Three Essential Products to Cure Adult Acne
Save this article to read it later.
Find this story in your account’s‘Saved for Later’section.
Comment
Welcome to Wrinkles Week on the Strategist, where we’re deeply vetting skin-care solutions for anyone who’s looking to smooth fine lines and wrinkles (or prevent them showing up in the first place). For more, head to ourWrinkles Week hub.
For people who were lucky enough to avoid a pimply adolescence, adult breakouts can be bewildering. Before we get into it, first consider that your pimples may not be acne. Says dermatologist Angelo Landriscina, M.D., “it could be folliculitis, rosacea, or perioral dermatitis. Before you waste time trying acne treatments, try to visit a dermatologist to confirm the condition. When 40-something patients with acne visit her office, they ask, “‘Why is this happening now?’ and ‘What am I doing wrong?’” says Nkem Ugonabo, M.D., a dermatologist at UnionDerm in New York City. “I try to reassure them that it’s not their fault, that it’s more common than they think it is, and, most important, that there are ways to treat it.” To keep things simple, we’ve picked the three products for adult acne that will have the most impact. When you have a skin issue, you don’t need to start your routine over from scratch (in fact, you probably shouldn’t). Too much change when you’re already in the middle of an issue can be overwhelming for both you and your skin.
Want to explore another skin-care type?Choose one here.
New! You can now save this product for later.
With your acne diagnosis in hand, you can start by killing off much of the acne-causing bacteria with benzoyl peroxide. Landriscina suggests trying it in a cleanser like this one. Benzoyl peroxide can be notoriously drying, but this formula has hyaluronic acid, niacinamide, and peptides to manage the challenge of dehydration. But still ease into it by washing with it only a few days a week to start.
New! You can now save this product for later.
Retinoids are widely prescribed for acne — they work by normalizing cell turnover, thus preventing pores from clogging. Over-the-counter retinols also do the trick but aren’t considered a drug by the FDA and therefore don’t carry the FDA monograph that tells you about the percentage of active ingredient in the formula or the recommended dosage … except for one. Adapalene is an FDA-approved retinoid available without a prescription. You’ll find it in many brands’ formulations, but Landrascina leans toward this “tried and true” La Roche–Posay treatment. Use just a pea-size drop at night and reap the anti-acne and anti-aging benefits.
New! You can now save this product for later.
Since this is your first time with acne, we don’t want to introduce too many products at once lest we further irritate your skin. The mix of red and blue light emitted from this LED device is quite gentle, though. The combination of both will help kill acne-causing bacteria, soothe inflammation, and help any active pimples heal faster.
More From Wrinkles Week
The Strategistis designed to surface useful, expert recommendations for things to buy across the vast e-commerce landscape. Every product is independently selected by our team of editors, whom you can read abouthere. We update links when possible, but note that deals can expire and all prices are subject to change.
