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Just when you thought that being an adult meant being free teenage growing pains, adult acne strikes! All it takes is getting up one morning to leave for work when you realize a big fat pimple sitting in the middle of your forehead.

What's wrong with me, will most likely be your initial reaction. It almost feels like something's wrong with the universe. Pimples aren't supposed to happen to adults. What is an adult to do?

First, take a deep breath and take control of the situation. Seek some professional guidance, but be warned, they'll simply tell you that acne isn't just for teenagers and then they'll charge for the consult. And then, find the acne treatment that is right for you.

The Problem with Adult Acne

Adult acne seems to be a topic that few people talk about. Admittedly, adult acne seems to be an untouchable topic of conversation while adult acne scars or teenage acne are readily accepted. It, therefore, amazes no one to know that acne is directly associated to the developing stages of our life and has no place in our adult life, making it difficult for those faced with the condition. Nonetheless, the same type of acne that haunted us during high school can also make its reappearance during our 30's or 40's.

Don't get this confused with another type of acne called acne rosacea - or rosacea for short-. In any case, adult acne has been known to be one or both of these types of acne.

What is Acne?

In the middle of the acne breakout is the dreaded pimple, or what's known to specialists as comedo. It's a plug of sebum mixed with skin debris and keratin (the stuff nails, hair, and skin are made of) lodged inside a hair duct.

This plug can create one of two results; a whitehead or a blackhead. Whiteheads often cause the walls of the hair duct to rupture leading to redness, infection, and the papules, pustules, nodules, and cysts that are common in acne.

During high school, teen boys will be more affected by acne scarring while teen girls will possibly develop a case of adult acne later on in life. So, how do we protect our skin from these culprits?

A very mistaken misconception is that acne is the result of poor hygiene. Teen and adult acne are caused by a combination of several biological factors. A few of these factors are hormones that lead to excess oil secretion, faulty closing of the hair duct, and infection.

The Best Possible Acne Solution

The first thing people do when they see a pimple is pop it. It is effective, but doesn't come without infection and scarring. A word to the wise, squeezing or picking at pimples spreads acne infection, so you'd do best to avoid it! You are, however, recommended to consult with you dermatologist. He or she will eliminate the pimple with a sterile instrument that is specially created to prevent infection or possible scarring. If these options seem unlikely for your condition then there is one more tried-and-true remedy, an acne home remedy recommended for all skin types.

The right treatment for adult acne will depend on which acne treatment is best for your type of acne and your skin type. A good rule of thumb is to search for an acne treatment that can repair damaged skin and also remove scars. Nonetheless, trying every acne product out there becomes a very costly and exhausting experience. This is why we recommend finding products made with natural ingredients to insure that you get the best product.