Adult acne

More common than you think

Statistics

Adult acne affects 25% of all adult men and 50% of adult women at some time in their adult lives.1-2 One third of adults affected with facial acne also have acne on their body. These are the official statistics, but I personally don't know many adults who have not had a zit or two in their adult lives. People can develop unpleasant acne or have an acne recurrence in their 20s, 30s, 40s and beyond.1-3 Dermatologists find themselves seeing more adult acne patients than in previous decades. An article in the International Journal of Cosmetic Science in 2004 stated, "Recent epidemiological studies show that there appears to be an increase in post-adolescent acne, and that the disease is lasting longer and is requiring treatment well into the mid forties."2 Regardless of when someone struggles with acne, it can be difficult to cope, and can cause depression and social anxiety in an adult the same way it can in a teen.2,4

Causes of adult acne

Although the causes of adult acne are unknown, possible causes include hormones, cosmetics, stress, and an increase of resistant bacteria. Women in particular often experience premenstrual flares, often around the mouth and chin area.5-11

Treatment of adult acne

Many adult acne products exist, however, in my experience, the overall best treatment for adult acne is identical to the best treatment for teen acne, benzoyl peroxide. But benzoyl peroxide must be administered in a specific manner to achieve total clearing. See The Regimen for a step-by-step program you can use to clear your skin using benzoyl peroxide.

Not so uncommon

It is important to realize that adult acne is more common than people may think, and adult sufferers are not alone. If you are troubled by adult onset acne, read The Regimen and give it a go. Alternatively, you can consult your doctor. She or he may recommond a hormonal treatment that can help.

You can find further tips to stop adult acne on the adult acne message boards. Many adults frequent the boards and are happy to answer questions.

References

1. Cunliffe WJ, Goulden V and Stables GI. "Prevalence of Facial Acne in Adults." Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology. 1999; 41(4): 577-80.

2. Knaggs HE, et al. "Post-adolescent acne." International Journal of Cosmetic Science. 2004; 26(3): 129-38.

3. Collier CN, et al. "The prevalence of acne in adults 20 years and older." Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology. 2008; 58(1): 56-59.

4. Gollnick HPM, Finlay AY and Shear N. "Can we define acne as a chronic disease? If so, how and when?" American Journal of Clinical Dermatology. 2008; 9(5): 279-284.

5. George R, Clarke S and Thiboutot D. "Hormonal therapy for acne." Seminars in Cutaneous Medicine and Surgery. 2008; 27(3): 188-96.

6. Seirafi H, et al. "Assessment of androgens in women with adult-onset acne." International Journal of Dermatology. 2007; 46(11): 1188-91.

7. Williams C and Layton AM. "Persistent acne in women: implications for the patient and for therapy." American Journal of Clinical Dermatology. 2006; 7(5): 281-90.

8. Bataille V, et al. "The influence of genetics and environmental factors in the pathogenesis of acne: a twin study of acne in women." The Journal of Investigative Dermatology. 2002; 119(6): 1317-22.

9. Cunliffe WJ, Goulden V and McGeown CH. "The Familial Risk of Adult Acne: A Comparison Between First-Degree Relatives of Affected and Unaffected Individuals." The British Journal of Dermatology. 1999; 141(2): 297-300.

10. Ascenso A and Marques HC. "Acne in the adult." Mini-Reviews in Medicinal Chemistry. 2009; 9(1): 1-10.

11. Choi CW, et al. "The clinical features of late onsent acne compared with early onset acne in women." Journal of the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology. 2010; 25(4): 454-461.

Further Reading

Cunliffe WJ and Seukeran DC. "Acne Vulgaris in the Elderly: The Response to Low-Dose Isotretinoin." The British Journal of Dermatology. 1998; 139(1): 99-101.

Dumont-Wallon G and Dreno B. [Specificity of acne in women older than 25 years][Article in French] Presse Medicale. 2008; 37(4 Pt 1): 585-91.

Pace J. "Acne in adult women." Skinmed. 2008; 7(2): 61-2.