Top 3 Skin Disorders Plaguing Gen X
I was curious to see what skin disorders (skin symptoms) most commonly plague Gen X skin (ages 42-58). I decided to conduct a poll, to include 100 Gen X faces, at random, recording the top 3 most common characteristics.
Here are the results, the Top 3 Most Common Skin Disorders Afflicting Gen X:
Hyperpigmentation
Vascular Rosacea
Perioral Dermatitis
Here are my thoughts…
Hyperpigmentation
It is no surprise that hyperpigmentation is the most common skin characteristic in Gen X. Sunscreen is viewed by the majority of Gen X as ‘protection from sunburn’. It is highly undervalued, and misunderstood. How can sunscreen be misunderstood? Sunscreen, (Zinc) if worn faithfully, has been proven to reverse the signs of aging. In addition to sun protection, it’s been medically proven to have the ability to topically decrease vascular inflammation, treat infection, reduce hyperpigmentation and improve the skin's texture.
Find additional information on PubMed: Management of hyperpigmentation: Current treatments and emerging therapies
Vascular Rosacea
Vascular Rosacea is essentially redness in the skin. Inflammation presents in varying degrees. Many of us have drawers full of underutilized or unused products. However, if we were to revisit those items, what we would most likely never find is an anti redness or anti inflammatory product. Women typically combat redness in the skin by camouflaging it with makeup rather than addressing the issue directly.
Find additional information on the National Library of Medicine website: Rosacea: Overview
Perioral Dermatitis
Lastly, Perioral Dermatitis. Perioral dermatitis is common and oftentimes relentlessly intrusive. Through deep dialogue with my clients, I’ve found that its origin typically leads back to one of the following; excessive use of active/corrective ingredients and/or repetitive use of makeup sponges, as they immediately attract and harbor an excess of bacteria and fungi upon first use.
Find additional information on the National Library of Medicine website: Perioral Dermatitis
We all want our skin to look a certain way, to be cosmetically beautiful. What many of us fail to realize is that if we prioritized and addressed our skin's health, visually, it would fall in line.
Are you curious what the full list looked like?
Listed below are all of the skin disorders recorded in my study:
Notable Statistic: 50% of the faces in this study possessed one or more of these characteristics
Keratosis - Benign skin growth(s).
Poor Hygiene - Poor skincare routine or method, inconsistency, and neglect.
Zoonosis - Bacterial and/or fungal infection transmitted from house pet (skin/hair) to human skin.
Chemically Stripped Skin - Skin that's experiencing excessive physical or chemical exfoliation; this results in a consistent, mild chemical burn throughout. This occurs when active ingredients and/or coarse grain scrubs are used too frequently.
Hyperpigmentation - The majority of hyperpigmentation is caused by repetitive exposure to the sun without adequate use of sunscreen.
Vascular Rosacea - Presents as redness in the skin with capillaries present and visible at the skin's surface. Regular flushing of the skin and inflammatory sensitivity is considered ‘normal’ for this skin type.
Acne Rosacea - Presents with redness in the skin combined with papules and pustules, typically concentrated in the mid face.
Perioral Dermatitis - Presents as what looks to be like a combination of a ‘rash’ and mild, superficial breakout concentrated near the nostrils and surrounding the mouth and chin area.
Fungal Acne - Presents as closed comedones on the forehead, temples and perimeter of the face near the hairline.
Acne Vulgaris - Also known as Bacterial acne, and even though it is not the most prominent type of acne, it is how most acne is identified and treated.
Cystic Acne - Painful cyst-like nodules ‘under’ the skin, varying in size.
Acne Scars - [add brief description/symptoms]
Self Infliction - Self injury caused by picking