When examining the subject of acne and the hero product benzoyl peroxide wash, there are a lot of questions that get asked, such as ‘Does it work for everyone?’ and ‘Will it irritate my skin?’ The fact is that there are many blogs dedicated to answering exactly those questions, but our focus today is the difference between adult and teen acne.
Read forums on the subject, and you’ll see a range of misconceptions and untruths in circulation, so we aim to remedy that now by providing you with a clear definition.
Do Adults & Teens Use Benzoyl Peroxide Wash Differently?
Many factors are involved in how successful your benzoyl peroxide wash is at clearing up your acne, but the following are perhaps the most notable. Women are disproportionately affected by acne, although obviously, men get it too.
The textbook definition of acne in females is when they have it from teenhood until their mid-twenties. After this point, it’s seen as adult acne, with the male equivalent cut-off being 22 years of age.
Of the teenagers that get acne, 80% of them will see it disappear when they reach adulthood. The remaining 20% need to manage the condition to ensure that it’s kept under control. As such, yes, adults and teens may need to use benzoyl peroxide products a little differently.
How Teen Acne Presents
The first thing to note about teen acne is that it’s heavily influenced by the hormone chaos that’s associated with puberty. It tends to appear on the face, back, shoulders and chest and doesn’t usually present as inflamed acne until they hit 15 or so.
Again, boys and girls will typically hit puberty at different times, with females getting it sooner. It presents as small bumps – which can happen as early as 10 or 11 years old. They hit 13 or 14, it can move the cheeks and chin, worsening as the months go by.
Boys, however, hit this stage at 14 or 15 years of age, with the same jawline and facial spots coming into being and an increased susceptibility to cystic forms of the problem. All the hormonal changes that happen at this point in life greatly impact the skin.
How Adult Acne Presents
When moving into their twenties and past the point where their acne turns into the adult version, breakouts tend to be inflamed and pronounced, lasting up to and over 2 weeks at a time. This infection is the skin occurs when clogged pores combine with inflammation and infection.
Teen acne, as we’ve discovered, is mainly caused by hormone changes, however, adult acne is a bit more complex than that. It can be influenced by food, medication, allergies and gut health. As such, it’s seen as a chronic problem – particularly when skincare isn’t practised.
Benzoyl Peroxide Wash Helps All Kinds of Acne, Teen or Adult
Naturally, there are many different considerations that need to be taken into account when dealing with acne – depending on which form you have. However, one thing you can take to the bank is that benzoyl peroxide is effective against all types of the problem.
Of course, you’ll need to adjust your approach to tackle the exact causes, which are more likely to be non-hormonal during adulthood. That said, if you give BP washes a chance, they can change the course of your skin’s long-term health.
Now, that’s something that everyone who’s ever had acne will tell you is a welcome piece of news. Just a little trial and error and organisation are often all that’s needed to get on top of the issue.
