Mid-Life Acne. It’s Real! Here’s How To Deal With It

If you thought that acne was only a concern for teenagers (and you luckily managed to dodge it back in the day) you might get a bit of a shock if breakouts suddenly start to appear in your 30s, 40s or even 50s. 

Yes! Mid-life acne is a real thing and it can be just as distressing as the spots that crop up during puberty. Luckily, to help you navigate acne at any age, we spoke to leading dermatologist Dr Stephanie Williams about why mid-life acne happens, what mistakes you might be making and the very best ways to get a clearer, smoother complexion.

Here’s our guide to taking the stress out of mid-life acne…

So, what is mid-life acne?

“Mid-life acne typically refers to the onset of acne breakouts in adults, typically in their 30s, 40s, or 50s,” says the dermatologist and medical director of Eudelo Dermatology & Skin Wellbeing, Dr Stefanie Williams. “However, adult acne is classified into three types: persistent acne (continuing from teenage years), late-onset acne (developing for the first time after age 25), and relapsing acne (recurring after periods of remission).”

“While acne is often associated with teenagers, it can affect people at various stages of life,” Dr Williams continues. “And, at whatever age, breakouts, spots, pimples, zits, blackheads, whiteheads, whatever you call it, are a sign your skin is not completely happy and healthy.”

What causes mid-life acne?

“The same factors that play a role in teenage acne, i.e. excess oil production, overproduction of keratin that clogs pores, acne bacteria, and inflammation, are also at play in adult acne,” explains Dr Williams.

“Additionally, hormonal fluctuations that occur during adulthood, especially in women can trigger or worsen acne too.” That includes during your monthly menstrual cycle, while you are pregnant, or as you approach menopause.

Is mid-life acne more common if you’ve had acne before?

Unfortunately, yes – even if you thought you’d left your teenage breakouts in the past.

“Having a history of acne during adolescence is considered a risk factor for adult acne,” confirms Dr Williams. “It is thought to be related to genetic factors that predispose some individuals to excess sebum production, abnormal shedding of skin cells inside hair follicles, and a tendency for skin inflammation.”

Do mid-life and teen acne present similarly?

Whether you’ve had acne before or not, what’s most frustrating about adult acne is that it can be so persistent.

“Mid-life acne may have fewer lesions, but they tend to be more stubborn, often presenting as deeper, more painful cystic acne,” says Dr Williams.

“Mid-life acne also tends to appear more on the lower third of the face, including the jawline, chin, and neck. It’s sometimes referred to as the ‘U-zone’, while teenage acne predominantly affects the t-zone.”

Can you treat all acne the same?

The short answer is no.

“For adult women, you need a fundamentally different approach to teen acne,” reveals Dr Williams. “While teenage and male acne sufferers usually have more oily skin, women with adult acne often report normal or even dry, sensitive skin. You also need an approach which factors in other possible concerns such as anti-ageing and irregular pigmentation.”

But, can you really balance pro-ageing goals and adult acne?

One of the most annoying things about adult acne is can rear its head alongside other key concerns such as wrinkles and hyperpigmentation as we age. And, according to Dr Williams, you have to be careful that your anti-ageing skincare routine isn’t making your breakouts worse.

“I often see women in their mid-life wanting to use more active anti-ageing skincare, however, often these products are too rich in oils and silicones and will contribute to breakouts if there is a predisposition,” warns Dr Williams. You need to make sure your pro-ageing skincare is formulated with acne-prone skin in mind. Dr William’s Delo Rx range (and our cheat sheet below) is a good place to start.

Here’s Dr William’s 4-step action plan

STEP 1: Assessment

Anyone suffering with breakouts should ideally first be assessed by a dermatologist. Stubborn acne often needs some sort of prescription cream, and it also might not even be acne you’re suffering with. There are a number of very similar looking skin problems including rosacea and perioral dermatitis, which even GPs mistake for acne.

STEP 2: Medicated treatment

If it’s deemed you need a prescription-strength solution, there are topical and oral options to consider. Topical treatments include antibacterial and anti-inflammatory creams, as well as prescription-strength retinoids (vitamin A derivatives). For more severe cases, oral anti-inflammatory antibiotics, hormone treatment (for women only), and oral retinoids such as isotretinoin may be considered. It really depends on the type and severity of the acne; the need to prevent scarring, and treatment of any additional skin problems you might have.

STEP 3: In-clinic treatment

There are an increasing number of in-clinic treatments for acne management too. Dr William’s offers The Eudelo Acne Assassinator, a dermatology-grade facial, which deep-cleanses pores, removes comedones and has an anti-inflammatory effect.

LED light treatment, chemical peels, plasma energy peels and certain types of lasers – including the new AviClear laser that treats active lesions – can also help breakout-prone skin. Then there are numerous acne scarring in-clinic treatments as well, but that’s for a different day…

STEP 4: Skincare

“What we use on your skin on a daily basis directly affects the efficacy of any anti-acne regime,” confirms Dr Williams. “In clinic, we’re repeatedly amazed to hear that when patients had previous medicated acne treatments, skincare was not even discussed as part of the overall approach.”

If you want tailored skincare advice for your acne concerns, you can find our favourite product recommendations below based on our core skincare principles. You can also book in for a virtual skincare consultation with our skincare specialist Shenaz for personalised guidance in just 20 minutes.

TTG’s favourite anti-acne routine

Epionce Purifying Cleanser, £40, BUY NOW

Delo Rx Youth Matrix Activator, £165, BUY NOW

NeoStrata Clarify Exfoliating Mask, £42.40, BUY NOW

Meder Beauty Eu-Seb Prebiotic Anti-Acne Concentrate, £89, BUY NOW

Dermalux Flex MD, £1895, BUY NOW