balanced approach. Aggressive treatments and products that may have worked in your 20s may now do more harm than good, leaving the skin irritated and potentially making breakouts worse.
This is why hydration is essential. A healthy skin barrier is what allows active ingredients to work properly, so supporting it is just as important as the actual breakouts themselves. Some subtle but smart swap outs will help you immensely, like opting for a cream cleanser like the Murad Clarifying Cream Cleanser or Murad Renewing Cleanser for mild hormonal acne. This will still target breakouts and acne-causing bacteria in the same way, but will maintain hydration and prevent that tight, stripped away feeling.
Having a solid in-clinic treatment schedule that focuses on hydration and collagen-inducing treatments will also help you navigate this next chapter for your skin. Signing up for a Reformaskin Skin Health membership is the best way to ensure you stay consistent and up to date with both your in-clinic and at-home regimens. Your experienced clinicians can answer any questions you have about your ever-evolving skin and its specific needs when you are booked for regular treatments. You can also opt to have some more advanced skin conditioning treatments such as Fractional CO2 Laser or Laser Photo Rejuvenation which are both fantastic treatments for your 40s.
Navigating hormonal acne at any age
Hormonal acne can feel incredibly frustrating, particularly if you suffered as a teen and were convinced you had left these challenges in the rearview mirror. But it is not a sign you are doing anything wrong; it is simply a part of life and something that all of us go through to varying degrees at different stages.
Whether you are in your 20s and battling the odd cyclical breakout, in your 30s and dealing with stress-induced flare ups, or in your 40s and balancing your skin’s changing needs, there is an effective solution for everyone. And you don’t have to do the guessing work alone, book in for a treatment or a consultation at your local Caci Clinic to see how expert advice, tailored treatments and targeted skin care can get your skin calm and clear in no time.
