Acne 101: Teen Acne Treatments Don't Work on Adult Skin--Here's What Does

Acne is generally associated with teenagers, but this skin concern doesn’t necessarily disappear once you reach adulthood. There is something known as adult acne that many adults contend with. If you have it, you’re not alone. It hits about 1 in 3 women, according to a BalmLabs’ survey.

It’s considered adult acne once you’re past the age of 25. This type of acne has many of the same causes as teen acne—too much oil, clogged pores, inflammation, and bacteria—yet it’s different because it’s deeper in the skin than teen acne and tends to show up around the jawline.

Plus, it becomes easier for adult pores to get clogged because of a combination of increased oil from hormonal shifts and pores that can’t keep up. And the chronic stress we tend to experience in adulthood contributes to hormonal changes that then contribute to acne, and then the acne creates more stress—what a vicious cycle.

Because this acne is different, the treatments targeted to teenagers, which are the main treatments available, don’t work. Have you noticed?

Acne as an adult can be a challenge, as zits and blackheads aren’t expected on the face of an adult. They could get in the way of your professional image and your self-image. In fact, adult acne affected the self-perception of half the women in a BalmLabs’ survey.

Now that you know more about the problem, is there a way to target acne on adult skin? Are there any solutions that work better than the ones made for teenagers?

The Challenge of Treating Adult Acne

Despite plenty of adults having acne, the acne treatment products on the market are still designed for teenagers. They contain acne-fighting ingredients like salicylic acid and benzoyl peroxide that tend to be too drying and irritating to the skin of adult women. Also, these teen products are ignoring additional skin concerns that adult women have, like dryness, thinning, fine lines, and discoloration.

Fortunately, there has finally been innovation in this area. BalmLabs has created ClearBalm just for adult skin with acne and signs of stress. BalmLabs came about through a collaboration between founder Sarah Waldock, who struggled with adult acne in her 30s and 40s without finding good solutions, and Beverly Hills dermatologist Dr. Robin Schaffran, who was equally unsatisfied by the lack of effective adult acne products. They worked with leading skincare scientists to develop the ClearBalm line, a plant-based yet science-backed system designed just for adults. 

The ClearBalm 3-Step System

The ClearBalm system does not dry out adult skin as it gently improves the look and feel of it. The three-step system starts with cleansing your face with the Gentle Foam Cleanser and lukewarm water. Then, you apply the Power Elixir to the face and neck and follow it up with the Serum Hydrator on the same areas. You carry out this routine in the morning and evening each day.

The three-step system gives you a powerful combination of active ingredients. These include:

  • Bixa Orellana seed extract to purify pores
  • Natural AHAs to exfoliate and brighten
  • Hyaluronic acid to add deep moisture
  • Niacinamide to restore the skin and reduce discoloration
  • Squalene to protect from external irritants and balance oil
  • Hemp-derived CBD to fight inflammation and skin oxidation damage.

Also, these non-comedogenic formulas are free of potentially harmful ingredients like parabens, PEGs, sulfates, artificial dyes, fragrances, or animal ingredients.

It’s worth trying this three-step system if you do not see results from typical acne treatments. This plant-based system works by cleansing the skin without over-drying, gently removing dead skin cells from the surface, smoothing fine lines, and evening the skin tone. It works to target numerous skin issues that adult women face at once.

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