When one thinks that they have crossed their teenage and their hormones have settled down and they are through with acne breakouts, the acne reappears. A number of people in the 20s to 30s age bracket suffer from acne in America and adult acne is more common in women then in men. For those who did not have acne in their lives and don’t know much about it, here is a brief. Acne occurs when the oil which is produced in the skin cells and especially in skin cells that have hair does not follow its natural course and reach the skin surface and disperse but clogs the cell along with dead skin cells and causes the skin cell to get filled with pus. This condition is called a whitehead and if the pore is open and it is clogged it forms a blackhead. Every adult has had a zit at some point in their lives and multiple zits are a form of adult acne.

There are a number of reasons for adult acne like it can be hereditary, change in hormonal balance, etc. There is no single reason for adult acne, in women adult acne can be caused because of menstrual periods, use or disuse of birth control pills, menopause and even use of cosmetics. Some women may suffer from adult acne whenever they are having their periods whereas with others it may become more long lasting. What exactly causes the over production of sebum which is the natural oil produced by the skin cells which leads on to acne is still not clear. Contrary to some believes that acne is caused by dirt, greasy work conditions is not true. These factors may aggravate the acne but are not the cause for it. In fact using harsh soaps and scrubbing the skin too hard can make the acne worse.

Once an adult has an acne breakout a trip to the doctor becomes a must as using an over the shelf treatment of acne may not really help out. The doctor may be able to determine what is causing the acne and prescribe suitable medication. However experienced dermatologists suggest the use of the same treatment that is recommended for teenage acne which is benzoyl peroxide and by following the three step Regimen program most common adult acne can be treated. This is an effective treatment for adult acne. In this program one needs a gentle cleanser, an over the shelf benzoyl peroxide 2.5% and a moisturizer. Start by washing the acne affected skin with the cleanser, apply the benzoyl peroxide mixture and as this causes the skin to oxygenate in which acne does not survive the skin will tend to get dry and flaky so a moisturizer will be required. There is alternative treatment for adult acne and it is a dermatologist who is best qualified to suggest the best treatment for adult acne as a lot depends on a person's skin type, medical and family history and if one is using any medications, etc.

Food has no affect in acne breakout however a greasy atmosphere like off a kitchen can aggravate acne. To answer the question 'what is the best treatment for adult acne'? There is no single answer as again this is dependent on a lot of other related factors. Adult acne cysts can be on a small or large area of the skin and can also be quite painful. In case of adult acne breakout one must check with their skin specialist as using over the counter adult acne cyst medications got over the counter may not be very helpful. Some people believe in home remedies and cure for adult acne and may use an alternative home treatment for adult acne. But this is again a person's personal choice and is neither encouraged nor discouraged as an alternative home treatment adult acne cure may prove to be helpful.

There are other tips also for lessening the affects of adult acne and these are not rubbing your hands on the acne affected skin, which is most common on the face and one can avoid spreading bacteria by following a 'hands off' policy. In case of sweating wipe off the sweat, get out of sweaty clothes and avoid wearing tight clothes, head bands, etc. don’t over wash or use harsh soaps this may have a counter effect. Stress can also cause acne so monitoring one's stress level is also important. Don’t let you get over stressed and try and avoid stress. For women who use makeup and other cosmetics switching to noncomedogenic cosmetics will make a big difference.