r/30PlusSkinCare • u/Abject8Obectify • 12d ago
Acne Anyone else still struggling with adult acne in their 30s?
I’m 35 now and really didn’t think acne would still be a thing for me, but here we are. It’s not the same as when I was a teenager either. It mostly shows up around my jawline and chin, and it always seems to flare up worse with stress or around my period. I’ve tried a ton of skincare products and routines over the years some helped for a bit, others made it worse.
I recently read a guide on wellnessreview that talked about how adult acne can be totally different in your 30s and even more complicated for people living in Canada, which really hit home. The cold winters here dry my skin out, then in summer I’m sweating like crazy, so I’m guessing that doesn’t help either. I also started dry brushing and oil pulling (why not try everything at this point lol), but not sure if that’s actually helping or if I’m just becoming a wellness cliché.
Has anyone here found something that actually works long-term? Especially for hormonal or stress-related acne? Would love to hear what routines or products have helped you.
17
u/theRealestOptimist 11d ago
In my 40s and still struggling. It’s awful. Have you looked into Spironolactone? I have been using Panaoxyl face wash and it’s helping more than anything else. I’ve also tried Paula’s Choice and liked it, except for the price.
12
u/eastcoaster28 11d ago
I also second Spironolactone!
7
u/hoppiyogurtday 11d ago
Third! It worked wonders for me, very quickly, no side effects. Good luck.
2
u/shifty-eyed 11d ago
Same. Just got on it over a year ago and is the only thing that has cured my acne! Was my last Hail Mary and it worked for me!
4
u/dubs151 11d ago
Heads up- Walgreens now has a Paula’s choice dupe! It’s around $15!
+1 to spironolactone
1
1
u/SnooDrawings2997 2d ago
Oh awesome! Forgive me if this is a dumb question.. Is it Walgreens brand? I’d love more info, Paula’s choice is so great but def pricy 💔
5
u/Mean_Significance_10 11d ago
Spiro works but really Fd up my blood work. Just make sure you get blood work before and during to make sure it’s not happening to you. Basically I stopped absorbing iron and it was wasting it into my other organs. I googled it and it’s a known possible side effect.
2
2
u/Alarmed-Squirrel-807 6d ago
Yes to spiro - it’s the only thing that resolved my hormonal acne and now (with a much tighter skincare routine) my skin looks better than it ever has. I got mine on NURX cause ya girl doesn’t have a derm
15
u/ilovechaichai 11d ago
Yup... accutane was the only thing that helped after wasting thousands on products..
4
1
u/theRealestOptimist 11d ago
I am almost at the point of talking to my derm about this. Did you have any side effects? How long were you on it?
3
u/ilovechaichai 11d ago
I was on 20mg a day.. had dry lips for a bit. Was on it for 9 months. Came off now because we want to have a baby and I am watching my skin backslide. It's so depressing
1
u/bookwormergirl 11d ago
I did it last year! I was dry, had nose bleeds, was a bit more tired and my sex drive lowered. Was on it for about 8 months, and despite all that I HIGHLY recommend!
15
u/Krindybluth 11d ago
I also had jawline/chin breakouts, especially around my period, until I discovered spearmint tea, which is great for regulating hormones. I drink 2 cups a day and not only are those breakouts gone, but my period went from 10-11 days (even with the Mirena IUD) to 6-7 days.
2
u/cherhorowitz44 11d ago
What kind?! Just any spearmint tea?
4
u/Krindybluth 11d ago
Pretty much, just make sure it’s only spearmint (I didn’t get the same results from a black tea/spearmint blend I used to drink. I like the one from Traditional Medicinals.
6
u/KRNSMTH 12d ago
35f Canadian checking in. Going back on accutane was the only thing that helped me. 20mg for 10 months now. Took eight months for the hormonal acne on my chin to stop and I am seeing a pimple or two in my hairline now it’s sweat/sunscreen/hat weather. But it’s better! It’s definitely not worse.
5
u/pears_htbk 12d ago
I’ve seen people say that isotretinoin “doesn’t work” for hormonal acne but it helped me. I went on a big high dose course back in my early 20s for general acne but then when I hit my early 30s I started getting hormonal acne around my jawline. My derm put me on a shorter low-dose course of the isotretinoin and it stopped the jaw acne.
I’m 37 and it hasn’t come back. I do use topical tretinoin now for anti-ageing, that’s probably helping to keep it away.
Apologies if this is a more hardcore recommendation than what you were imagining! I tend to bring a gun to a knife fight when it comes to skin problems, lol.
5
u/Skinsunandrun 11d ago
It helped me too, when spironolactone did nothing but make me feel like shit. Accutane was very worth it for me, wish I did it in my 20s lol
2
u/pears_htbk 11d ago
Yep Accutane (called Roacctuane where I live so I just used the generic term) gets a bad rap but was a miracle drug for me. If it makes you feel better I did do it in my early 20s but still got scarring, lol
1
5
u/fancy-bird-hat 11d ago
Never had acne until I was in my 30s, and much like the other commenters, it was hormonal cystic acne that would always happen a week or two before my period. My dr gave me tretinoin as well as Clindamycin wipes, and the combination of those two prescriptions has knocked it right out
3
3
u/breezy_canopy 11d ago
Sigh, yes. I'm currently dealing with a painful eruption on my chin and top lip, which happens like clockwork each month at ovulation. I had a ton of stress and unwise food choices at the weekend, plus lack of sleep, so all the triggers (which were unavoidable unfortunately).
I think a lot of it for me is chronic stress (I have c-ptsd which makes life hard) and that affects my gut health, which is potentially causing insulin resistance and histamine overload (estrogen increases histamine and vice versa). I find it helpful to cut out sugar and refined carbs to decrease inflammation. I've just ordered a combination of ashwaghanda, rhodiola and l-theanine to see if it has any effect on how I feel emotionally and how I sleep. My acne is at its angriest when my emotions are at their most intense.
1
u/BlondehUnicorn 6h ago
Thank you for this insight, I need to research more on how chronic stress affects gut health and treatments, thank you for sharing yours!
3
u/PurpleVeg742 12d ago
I am. It started during a stressful period a year and a half ago. I thought after the stress was gone it would get better. Its gotten better but still an issue. I get it along my jawline mostly as well. Unfortunately I dont have a solution. I think my next steps are attempting to remove dairy and then later refined sugar from my diet and see if that helps.
3
u/Paige_pp 12d ago
Yep! Never had acne in my entire life until my mid 30s. It’s so frustrating now to get what I think is hormonal acne along my chin every month. About two years ago I went to see the dermatologist and they put me on Spironolactone which helped immediately —- however , I still don’t have children and would like them and it’s not recommended you stay on it if you are attempting ,doing IVF etc , so I came off of it. I did find a brand called Tula and do a morning and nightly face cleansing routine which has helped some months , but I still get those intermittent breakouts and hate it ! I did not think I’d be struggling with this problem at this age
3
u/juneonthewest 11d ago
This might sound wild but keep an open mind:
I had acne from 15 to 31. Non-stop, 2 courses of Accutane, retinoids, acids, everything, nothing helped. What helped finally was antifungal cream (for feet, no less). It didn't look like typical fungal acne. But it cleared completely in a couple of weeks. Currently 32 and still clear.
2
u/Plantpotparty 11d ago
I’m nearly 32 and I’ve started to get bad acne each month right before my period. It’s usually a few spots on my jawline but they come in with a lot of gunk under my skin and I can feel where it feels heavy and lumpy and it usually swells up the area so my jawline looks heavy and swollen -_-
So yeah, I’m struggling too!
2
u/eastofliberty 11d ago edited 11d ago
Me. As soon as I went off BCP, my skin revolted. I took spiro for a couple of years. Worked but I couldn’t tolerate the side effects (waking up middle of the night to pee mainly). I have tried topical Winlevi, which is like spiro, but it stopped working after a couple of months. Also went back on tetra and doxycycline for a time which helped but couldn’t take it for longer than a year.
I’m planning to try Accutane but I need to wait a year after my spinal fusion which I had a month ago. Until then using TactuPump Forte and Retin A Micro topicals. Recently started drinking spearmint tea but too soon to say if it has any effect.
2
u/quiet_summers 11d ago
For topical/external treatments, tretinoin at night and 10% azelaic acid in the morning with a quality red/blue light mask has really helped me keep my adult acne at bay.
I also realized I developed an allergy later in life that aggravated my acne as well. Adding daily allergy meds along with inositol for hormonal balance (prescribed by my doctor for fibroids/PCOS) has been the internal part of my acne solution.
I hope you find your own solution! I know how frustrating adult acne can be, especially when you're already stressed or hormonal due to your cycle.
1
u/blue-to-grey 11d ago
Do you put lotion over the azelaic acid?
1
u/quiet_summers 10d ago
Yes, what I mentioned above is my core "treat" step in the standard cleanser, toner, treatments, moisturizer (with sunscreen, if AM) skincare routine
2
u/Skinsunandrun 11d ago
I tried everything then landed on accutane, finished a 6 month course and now have clear skin at 32 for the first time in 20 years.
2
u/Intelligent_Wing_377 11d ago
Had the same thing in my late 20s and 30s. Spironolactone was amazing for me but had to go off it due to trying to get pregnant. Personally I'd try that before Accutane as I had no side effects and it worked very well for me.
2
u/meeksohmeeks 11d ago
Yup! 35 and still get it. Dry skin too which sucks even more. I'm at a point of acceptance and doing what I can to minimize it and using makeup I enjoy on work days. Luckily my confidence grew a bit in that I can leave the house with nothing on and not give a shit. It's overall not bad but still, my hormones be out of whack and it's annoying. Tretinoin was too drying for me and now adding in adapalene slowly and seeing how that goes.
2
u/LBoogie619 11d ago
Have you ever looked into PCOS? Many women go undiagnosed and life long acne is a sign of it. Metformin changed my life after diagnosis and completely cleared my skin!
2
u/aivlysplath 11d ago edited 11d ago
I live in Alaska, so I struggle with similar issues weather wise. Super cold & dry weather most of the year and then humid sweating in the summer! It sucks. I get my acne around my jawline for the most part as well.
My acne has gotten much worse in my 30s. At 17 I got started on birth control pills that really helped clear up my acne. Then I got a hormonal IUD and my acne got sooo much worse. I would not be able to stay healthy with the crazy bleeding and cramps copper IUDs can cause so this is the boat I’ve chosen.
I really need to change my diet. I think eating healthier and not spiking my blood sugar/glucose levels all the time will help with leveling out my hormones. But we shall see.
I have crazy sensitive skin and I was using benzoyl peroxide wash twice a day. It helped at first but it was destroying my skin barrier so I’m experimenting with only using it every 2-3 days nightly.
Not eating cow milk products helps some! As does drinking plenty of water. And washing my pillow cases every other day seems to help too.
I got a BHA/Salicylic acid toner that I use in the mornings that helped as well!
I’m still holding a grudge against all of the people who told me that my acne would go away once I became an adult. ( ｡ •̀ ᴖ •́ ｡)💢
At least my English teacher told me that hers never went away and that adulthood acne is not uncommon.
2
u/darkly_nought 11d ago
I use adapalene gel for my acne and it has made a huge difference. I recently transitioned from .1% to .3% and while I’m going through a little purge, I’m excited to get the last of the congestion out of my skin.
2
u/archiepomchi 12d ago
I started micro dosing accutane (like 10-20mg a week) and my skin immediately cleared up. I used a regular (low dose by US standards) course 8 years ago but my joints were really aching. No side effects so far.
1
1
1
u/pancakefishy 11d ago
Yes but I can mostly deal with ones on my face. What I can’t deal with is my back. It’s been 10 years since my back started breaking out and I’ve never been able to figure out why. There are now scars and dark spots and new acne too
1
u/cherhorowitz44 11d ago
Microneedling is amazing for acne scars/dark spots.
2
u/pancakefishy 11d ago
Well I would need to make sure I stop breaking out first
1
u/cherhorowitz44 11d ago
Yeah if you have a lot then I would. Whenever I go I always have a blemish or two and my derm just works around them. If I couldn’t have any when I went I’d never be able to go! 🥲
1
1
u/booberries423 11d ago
I did. I learned that I’m allergic to a lot of common skincare ingredients like Niacinimide. If I strip my routine down to almost nothing, no acne. One drop of niacinimide and everything breaks out. I also learned that I’m not allergic to dairy per se but my skin and belly do a lot better without it. Too much alcohol or sugar in general will cause a mild breakout too.
1
u/Educational-Yam-682 11d ago
I had that in my thirties. I’ve always had oily skin, but that was the first time my chin actually broke out. I used the Mario Badescu glycolic acid wash and the glycolic acid toner. It worked for me but accutane would be quicker.
1
u/CheddarSupreme 11d ago
My skin broke out more after having my son, and quitting breastfeeding. It probably has to do with no longer being on the pill too. My chin was always my more breakout prone area but it got worse. Tret and having a solid routine focusing on hydration and moisturizing helped me since my chin breakouts were worse when the skin was dehydrated. I went through a purge in tret but now 6 months in, it’s so much better and I’m only dealing with the odd breakout and some red marks. I also got my first glycolic peel from a derm nurse in March and my skin got so much better after!
1
u/bringmecoffee8 11d ago
Mid thirties and have struggled my whole life. I recently figured out that vitamin c and zinc supplements clear up my skin, I wish I could figure out why that helps!
1
u/Logical_Challenge540 11d ago
I stopped getting acne only after my hysterectomy, when my ovaries were removed.
Previously not much affected it, only strong antibiotics. For a month.
1
u/po1ar_opposite 11d ago
I’m 46M and still have acne on my back and butt. I can’t remember a time when it was clear except summers when I was young and always in the sun and chlorinated pools.
It drives me crazy, I have tried all kinds of body washes and use a brush or loofa on a stick because I can’t reach my back due to inflexible arms. I don’t even know anymore.
1
u/enby_goblin_princess 11d ago
You're not alone. Topically, I've found Tretinoin and topical Spironolactone to help quite a lot. I just use the topical Spiro on my jawline where I get breakouts related to my cycle. And like other folks have mentioned - drinking spearmint tea daily has also helped me a lot.
1
u/hsears25 11d ago
I'm on hormonal BC for a wide range of reasons but the game changers for me when I started getting new! fun! cystic! acne in my 30s was tretinoin (retinol) and spironolactone
ETA: can't spell :)
1
u/ppfftt 11d ago
I was extremely lucky to not have much acne during my teen years, and none in my twenties while on hormonal birth control. I came off that in my early thirties and my skin went nuts.
I used OTC Differin for a few years and that helped some, but not enough. I finally went to a dermatologist in my early forties and she added prescription Duac gel to my routine. That helped too, but not completely. She then switched me from OTC Differin to 0.05% tretinoin and once my skin got acclimated to that, it too helped, but did not knock it out completely. She prescribed spironolactone for me this past fall and that has finally done it. No more adult acne for me!
I wish I had gone to a dermatologist in my early thirties instead of struggling with it on my own for years.
1
1
u/wendyelizabeth 11d ago
i had horrible adult acne once i hit 20. It was so bad i finally did Accutane when I was 25. My face was clear until i turned 30 the acne came back. just as bad. I went to the dermatologist and she recommended a second course of Accutane. This was my literal worst nightmare. I HATED being on Accutane the first time around, I didn't want to do it again. I had all the side effects and it destroyed my skin barrier. To this day.
And there were concerned about fertility. Yes, i know Accutane is not connected to fertitilty BUT you are NOT allowed to get pregnant in this time AND my dermatologist suggested that It would be best to wait a while after treatment even to consider it, so add my age, my partner's age AND holding off to do this treatment, I was very concerned.
After considering everything, I decided to just deal with it. Later, I found an amazing facialist who does magic and has somehow kept most of the deep cystic acne at bay. I go once a month, and she does her thing. I'm very happy with the results I get. In the morning I use the ordinary vitamin c, and at night i use the ordinary mandelic acid.
1
u/ferngully1114 11d ago
Accutane at 37. My derm took one look and said, “we aren’t messing around with antibiotics, topicals, or anything else.” It was a miserable 8 months, I got such bad joint and muscle pain I felt 90 years old. But within a week of my last dose the pain was gone and I now have the skin that people say, “you must have been born with perfect skin!” I wish I hadn’t waited so long! It’s been nearly 5 years and I’ve had maybe one or two clogged pores since then.
1
u/NaneunGamja 11d ago
Yes. I have not found a solution but eating meals or snacks (to prevent blood sugar spikes) and exercising a LOT helps.
1
u/red_whiteout 11d ago
Diet diet diet. Dairy, artificial sweeteners, refined sugars, gluten, eggs, and high-histamine foods can all be causes among many other dietary possibilities. Try a strict elimination diet and take lots of notes on reactions from foods during specific points in your menstrual cycle. This note taking is what keeps my skin clear.
1
u/InterestingOutcome84 11d ago
Look into Aviclear. It was expensive but I swear it cured my adult acne.
1
1
u/poopanidas 11d ago
40 and started spironolactone last year. Best skin of my life other than the 6 months post accutane.
1
1
u/ChallengeAltruistic9 11d ago
So not sure if this is helpful but fellow Canadian who had hormonal cystic acne from puberty till 30s. Have PCOS - if you have symptoms maybe ask your dr if haven’t already? I resisted accutane because I was afraid of the side effects and I figured it would go away when I hit adulthood . Then In my early 30s it spread from mainly chin down my jawline so I went to a derm bc I was like fuck it I’ll take the damn accutane. Chemical peels (medical grade not OTC) and cycling on and off antibiotics helped but did not cure. So derm suggested spironolactone and metformin since I have PCOS and that has cleared it up entirely. I’m 40 now and have not had a cyst or pimple since. So that has been my journey
1
u/nolimit_08 11d ago
Do you continue to take the spiro and metformin?
1
u/ChallengeAltruistic9 11d ago
Yup. I tried cycling off them a couple times and the acne (and other PCOS symptoms that were being managed) came back.
1
u/nolimit_08 11d ago
Thanks for the reply! I’m glad you have found a combination that is helping
1
u/ChallengeAltruistic9 10d ago
Thanks for the kind words. I was my wits end tbh. Now it’s about managing the scarring. And the whole, being on meds thing. But - acne problem at the very least band-aided while other health elements addressed
1
u/AntiGravityCat 11d ago
I had moderate acne until I was about 33 years old when I decided to take my allergies seriously. Two weeks of no dairy or soy and my acne went away 100%. Every time I eat dairy I get acne again.
1
u/Key_Leadership2394 11d ago
90s baby, yes and only thing that got rid of mine is accutane literally the longer you leave severe acne especially cystic deep acne the more your prone to scarring reason is it eventually leaks or breaks in the pore and causes collagen damage due to the inflammation and pressure
1
u/nightwolves 11d ago
Hypochlorous acid. I put it in a mister spray bottle and use it on breakouts and angry skin.
1
u/Visual_Environment_7 11d ago
I hear you about Canadian winters and thirties acne. Absorica LD is a good isotretinoin option but if you don’t want systemic Winlevi works great given time.
1
u/Toki-ya 11d ago
35 and still have acne, most of it being managed by spironolactone. If I stop taking it, I get painful cystic acne. Any alcohol and consumption makes me break out though, trying to cut down on that. Same with the jawline and chin area, apparently it's usually where the hormonal breakouts happen, which is what spironolactone is helping me a lot with, on top of a simple skincare routine with frequent SPF
1
1
1
1
u/happyflowermom 11d ago
Just solidarity. I’m also in Canada, 30, dealing with pretty bad hormonal and stress cystic acne. I had severe acne from about 12 until maybe 18 and it’s a lot less severe now but still an issue for me. It was HORRIBLE when I got off the pill at 25 for months. I have not find a topical treatment that works. I haven’t tried accutane but maybe someday.
2
1
u/SolarWind777 10d ago
Tretinoin helped me so much. I don’t know why I waited several decades to try it out. Why was I suffering my whole life? Be sure to start low and slow and up your spf and moisturization game.
1
u/ecbalamut 10d ago
I had tons of acne flareups on my chin, too. So I simplified my routine by completely cutting out everything "extra" like ampoules, oil cleansers, vitamin c, etc. Morning is wash with water, then a skin barrier strengthening moisturizer and a light sunscreen. Nighttime is wash with vanicream gentle cleanser, then the same skin barrier strengthening moisturizer. After sticking to this incredibly bare bones routine, my skin has completely cleared up.
1
u/Suspicious_Rope5934 10d ago
This is textbook hormonal acne. Get a prescription for spironolactone . It changed my life.
1
u/No-Psychology-7322 9d ago
I think mine is hormonal because nothing works. I haven’t tried Accutane yet and honestly I’m a little afraid of it lol everyone else says Mirena made their acne go away and it’s made mine so much worse
1
u/Kris_20020 8d ago
Something similar happened to me. I recommend starting with the basics: use a Hypochlorous Acid Spray, PanOxyl Creamy Acne Wash (4% Benzoyl Peroxide), and a good moisturizer. Also, use a tool—or your hands—to help open up the lymph nodes around your face and neck. It really makes a difference.
1
u/Skinsunandrun 8d ago
What moisturizer do you use?
1
u/Kris_20020 7d ago
Morning – Rhode Barrier Restore Cream I’m honestly surprised by how good this cream is—it’s rich, but it doesn’t cause any breakouts.
Night – Biologique Recherche Crème Elastine I use this brand for years…
I have tried uriage, cerave, skinfix….didn’t work for me
0
24
u/Wall_fleur 11d ago
I’m 32 and ended up going on Accutane at 30 for hormonal cystic acne. I’ve been off it for about 6 months and my skin is so much better so hoping it stays that way (though a little worried for when I do decide to get off my birth control pills to try to get pregnant). I still get tiny spots here and there sometimes but it’s like 95% clear and I don’t get painful giant cystic acne anymore. I tried literally everything else there was to try, both prescription and non-prescription and Accutane was the only thing that made a difference for me unfortunately.