Acne has long been associated with the adolescence stage, perhaps because this is the time when breakouts occur but adults can also develop acne and having no acne when you were a teenager does not mean that you will not have one when you reach your 20s and 30s.
In fact, there are many that only develop the condition later in life. Doctors attribute the phenomenon to the fact that internal body systems and make up change over time and one factor that causes the development of acne is the body's hormones. Another theory is the fact that there are certain types of acne that only occur when one is already an adult.
Although there is no conclusive evidence that the rate of occurrence for adult acne has risen up, more and more adults are observed to be seeking treatment for their conditions. This may be brought about by increasing awareness on the problem of acne in adults and the fact that it can be cured.
About a quarter of men in their mid 20w to their early 40s experience or develop acne. Women, however, have a bigger problem as they are most likely to develop adult acne. In fact, about 50 percent of women in the same age range have acne breakouts. Another bad news is the fact that controlling the acne does not mean that recurrence will not occur. There are even some people who get acne problem when they are about 40 years old, some even beyond 50.
Unlike with adolescent acne when the skin is much more elastic and its ability to heal and regenerate is still fast, adult acne is more prone to permanent scarring. This is perhaps because as one grows older, the skin loses its collagen which primarily needed for the skin to heal and bounce back after much damage. Another reason is that adult acne conditions are often more severe than what is usually experienced during adolescence.
Although there is really no preventive measure that will completely eradicate the possibility of developing acne later in life. As mentioned earlier adult acne is actually caused by the changed in the internal body system. There is really nothing much that one can do about that.
Still, it does not hurt to develop practices that may prevent mild cases of acne from exacerbating further. One of the steps to consider of course is to always keep the face clean. Although any soap will actually do to clean the face, there are people whose sensitive skins do not respond well to the harshness of some body soaps. Dermatologists therefore recommend the use of a mild soap that is water soluble to make sure that it will go easy on the skin and it will not leave any traces that can clog the skin further.
Another preventive measure is the use products that will reduce the oil on the skin such as facial masks that are often worn while sleeping, which is the time when oil production goes on haywire. Another is the use of rice paper during the day, which helps in controlling the oily environment where the acne bacteria thrives on.
Exfoliation and disinfection are also needed to keep the acne bacteria at bay. Products with 1% to 2% beta hydroxy acid (BHA) or an 8% alpha hydroxy acid (AHA) ingredients are great exfoliants. BHA is actually better than AHA but some people are allergic to it. Benzoyl Peroxide, on the other hand, is the first line product that is used to disinfect the skin and kill of the bacteria.
