Adult Acne Information

Adult acne refers to acne that begins or continues into the adult years and it is not necessarily different from juvenile acne. When there is an excess of sebum, the area around a hair follicle and the opening through the skin (the pore) can become clogged. A bug, a bacterium called Propionobacterium acnes that live normally on the skin can thrive within the blocked pore. This infection causes inflammation that is responsible for the redness and swelling of a spot. Sometimes in severe acne, the pocket of inflammation within a pore can rupture and cause damage to the skin that can result in scarring.

There is no cure for acne, with or without a prescription. The secret to controlling acne is PREVENTION - stopping the formation of acne before it becomes a visible pimple. To avoid the risk of permanent scars, it's important to treat acne as soon as the first signs appear. Even after blemishes disappear, you usually must continue to use an effective acne treatment to keep new blemishes from forming.

Adult acne can cause a number of different types of spots. Typically, people with acne get blackheads (comedones). These are caused by a blockage of the pores that become dark in color due to skin pigment. Whiteheads are also common. They occur near the surface of the skin when excess sebum gets trapped inside the follicle. The sebaceous glands can also become infected. In this more severe "inflammatory acne," cysts develop beneath the skin's surface. These acne cysts can rupture, spreading the infection into nearby skin tissue. This can result in scarring.

It's important to keep spot-prone areas clean. Always wash the affected area twice a day with an unperfumed cleanser. Antibacterial face washes and soaps specifically for greasy skins are also available. However, the skin needs a certain amount of oil to maintain its natural condition, so avoid aggressive washing with strong soaps.