How to Manage Adult Acne

I didn't start breaking out until I was 20 years old, at 24 I have not loss the tendency although I have learned how to deal with the problem. Adult acne is unlike having a few zits as a teenager. Pimples and general bad skin is caused by a variety of problems and those issues change with age.

As an adult my skin is drier and more sensitive then in my teen years. The strong oil fighting cleansers, toners, and spot fighters that killed pimples in my youth will now, with adult skin, cause breakouts. I have to use cream cleansers, moisturizer, and stick to one additional product. Too many products will irritate adult skin and cause a breakout which can look like a stretch of white bumps, a clump of red bumps, or a small pimple on your face or back.

Whatever the appearance of the breakout, the same basic rule applies- don't pick. The oil and bacteria that you can spread with your fingers will only irate a pimple further. Breaking your skin, as most people do when they pop a pimple, will cause a bright scab, scar, or even a bruise. If you need to extract puss from the pimple use a clean tool after steaming your pores open. Spot treatments work wonders for these pimples. I use Clearasil acne treatment cream. Clearasil is made for unruly teenage skin but large infected pimples qualify as a teenage-type breakout. If you have an infected pimple, Neosporin or other anti-biotic ointments will minimize the infection, dry out the puss and reduce the size of the pimple.

As an adult, large pimples are rare and the concern tends to be uneven bumpy skin. The most common cause is dry skin. If your skin doesn't feel dry it may still need moisturizer. When your face is dry, the skin produces pore-clogging oil that can cause a breakout. To prevent dry skin, moisturizer every time you wash your face right when you are done. Your skin is best prepared to absorb the moisturizer when it is clean and warm. If you tend to get a lot of white heads, use a moisturizer for sensitive skin or adult acne. Moisturizers I prefer is L'Oreal Acne Response Blemish-fighting lotion and Olay complete for sensitive skin.

Before moisturizing make sure to exfoliate. The best way to do that is to get a face wash that a gently exfoliates. A cream based face wash will be gentle enough and may also incorporate a moisturizer. Many face wash clothes (Dove makes great ones) will do the trick.

For tricky red spots that moisturizer won't cure try Benadryl cream or antihistamine.

The most important thing when dealing with adult acne is to simplify your routine. The harsh treatments you used as a teenager will cause more problems then they solve as an adult.