It is uncommon to meet someone who has never experienced a blemish, pimple, or pustular breakout at some point in their life.

Acne during puberty is particularly common due to significant hormonal fluctuations that occur during this developmental stage. These changes can influence sebum production and skin oil balance, often resulting in visible skin eruptions.

Importantly, puberty is also a psychologically sensitive stage of life, where social acceptance and self-esteem are highly influential. This is one reason why acne during adolescence can feel particularly impactful.

However, for many individuals, skin congestion and breakouts do not resolve after puberty. When acne-like presentations continue into adulthood, it may be appropriate to explore contributing factors beyond hormonal development alone.

Why Acne May Persist After Puberty

To understand persistent breakouts, it is helpful to first understand how acne lesions form.

The skin contains numerous small pores connected to sebaceous glands, which produce sebum (a natural oil that helps maintain skin hydration). When sebum production becomes excessive or when dead skin cells accumulate within the pore, the follicle can become blocked.

These blocked pores are known as comedones, commonly referred to as:

• Open comedones (blackheads)

• Closed comedones (whiteheads)

When bacteria become involved within a blocked follicle, inflammation may occur, leading to red, inflamed lesions or pustular breakouts.

While topical skincare routines that include cleansing, exfoliation, and hydration are commonly used to support acne-prone skin, they are only one part of a broader skin health approach.

Factors That May Influence Ongoing Breakouts

In skin health practice, acne presentations are often considered multifactorial, meaning there may be several contributing influences.

One commonly explored area is the role of internal factors that may influence oil production, inflammation, and skin reactivity.

Internal contributing considerations may include:

• Digestive function and gut-related imbalances

• Dietary patterns and inflammatory load

• Hormonal fluctuations (including stress-related hormonal activity)

• Lifestyle factors such as sleep quality and stress levels

• Individual skin barrier function and sensitivity

These factors may present differently from person to person, which is why a personalised approach is often used in clinical skin consultations.

Skin Mapping and Pattern Recognition

In clinical observation, practitioners often look at where breakouts occur on the face, as different areas may reflect different contributing influences.

For example:

• Forehead congestion may be observed alongside digestive or lifestyle influences

• Chin and jawline breakouts may be seen in conjunction with hormonal activity patterns

• Cheek congestion may be influenced by environmental exposure or topical product reactions

This type of observation is not diagnostic, but may be used as part of a broader skin assessment framework.

Supporting Oil Balance and Skin Congestion

Supporting acne-prone or congested skin typically involves a balanced approach that avoids over-stripping or over-stimulating the skin barrier.

Common considerations may include:

• Gentle, non-stripping cleansing routines

• Avoidance of excessive exfoliation or harsh actives

• Barrier-supportive hydration to maintain skin integrity

• Simplified skincare routines to reduce reactivity

• Consistency rather than frequent product changes

Maintaining a stable skin environment is often an important factor in supporting long-term skin comfort.

Avoiding Self-Diagnosis and Over-Supplementation

A common challenge in modern skincare and wellness culture is the tendency toward self-diagnosis based on online information, followed by trialling multiple supplements or products without structured guidance.

This can sometimes lead to inconsistent results, unnecessary expense, and ongoing frustration due to frequent changes in routine without clear assessment of underlying factors.

From a professional skin health perspective, a more structured approach that includes proper skin assessment may be more appropriate before introducing significant changes to diet, supplementation, or skincare routines.

A Structured Skin Health Approach

Acne presentations in adulthood are often best approached through a combination of:

• Individualised skin assessment

• Barrier-focused skincare routines

• Lifestyle and dietary awareness

• Consistent routine implementation over time

This approach recognises that skin function is influenced by both internal and external factors, and that outcomes are generally supported through consistency rather than rapid changes.

If you are ready to resolve your adult acne then book in a time for a consultation and find out exactly what is going on and what needs to be done to bring the body back to a wellness state.

Nutrition and skin oil balance

Diet can influence skin oil production and overall skin balance. Certain dietary patterns—such as high intake of highly processed or refined foods, frequent alcohol consumption, high-sugar diets, low hydration, and excessive caffeine intake—may contribute to internal imbalances that are reflected in the skin’s surface environment.

When these patterns are persistent, they may be associated with changes in sebum consistency and skin congestion, where the skin may appear more oily and pores are more prone to blockage.

In contrast, a more balanced dietary approach that includes a variety of vegetables, adequate hydration, low glycaemic index carbohydrates, and quality protein sources may better support overall skin function. Consistent water intake also plays a role in maintaining normal hydration processes within the skin, supporting a more stable and resilient skin appearance over time.

Healing Psoriasis with Mediterranean Cooking is a great cookbook filled with over 60 recipes that are anti-inflammatory and great for the management of insulin resistance. As the name suggests, it for psoriasis but reading inside you will see in the introduction it mentions other ailments such as acne this book helps with as this approach is applicable to conditions that share similar attributes such as insulin resistance, inflammation and skin lesions.

Emotional wellbeing and skin balance

Stress and prolonged emotional strain can influence the body’s physiological stress response, which may in turn affect skin function, including sebum activity. Rather than aiming to eliminate stress entirely, the focus is on supporting the nervous system through practical daily strategies such as mindfulness, breathwork, yoga, or other relaxation-based practices that help regulate overall wellbeing.

Skincare routine and product suitability

Using skincare products that are not well-suited to an individual’s skin type, or applying products incorrectly, can contribute to skin dryness or barrier disruption. In response, the skin may attempt to compensate by adjusting oil (sebum) production, which can contribute to imbalance.

A more supportive approach involves using gentle, appropriate formulations and maintaining a simple, consistent routine aligned with the skin’s current condition. Seeking a professional skin assessment can help guide product selection and routine structure based on individual skin needs.

Flawless has been specifically formulated to neutralise bacteria in the skin, deeply cleanse the pores and rejuvenate the skin to promote healthier looking skin.

I hope you find this information helpful. If you would like further support in managing your skin concerns, there are a range of educational resources available to guide you.

Schedule your free skin assessment in clinic or online to help you choose skin care products that are going to encourage your skin to naturally heal. We will also discuss additional options you have available to help your skin heal.

For more information on this simply call us on 03 9888-4129, email us at info@salubre.com.au or make an appointment by BOOKING ONLINE HERE.

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