Acne is said to affect 25% of men and 50% of women at some point in their adult lives. It has been reported that dermatologists are seeing more adult acne cases than in previous decades and, unfortunately, for many of us it is lasting longer and requiring treatment well into our 40's. It is, however, more common than you realize and is very treatable. The treatment can generally be approached from two angles, which is a daily skincare regimen and consistent use of medication such as lotions or tablets. Treatment will, however, work best if you include a combination of these two.



Finding the right treatment is a little bit trickier than it was when you were a teenager. The products that you used for your adolescent skin outbreaks won't benefit you now. The reason for this has nothing to do with your spots but more to do with your skin type now that you are an adult. Basically, acne in teenagers was mainly brought on due to oily skin so the treatment for it was designed to dry-up the skin slightly; when you get older, however, in most cases your skin type changes. Normal, dry, or sensitive skin generally becomes the norm so if you used the products that you did when you were younger, your skin would become even more dried out, which could be a disaster and even increase aspects such as wrinkles and fine lines.

There are two main types of adult acne, the most common being persistent acne - this is when the problem started in teenage years and continued into adulthood; this type affects 70 to 80 percent of all the mature people who suffer the skin problem. The other type, known as late onset, is less common and will be the first major outbreak of spots that you have suffered from. Many people find this type upsetting as they managed to sail through puberty pimple free only to have to suffer later in life.

So why, when we get older, do we still get break out like we did in our teens? There are several possible causes for this including a change in our hormones. For example, women may experience premenstrual flares, certain cosmetics that can lead to bacteria laden pores, stress, developing a resistance to bacteria, and genetic factors as this skin condition may run in your family.

If you are suffering repeated outbreaks of spots and general over-the-counter treatments are failing to make a difference, then the best piece of advice you can follow is to make an appointment with your doctor or visit a dermatologist. I say this because in many cases of adult acne it is often more important to sort out the cause of the problem as well as taking care of your skin. For example, if the problem is caused by hormonal changes then you should work to put your hormones back in balance, meaning your acne should then clear up on its own accord.

There are also certain factors that you can do in order to prevent the onset of breakouts. So, if you are concerned for your skin, why not try changing your diet and nutrition intake. You should be drinking plenty of water and eating fruits and vegetables on a daily basis and you need to be including aspects to your diet that will keep your skin hydrated throughout the day. By combining this with the correct lifestyle choices, which includes not smoking and cutting down on your alcohol intake, you will keep your skin in the best condition, which will not only help protect your skin from outbreaks but it will also protect against the development of wrinkles.

If you are suffering from adult acne, you are not the only one and there is actually more help available than you may first realize. With the correct treatment and help this is a problem that shouldn't shadow your life, so don't let it, seek help and you will soon have the skin that you have always wanted.