Simple Steps to Clear, Glowing Skin

Adult Acne: Not Just a Teen Problem

You thought those embarrassing teenage years were well behind you, only to see not just one but several pimples pop up on your face. Maybe you were blessed with perfect skin as a teen and are battling breakouts for the first time while also fending off fine lines and wrinkles. Adult acne, which can include blackheads, whiteheads, pimples and cystic acne, is a skin condition some women grow into rather than out of.

Who's affected: Adult acne affects women at significantly higher rates than men. Research also indicates that it’s affecting more women than ever before. Clinical acne plagues 45 percent of women ages 21 to 30, 26 percent of women ages 31 to 40, and 12 percent of women ages 41 to 50, researchers from Harvard Medical School found in a 2012 study. Although stress, diet and lack of sleep all contribute to breakouts, hormones are thought to be the biggest culprit.

Fixes: Because of this, many women are prescribed combination oral contraceptives (COCs), a type of birth control that contains the hormones estrogen and progestin. COCs can be quite effective in reducing acne and should be considered by women with acne who also want birth control.

Another option: oral antibiotics, which reduce acne-causing bacteria, says Ronald Moy, MD, a Beverly Hills dermatologist and director of dermatology for the California Health and Longevity Institute. The antibiotics doxcycline (Vibramycin, Monodox) and minocycline (Minocin) are often prescribed for treatment, says Bruce Robinson, MD, a dermatologist in New York. Once acne is under control, patients can transition to episodic use to control flare-ups.

Laser treatment for acne zaps the pimple-causing bacteria but only temporarily, according to Dr. Robinson. He offers it only as a short-term quick fix, such as for a bride before her wedding. Topical creams, such as a retinoid (a form of vitamin A) with benzoyl peroxide, are another effective option.

Isotretinoin is often prescribed for more severe acne, but it can have serious side effects and can only be used under the close supervision of a doctor.

Reviewed by Jeffrey Benabio, MD on July 8, 2013

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