The best thing about getting into your 20s is escaping the painful acne breakouts that come with adolescence. But not all of us have beautiful clear skin in our 20s and find our skin flaring-up even more. 

Post-adolescent acne is the official name and affects up to 10-20% of Australians, creating inflamed and sensitive skin. While excess sebum is the usual culprit, there are some unknown triggers that might be making your acne breakouts worse.

So if you’re having skin trouble, we’ve listed some of the worst hidden acne triggers.

Over-treating Your Skin

This might sound counterproductive, but there’s a limit to how much you can treat your skin with acne solutions. If you’re like the rest of us, it’s irritating when a treatment isn’t working, so you look for the next best thing. 

But by changing treatment solutions, you might be doing more harm than good. 

Typical acne treatments have ingredients like benzoyl peroxide and salicylic acid, which can be overly stripping to the skin if overused.

Oil is always the enemy in the acne fight, but when we wash too much with acne treatments skin can become irritated leading to breakouts.

Instead, dermatologist Kathleen Suozzi suggests using a milder acne solution and washing off after a few minutes.

“One study found that short contact application of benzoyl peroxide with a contact time of two minutes was comparable to a leave-on benzoyl peroxide,” she told Teen Vogue.

So, stop pummelling your skin with treatments and try something a little gentler.

Washing Your Face With Hot Water

Do you wash your face in the shower? It’s easier than washing your face over the sink, but could actually be the cause of your breakouts.

Our shower temperature is hotter than our facial skin can handle, stripping the oils and drying the skin. Tighter skin means irritation and excessive moisturising to restore our skin’s balance which can lead to blocked pores.

Instead, try to wash your skin with Luke or cold water to avoid irritation and dryness.

Hormones

Hormones are something we don’t usually think about unless it’s to do with pregnancy. But it should rank high on your acne checklist as hormone imbalances can cause acne, especially around the jawline.

Androgen hormones, or male hormones like testosterone, can increase the skin’s oil production, clogging the pores. An easy solution for most women is taking the contraceptive pill, which can decrease androgens and ease acne.

If that’s not your jam, you might need to visit your doctor for anti-androgen drugs or other acne treatments like Accutane.

Accutane is for severe cases of acne but is usually effective in treatment.

Environmental Acne Triggers

Is summer a bad season for your acne flare-ups? Your environment may be the reason, but don’t worry, we’ve all been there.

In summer, skin can become easily clogged with oils, sweat and other products like sunscreen, which form a film over the skin.

Instead, choose lightweight, non-comedogenic skincare and makeup so the skin can breathe in those hot and steamy months. But that’s not all.

Pollution and cold weather can also cause breakouts. In winter, cold air and low humidity can strip the skin of moisture and oil, which we know can lead to breakouts. 

While pollution can clog the pores and worsen acne symptoms according to Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology.

Protect your skin with sunscreen and antioxidant products, as well as washing your skin as soon as you get home with a deep double cleanse.

While at home treatments can solve these acne triggers, skin can respond differently depending on its type and sensitivity, so it’s best to consult your doctor for ongoing problems.

Are you having acne trouble in your 20s? Head over to our beauty page to find out more skin tips.