Adult Acne Treatment

Approximately 50% of females and 25% of males will develop acne in their adult years. For this reason, treatments for adult acne are continually increasing in availability and sales.

In the past, acne was always seen as something suffered by hormonal adolescents only. Regardless of age, the impact acne has on lives is the same, reducing self-esteem and confidence and possibly even resulting in depression.

The truth is that acne can manifest at any age and for adults, it's detrimental to understand the disease to fight it effectively. While some people may only need topical solutions to solve the problem, others will resort to surgery. A common reason adult acne outbreaks happen is due to hormonal imbalances or deficiencies. This is something to discuss with a physician and if hormones are the cause, special treatment will be prescribed.

For adult acne that is not too severe, there are creams and ointments on the market such as benzoyl peroxide. It can be purchased from the chemists and is fantastic for treating both adult acne and adolescent acne. Benzoyl peroxide comes in varying strengths and should be applied sparingly to affected areas only because it can burn clear skin. If the skin being treated is very sensitive, lower strengths will work best.

If the acne is more serious, it is likely that prescription medication will be the most effective solution. These treatment options are best advised by a doctor so the patient's skin type and physical health can be taken into account. Examples of topical prescription adult acne treatments are adapalene, tretinoin and azelaic acid. Oral medications that may be prescribed are sulfur, clindamycin and isotretinoin. As with all prescription medications, there can be side effects so reading information leaflets and being monitored by the physician are very important.

Accutane is a prescription medication for severe acne that has been unresponsive to all other forms of treatment. For a patient to be prescribed Accutane, their problem and the impact on their lives would have to be more serious than the potential side effects of taking the medicine. While a four to six month course of the drug is usually very effective against acne, the contraindications can be serious and long-term: liver damage and depression are examples of these. All precautions must be taken against falling pregnant due to the birth defects it can cause, so it certainly is a potent medication.

When every treatment option has been exhausted, blemishes can be treated with surgery such as laser therapy. Such treatments can be painful short term and costly, but if the acne is severe it could be the only option.

There is a treatment on the market for each individual's adult acne and regardless of age, there is no need for anyone to suffer the negative effects acne outbreaks can have on lives. The quicker the acne problem is resolved, the less chance there will be of serious and permanent scarring.