Adult Acne: Why Your Skin is Breaking Out in Your 20s, 30s, and 40s

When most people think of acne, they picture teenagers whose faces are riddled with red and white spots and pimples.  Well, that picture should also include adults, given that the common skin condition follows millions of people into adulthood.

Far and away, acne is the most common skin condition, affecting about 50 million Americans of all ages in any given year. Yes, much of the issue is found in teens who are making their way through puberty, but adults are far from immune. In fact, adult acne affects 25% of women and 12% of men as late as their 40s.

To explain why so many adults continue to be plagued by acne, we turn to the team of board-certified dermatologists at Dermatology Associates of Western Pennsylvania. Here’s what they want you to know and how they can help.

Is adult acne any different?

We want first to establish the fact that if you’re experiencing acne as an adult, it’s for the same cause-and-effect reasons as when you were younger. In short, acne occurs when pores that house hair follicles in your skin become clogged with oil, bacteria, dirt, and debris in the form of dead skin cells. 

Each of your hair follicles is connected to oil (sebum) glands that nourish and moisturize your hair and skin. When follicles become clogged and bacteria get in, it can lead to acne symptoms like whiteheads, blackheads, and pimples.

The reason acne tends to affect teenagers more than any other group is that temporary hormone imbalances during puberty can increase oil production in the skin, setting the stage for clogged pores and acne.

Still, you don’t have to have excess sebum production to experience a breakout, as evidenced by adult acne.

Why women are more at risk for adult acne

While adult acne can strike both men and women, it tends to affect women by more than 2:1, largely due to hormonal factors. 

By the numbers, about half of women in their 20s experience adult acne, as well as a third of women in their 30s. And, we already established that a quarter of women in their 40s get adult acne.

These higher numbers are due to hormonal fluctuations that women experience during their reproductive years. This can lead to excess sebum, clogged pores, and, you guessed it, acne.

Another factor is that women use more makeup and skin care products on their faces, which can clog pores and lead to adult acne.

Powerful tools for treating adult acne

Just as teenagers have more options than ever for combating acne these days, so, too, do adults. We can tap into our extensive toolkit of professional-grade and evidence-backed acne treatments in this effort, including:

• Oral antibiotics
• Oral isotretinoin
• Topical prescription ointments, such as tretinoin
• Targeted cleansers
• Chemical peels
• Topical acid products
• Light therapy

Note: many treatments for acne will cause sun sensitivity!  Patients need to find the right daily skin care regimen that includes cleansing, treating, AND protecting (sunscreen and/or sun avoidance) their skin.

The best way to figure out which treatments would work best for finally putting your acne in the rearview mirror is to see us for an evaluation.

To get that ball rolling, we invite you to book an appointment at our office in Coraopolis, Pennsylvania, by calling 412-262-1064.