I think that's ridiculous for a derm to say 'you're getting older I don't know why you're still dealing with acne'!! -- You'd think a derm, of all people, would understand that acne isn't just a teenage issue.

I guess most people would consider acne only 'normal' for teenagers but adult acne is still common. Not a lot of people grow out of acne once they're out of their teenage years. A lot of it depends on genetics and hormones. People can still be dealing with acne into their 40s - maybe longer than that too... For women it can start with hormone changes due to pregnancy or menopause also.

So I guess no one is ever really too old for acne... but I think society in general would assume once you're out of your teenage years you're 'too old' because acne is generally just seen as a 'teenage problem.' Just look at all the advertisements on TV for acne cleansers etc - majority of those ads have teenage kids using them and are targeted to young teens rather than adults...

There are many people on here 30 to 40s that are still struggling with acne. If there is a hormonal imbalance it could stick with you until menopause as a woman and I'm not even sure how long with a male. I have done quite so much research on men since I'm not trying to figure out male hormonal acne lol. Teenage acne when hormones are raging can happen but all teenagers that have acne doesn't magically go away at 20 ya know. I can say you seem to notice a trend where people claim to clear up around 24 years old. Not a guarantee though.

For me I didn't even have acne until I was 22 or 23. So I suffer from the whole adult acne thing. Bummer. But I'm going at my acne from a hormonal front now. Last year I did accutane and it cleared me right up, but 3 months later I started to get acne again. So I start spiro thinking while maybe my acne is hormonal is accutane didn't work. And guess what? Spiro cleared me up. My acne was never in the hormonal areas like jaw line and lower cheeks, my acne was everywhere it wanted to me ya know. So I was suprised when spiro actually worked! I'm glad. But to answer your question. Your dermatologist suggesting that you should be clearing up because your getting older now at 18 is wrong. There is no age where people are supposed to or generally clear up. Acne doesn't care how old we are unfortunately.

My family doctor and dermatologist have told me that if you're going "grow out of" your acne it will happen by age 24, if it persists after that point you won't just outgrow it, it needs to be treated. I am thirty and was just told that last year, until then it had never occurred to me that my acne wouldn't just go away.

24 ey? well at least that gives my hope yet. but im still four years away from that. idk if I can last that long. acne by then would have taken half my life!!!

My family doctor and dermatologist have told me that if you're going "grow out of" your acne it will happen by age 24, if it persists after that point you won't just outgrow it, it needs to be treated. I am thirty and was just told that last year, until then it had never occurred to me that my acne wouldn't just go away.