Adult Acne? Really?

Breakouts can come as a surprise. Here’s how to treat them.

- Samantha Rideout

THE BATTLE WITH ACNE isn’t necessarily over just because you’ve exited your teen years. While adolescents are famously the most affected age group, some people deal with acne for decades. It’s even possible to face the condition—the plugging of pores with oil, dead skin and bacteria—for the first time as an adult.

Adult acne is often caused by multiple factors working in tandem. For women, these can include hormone fluctuations related to menstrual periods, pregnancy or menopause. For both sexes, genetic predisposition plays a role: two thirds of adult acne sufferers have at least one close biological relative with the same problem.