Spot the difference

Still dealing with spots in your 30s and 40s? You’re not alone. About 35 per cent of women aged 30–39 and 26 per cent aged 40–49 deal with acne outbreaks, which are often hormonal, says GP Dr Ginni Mansberg, a member of the Australasian Menopause Society. “Women going through perimenopause have higher cortisol levels linked to worse acne,” she explains. “Stress can also cause breakouts.” While some types of hormonal acne may require medical intervention, there’s a new generation of skincare products that target spots with ease. Dissolving microneedle patches (such as ESK Spotless Microneedle Patches, $36 for 8, eskcare.com) deliver powerful active ingredients beneath the skin’s surface to reduce spots overnight. La-Roche Posay’s Effaclar range (laroche-posay.com.au) includes salicylic acid-bolstered skincare that helps reduce breakouts while boosting skin health and hydration. And Dermalogica Post-Breakout Fix

($35, dermalogica.com.au) helps minimise those dark marks left behind after a pimple heals, known as post-inflammatory pigmentation, ensuring spots are a distant memory. To keep breakouts at bay, Dr Mansberg advises looking for products containing these smart ingredients:

Retinal: Twenty times more powerful than its cousin, retinol, this form of vitamin A is well tolerated by sensitive skin and is proven to treat acne.

Salicylic acid: With a track record for spot-clearing, this beta hydroxy acid has exfoliating, anti-inflammatory and anti-microbial properties.

Niacinamide: Also known as vitamin B3, it’s not only anti-inflammatory but reduces pimples and oil production, too.