How can I have acne at my age?

One of the greatest myths about acne is that it happens only in teenagers and that if we can get through those years we are home free. The reality is that acne in adults is a very common occurrence and needs to be addressed too. Why is it so? It is because the hormonal influences sometimes don’t take effect until later in teenage years or even later into our 20s or 30s or even later in our life.

Also, for those in whom the hormones have an early effect during their adolescence, there is no guarantee that the hormones responsible will slow down or have less of an influence over time. This is because there simply have many other factors that may affect us over time, such as work, family, relationships and other issues for acne to persist for many many years.

As for acne distribution, there is quite a different between teens, preteens and adults. In teens and preteens, acne starts as mostly comedones in the central area of the face, i.e. the forehead, nose, and cheeks. For adult, the acne tends to center more on the lower part of the face, around the chin, and along the jaw line and is more common in women than in men. Also, women will often find more difficult to control because their skin in this area is often more sensitive, hence more easily irritated from the often drying medications used in acne clear and acne care products.

For women, they also need to consider whether they are currently pregnant or planning pregnancy in the near future when considering different acne treatment options, this is because some medications should be avoided due to their potential side effects and the risks involved. Often, women may find that starting an oral contraceptive pill is the best therapy, sometimes to the point where they don't need any or at worst very minimum topical acne treatments.