38 and STILL getting spots!!! Anyone else???

Emmala

Hello everyone, and Merry Christmas!
Well, as the thread name says, I am 38 and am still getting spots!!!! My skin isn't what I would call 'oily' and is very sensitive so I have to be careful what products I use, but I am at a loss as to what to do!!!! I have tried Quinoderm which is OK, but I still find it dries my skin out and makes it flaky. I haven't been on the Pill for ten years or so (my eldest is nearly 10) and I don't want to go back on it so this isn't an option. Cost doesn't worry me...I would use anything cheap or expensive if it would help! I have tried the OCM before, but I found it didn't help at all, even though I followed it to the letter.
Does anyone else still suffer with acne/spotty/teenage skin in their 30s/40s? Can anyone give me any suggestions as to what might help? Products? Supplements? Anything?
Thank you so much in advance for any help you can offer xx

trudij

Im the same age as you, and have similar problems skinwise - Ive found the best thing of all for mine has been rewinding to my childhood and using pears soap and water !!! I still get the occasional one or two, but nothing like what I used to get.

Annoying isnt it - always just before Im going somewhere Id rather be clear skinned for....

Bitsy_Beans

I do get spots and I am 37. Thankfully it has calmed down since teenage years but I am annoyed I still get them.

Some of mine are hormone related but my skin improved when I switched to mineral makeup from liquid stuff. Proper mineral make up contains zinc which is really good for spots so whilst I still get the odd one they are vastly improved.

mannysmom

I have started taking Agnus Castus from Holland and Barrett which is supposed to balance your hormones (mine are all over the place due to stress) and my greasy skin, hair and spots went within a few days of taking them. I have always had spots (and I'm 39) so it was a bit of a nice shock to have normal skin.

the advisers in H&B are good, so you might wanna ask them if it would benefit you.

Hughjass

I have the same problem too, I find the cheaper the skincare the better, Boots Essentials is outstanding, saying that watch out for mineral oil, it could be an irritant, Freederm Gel is the only product that works for me when I'm having a breakout, use lots of it two or three times a day, you should notice a difference within 24 hours and spots should be gone in a few days and for maintenance of clear skin I use Sudocream in a very thin layer all over every third night. Mineral make up with Alantonin and Zinc was helpful but drying, showing up any fine lines and wrinkles, wrinkles and spots = not a good look.

kjmtidea

I'm 29 and have cystic acne, it has recently gone crazy and flared up so badly that my doctor has put me on antibiotics for 2 months. I have tried most face washes and the ones that help most are Carleys clean and smooth which is american and St Ives scrubs.

Also make sure that any moisturisers you use are 'non comedogenic' so they don't block your pores.

j.e.j.

It probably depends on what's causing the flare-ups, tbh. It could be stress which affects the hormones, or it could be diet related, or both!

I won't take antibiotics for my skin, but I do from time to time use a topical application, which I get on prescription, for adult acne. I also find that cleaning my face with plain boiled water is sufficient, though if you need to wear make-up every day you would need something more (like cold cream or olive oil) to remove it. I'd say keep your skin-care routine really simple and minimal, and also, I've found that avoiding milk and butter in my diet improves my skin a lot.

jaks111

i have spots at the moment due to the chocolate i have eaten since before xmas and nowi call them chocolate spots.

ZsaZsa

For me using too many products or anything with mineral oil causes huge under skin boils all around my chin. Took me years to figure out the cause. My skins also much improved when Im not taking the pill so I guess theres a hormonal aspect for me too. Mineral oils are tricky as there are so many different names they can sometimes be difficult to spot on a list of ingredients, but I can feel it straight away in a product- they leaves a waxy, clogged feel to my skin.

Emmala

Thank you all for taking the time to reply - I really appreciate it, and you have some fab ideas!!! I have bought some Agnus Castus (I remember this from years ago but was pregnant at the time so couldn't try it), and also some Freederm Gel to try.
The tip about avoiding mineral oil is really useful too, I will try to avoid it and see if it helps!
XXX

Fruball

Another sufferer here at age 39

I find that using plain olive oil and a hot, wet, clean facecloth helps a lot.

I use Zineryt directly on spots (from gp) and that is very good for bad break outs.

Unforunately, I think if you still have them at our age, you are stuck with them.... Having said that, I don't think I have seen any 60+ yr olds with acne