How did that happen?

I noticed that as I get older, my face gets more...acne than I've ever had in my life, EVEN as a teenager. I was discussing this with several of my friends and it occurred to us; it's a hormonal issue basically. Acne is cause by hormones which is why as teeners we're covered in craters. Then with us getting our "moon time" and then breaking out....uh, yeah..more hormones. I know, stress too....can increase/cause acne as stress can mess you up re: your hormones..put them all out of whack. Experts are divided on whether stress creates acne or just worsens it, but it does increase the amount of oil your skin secretes, which can clog pores and cause breakouts. And lastly, the most hormonal experience of all; us ladies touching on menopause....well, uh, hello!

One way to tell if acne is stress-related is to be aware of when breakouts tend to occur, and examine your stress levels from the preceeding week. If breakouts tend to match up with the times that your body is feeling stressed, there is probably a link. (If, however, you always tend to get acne on specific spots like the right side of your chin or your left cheek, that could actually be due to environmental factors like your cell phone resting on your face as you talk.) Just drink more water, lay off the greasy foods, and try to relax...or chillax...it'll all be alright!