Acne After 25 and in Adulthood. Causes, Diet, and Hormonal Balance.

More and more people over the age of 25 and in middle age are suffering from what is known as adult acne. 

What are the most common causes, and how can we solve the problem with natural therapies and a healthy diet?

An increasing number of young people over the age of 25 and adults are suffering from what is known as adult acne. It can appear at any age after 23–25 years old. It often begins with small, scattered red pimples on various parts of the face, which soon develop into severe cysts on the cheeks and jawline, as well as on the forehead and chin. Acne is often accompanied by dark spots, small bumps, and subcutaneous cysts, combined with a dull complexion and uneven skin texture.

CAUSES OF ACNE IN ADULTS 

Acne in adults is most often caused by digestive and hormonal issues, combined with the use of harsh synthetic cosmetics. The skin is an eliminative organ and reflects internal problems by reacting with the appearance of inflammatory lesions, microcysts, and blemishes. The use of synthetic cosmetic products with a pH significantly higher than the skin’s normal pH creates an environment conducive to the growth of the pathogenic bacteria P. acnes and S. aureus, which cause inflammation, redness, and dermatitis.

Often, the first reaction is to cover up these imperfections with makeup, concealers, drying masks, and harsh skincare products. Instead, it’s best to take a holistic approach to the problem, with consistency and an understanding of what’s happening to your body. To determine the cause, it’s best to have your blood tested and check your stomach’s bacterial balance. Eliminate synthetic ingredients from your skincare routine. Cleansing gels and foams that contain sulfates—which create the so-called “squeaky clean” feeling after washing—actually break down the sebum produced by the skin for hydration, causing the skin to react by producing more oil. Natural cosmetics—containing probiotic enzymes to maintain the skin’s bacterial balance and inhibit the growth of pathogens, prebiotics to nourish beneficial bacteria, and plant-based oils—are the most effective treatment for acne-prone skin. 

HORMONAL ACNE 

There are many studies suggesting that the main cause of adult acne is elevated levels of androgens (male hormones, although they are also found in women) resulting from the consumption of foods such as meat, eggs, dairy, and all animal products that contain hormones due to the way the animals are raised.  

FOOD is our medicine, and this is one of the aspects you should focus on when trying to soothe any skin inflammation and regulate hormone or insulin levels. Often, switching to a plant-based diet, taking probiotics, and avoiding antibiotics and hormones—which are commonly found in animal products these days—helps reduce stress levels and inflammation in the body. There are also studies showing that dairy products promote cancer cell growth and IGF-1. Try almond, macadamia, or oat milk as an alternative, rather than animal milk or soy! And if you don’t want to stop eating meat or animal products, it’s a good idea to limit your intake to a few times a week, as well as foods that cause excess insulin. This will not only work wonders for your body and skin, but also for your mental health. Boost your good bacteria with probiotics and prebiotics to strengthen your immune system and suppress the growth of pathogenic bacteria.

What most people don't realize is that our skin is an eliminative organ, so if you have acne, your body's defense system is trying to tell you something.

Probiotic skin therapy is also very effective. It helps beneficial bacteria control the growth of pathogens, so that unpleasant inflammation and subcutaneous lesions are soothed and significantly reduced by the next day.  

Listen to your body and don’t suppress it with antibiotics. Anyone who has taken antibiotics for acne knows that if you don’t make changes to your lifestyle and diet, the acne will always come back—this is because antibiotics destroy the healthy bacteria in your gut, overload your liver, and can actually leave you in a worse state than when you started.

Get your intestines and lymphatic system circulating and moving—this is a very important first step toward elimination (aside from diet, of course). Drink plenty of water.

Next, you need to strengthen your gut barrier and restore balance to your gut flora by eliminating the pathogens and harmful bacteria that are likely to be dominant if you have acne.

Fill your system with good bacteria—probiotics—and nourish it with prebiotics so that the bacteria can thrive.

Repopulating your microbiome with good, high-quality bacteria not only acts as an anti-inflammatory response and promotes easy digestion, but can also strengthen your entire body, eliminate toxins, and affect brain function — after all, 70% of the serotonin in your body is actually found in the gut, not in the brain. 

For a holistic approach, nourish your skin with probiotic therapy made from natural ingredients. It has been proven that the bacteria in our gut and on our skin communicate with each other, and the skin reacts when this balance is disrupted. The community of bacteria living on our skin—the skin microbiome—also needs natural care and a balanced environment to function properly and suppress the growth of pathogenic bacteria that cause inflammation.

Prof. Marina, head of the Department of Dermatology and Venereology at the Ministry of Interior Hospital, spoke about the latest research on the skin microbiome and its role in acne and inflammation: “Studies have found that products containing lactobacilli are effective in treating acne. We believe that these products will change the way we address this skin condition in the future.
I anticipate that over the next few years, mild to moderate acne will be treated with probiotics rather than antibiotics. It makes so much more sense to nourish the good bacteria and suppress the growth of harmful pathogenic bacteria to prevent inflammatory changes from occurring. Probiotic skincare is a promising approach to treating acne-prone skin. I believe that the key to managing acne-prone skin is to treat it gently with mild, gentle, and natural probiotic products that do not strip the skin of its natural oils but rather stimulate its natural functions, such as hydration and immune defense.

I prescribe Snowborn products, which are formulated to restore the skin’s health and its natural defense against pathogenic bacteria, external aggressors, and inflammation. They have been clinically tested and proven effective. Each treatment is tailored to the skin’s needs based on the specific skin concern and age, making it highly effective and efficient.”

Snowborn's natural probiotic therapy has been clinically tested for effectiveness and has shown a reduction of up to 70% in blackheads, microcysts, and inflammatory lesions within the first 4 weeks.

To restore the skin from the inside out, Prof. Marina recommends the precision oral probiotic Derma Probiotic, which contains three strains: Lactobacillus salivarius, Bifidobacterium breve, and Lactobacillus casei. These have been proven to inhibit the growth of the pathogen P. acnes and clear up inflammation of the skin and body.

Once your skin has recovered, gradually reintroduce animal products into your diet—meat and cheese once, or sometimes twice, a week. Be mindful of where your food comes from and look for organic, grass-fed products from local farmers. This is beneficial not only for ethical and environmental reasons, but also for the balance of your microbiome and gut health.Research shows that eating foods grown near where you live is extremely beneficial for the stability and function of a healthy microbiome, which plays a key role in the digestion and breakdown of food.

For more information and insights from leading dermatologists—Prof. Marina and Assoc. Prof. Mateev—visitwww.snowbornskin.com