Adult acne

 20% of adult males.                                   40% of adult females.

These are the official percentages for the amount of adults that are affected by adult acne. It can develop at any time period during their lives, but the most common is between 20 and 40. And it's no different then getting acne in your teenage years, its still a very trying period for you and can still have the same self-esteem crushing effects, such as; depression and deep anxiety.

Although the real causes of adult acne have not yet been  discovered, many believe that it is because of changes in hormones. Therefore the usual treatment for people suffering from adult acne is to try and balance out these hormones, this usually leads to the decrease of the symptoms and improvement in your condition. To have your hormones accessed, it is usually a good idea to visit your doctor, this will also help you to choose the correct route of treatment.

Factors such as hormones, stress and genetics are also thought to play a part in the development of adult acne. Male hormones cause an increase in the amount of sebum produced and this can aggravate an acne condition. With age the sebaceous glands and ducts can also become more sensitive to male hormones or take longer to heal after an inflammation. If you are having a hectic time at work or at home, stress can also cause an increase in the production of stress hormones from the adrenal glands.

Acne in adults occurs for one of the following reasons:

• -Recurrence of acne that cleared up after adolescence
• -Stress
• -Being overweight - increased insulin production can signal the body to release extra male hormones, called androgens, which are involved in pimple formation.
• -Medication - including some contraceptive pills, anabolic steroids, some anti-epileptic medications, lithium and iodine-containing medications.
• -Chronic physical pressure on the skin. Chafing from the straps of a backpack or tucking a violin between the jaw and chin can cause chronic physical pressure on the skin and may induce a condition known as acne mechanica.
• -Chlorinated industrial chemicals may induce the occupational skin disorder known as chloracne.
• -Changes in the hormonal balance, such as those brought about by pregnancy, menstruation or hormonal abnormalities.
  

Genetics is thought to play a part in whether you’ll be plagued with acne in adult life. A study of twins did produce some evidence that acne can be inherited. Your chances of developing adult acne are four times greater if you have a parent or sibling who also had it. Adult acne is sometimes also referred to as acne rosacea, to find out more about acne rosacea, click here; Acne Rosacea.

To two most commons term linked with adult acne are;

• Persiste nt acne - This is when acne continues after adolescence. This occurs in 70% to 80% of people with adult acne. Usually carries on from teenage years.
• Late onset acne - This is a rare type of acne, as it appears for the first time in adulthood, this can be frustrating if you went through your whole adolescence without a single pimple, and then get hit by a wave of it in your adult years.