A top dermatologist reveals how to deal with breakouts in adulthood

When you think of acne, you probably get a PTSD-esuqe flashback to your teen years, but for a lot of people, acne persists well into adulthood (even into your 50s!). During the latest episode of the Get Lippy podcast, we decided to take advantage of dermatologist Dr Dennis Gross’ expertise and ask him, “What is the deal with acne in adulthood, and what can we do to keep it under control?”

According to Dr Gross, “Every form of acne starts with a blocked pore.”

“When you talk about hormonal acne, what you're talking about is hormones causing that pore to be blocked. How exactly? Because the hormones are actually working on receptors that the oil glands have in the skin,” he explains.

“It changes the oil in such a way that instead of flowing like a liquid, it [becomes a] little bit [heavier]. So instead of being…like an oil, it becomes a little bit more like a pasty substance.”

The body goes through hormonal changes all of the time, but Dr Gross explains that the issue is when the change in hormone levels is abrupt and extreme, and that’s what results in blocked pores and hormonal acne.

“The skin likes a gradual change, but an abrupt change like starting birth control pills or stopping birth control pills…Pregnancy... Even menopause past the forties. Any change in hormone levels, the skin has no time to adjust.”

So, what can we do to manage it? Surprisingly, Dr Gross is not a fan of ‘fix it now’ solutions for hormonal acne. Instead he recommends taking preventative measures and using a combination of facial peels, exfoliation and retinol to unclog pores, encourage cell turnover and ensure pores don’t experience any future blockages that may result in a breakout.

We know what you’re thinking: “But what if I already have a breakout?” Tune into the episode of Get Lippy below to find out what Dr Dennis Gross recommends for dealing with it (plus don’t miss his lowdown on chemical exfoliation, and the ingredients that work just as well as injectables, and our hack for applying winged eyeliner perfectly in seconds):

Tried every solution under the sun and still having issues tackling your acne? This could be why you’re still getting acne.

What are some of the lifestyle changes you’ve made that have helped with your hormonal acne? Let us know in the comments below.

Main image credit: @bellathorne