Acne is the most common skin problem that teenagers face. Most people believe that they won't get acne after teen years. However many people develop acne after years of being relatively pimple free or get acne for the first time as adults. Even for some people who get acne during teen years might continue unabated into adulthood. This is what people called adult acne.



Adult acne is a type of acne turns up after the age of 20s, 30s or even later in life. Acne can be breakouts with many causes. Reaction to stress medication is one of the main causes.

Most people believe stress can causes adult acne break out, especially those who are under high-stress levels. The reaction is usually to the medication that they are placed on rather than to the stress itself. Until now, dermatologist still can not identify what the reason medication cause acne reactions. They usually prescribe additional medication to cure the acne.

For adult women, they always get adult acne when they stop taking oral contraceptives. The hormones in their body will change once they stop using pill. Research shows that hormones strongly affect the way that the skin looks and behaves. The clogged pores that cause acne to appear are affected by what is happening in the body hormonally.

In general, ovaries produce two hormones which are estrogen and androgen with balance concentration. Hormones can have an influence on the condition of the skin. If the balance of these hormones is change, adult acne can be flare-up. That is why acne will appear and re-appear during woman's menstrual cycle.

Due to a woman's own hormones, there is a relation between adult acne and the ingestion of external hormones and drugs that have androgenic effects such as those contained in certain oral contraceptive medications, food products and performance enhancing drugs.

You can always get effective over-the-counter drugs and treatments for adult acne. However you should know about them and get advice from dermatologist or health care provider before you taking any of those treatments.