help with acne on aging skin!

I've been struggling with acne since i was 12. Now i'm 27 and still have the acne of a 17 y/o but have the wrinkles of a 37 y/o. Acne products have made my fine lines worse over time, and if I try to address the wrinkles with moisturizers it makes my acne even worse! So not only do i have horrible weathered skin, but horrible acne on top of it! Is there any hope? I've tried every acne/anti aging system out there almost and i feel hopeless. I am healthy, dont smoke (used too) stay out of the sun, exercise daily and eat a very healthy diet consisting of 50 raw foods (lots of veggies! yum!) I wash my face twice daily and get enough sleep and drink 10 glasses of quality water, no coffee or alcohol. My face cleared up during my pregnancies, but I react horribly to birth control pills so thats not an option either. I did have 2 12% TCA peels that did seem to help, but when discontinued for more than a month my skin went back to it's old naughty ways. I cant afford to do peels twice a month for the rest of my life! What other options do I have?

[Bhupinder Kaur, MD]

Hello,
It can be due to adult acne which occur due to hormonal imbalance at this age. Just keep you face clean by washing with a mild soap atleast twice a day. Pat it dry and do not rub it. Avoid picking or pressing the acne. You can also use Benzoyl peroxide 5% lotion or gel once at bedtime. An amount of lotion the size of a pea should be enough to cover most of your face. If your skin becomes red or peels, you are using too much of the medicine or applying it too often. If the symptoms persist then please get it evaluated from a dermatologist and get topical antibiotics like Clindamycin prescribed.

It is very difficult to precisely confirm a diagnosis without examination and investigations and the answer is based on the medical information provided. For exact diagnosis, you are requested to consult your dermatologist. I sincerely hope that helps. Take care and please do keep me posted on how you are doing.