Adult Acne vs. Teen Acne - Treatments

Many of the over-the-counter products used to treat acne are developed for teenage skin. It is important that adults consult with a dermatologist or their primary care physician before attempting to use just any product. Adults will have more success using natural products then do teenagers and teenagers will have more success using products which eliminate the oil from the skin than will adults.

Most acne will increase the risk of scarring on the skin but adult acne has an increased risk. Adult skin will not heal as quickly and will be drier than teenage skin. As a result, acne will more easily result in scar tissue that might require treatment from a dermatologist to remove.

Some dermatologists believe that the best overall product to treat adult acne is benzyl peroxide. However, it must be administered in a very specific way to get the most positive results without drying the skin and causing more redness.

Many adults find that by using 2.5% benzyl peroxide they get significant positive results. Using a gentle face wash to prepare the skin first will remove surface soils and allow the benzyl peroxide to penetrate more easily. Washing gently will help avoid irritating skin.

Benzyl peroxide works by oxygenating the skin and is also a mild drying agent. Using 2.5% benzyl peroxide has been found in clinical studies to be just as effective as 5% and 10% but much less irritating. Some individuals have found that by increasing the amount of 2.5 benzyl peroxide will increase the effectiveness of the product.

The final step is to apply a good moisturizer to keep the skin balanced and reduce flaking.

This particular treatment regimen appears to have the same degree of success in adults and teenagers. However, teenagers appeared to react better to salicylic acid, another common ingredient in over-the-counter treatment medications, then do adults.

References:

(1) Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology: The Prevelance of Acne in Adults 20 Years and Older

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17945383

(2) British journal of Dermatology: The Prevalence of Acne Vulgaris in Adolescence

http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1365-2133.1971.tb07195.x/abstract