Acne is for teenagers, right? Wrong! A common misconception is that acne only affects teenagers. The truth is that many adults struggle with acne even though they didn't have acne as a teenager or may have had only a very mild case. This is typically known as Adult Onset Acne. For many other adults, their teenage acne has unfortunately followed them into their adulthood.

The social, physical, and psychological effects of acne is no less traumatic in adults as it is in teens. While adults may be better equipped emotionally to handle the stigma of having acne, it is still just as painful. Add to that the perception among the general population that acne is a teen problem and you shouldn't have it as an adult.

Regardless of whether the acne is a carryover from the teen years or new occurrence, it can be more difficult to treat and deal with. As an example, permanent acne scarring is often more severe in adults because the skin is older and has reduced amounts of collagen which is used for repairing itself. The physical scars of acne aren't the only problem in adults.

The psychological scarring can be more pronounced in adults because of the misconceptions that accompanies adult acne. For many adults, having acne as a adult is more embarrassing that having it as a teenager because it was widely believed that only teenagers get acne. This is a very common misconception because acne can strike adults of any age. This has often led to adults not seeking treatment and causing deeper emotional issues.

As more information about adult onset acne becomes available and people see more cases of it around them, there has been a slight trend increase of dermatologist visits among adults. It is expected that this trend will continue.

One of the indicators that adults are seeking relief for their acne is the purchase of prescription medications and also over-the-counter products that treat acne. Sales of these products continue to be strong and are expected to increase as awareness increases.

As adult acne becomes more widely diagnosed, so does the awareness of physicians to the special causes and unique effects of acne on older patients. And as public awareness increases, more adults inflicted with acne will likely seek treatment.

Today, more and more information about adult acne is being captured which will only further help identify the causes and help treat those afflicted with adult onset acne. A new emphasis is being placed on the psychological effects of adult acne because of the social emphasis that is being placed on having clear skin. Of course, understanding the physical causes of acne is foremost because if you can cure the acne outbreaks then the social and psychological issues will usually take care of themselves.