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Most people would say that acne is a teenage problem and that it will clear up after adolescence. However, that's not entirely true. In fact, there are many adults that suffer from occasional acne break outs.

The main difference between adult and adolescent acne is that adult acne is sporadic. Adult acne usually appears due to stress and hormonal problems. As for adult acne solutions, they are very similar to most teenage acne treatments except for the possibility of hormone therapy.

Acne Skin Care: Treating Adult Skin

Everyone should have a daily skin cleansing routine. This special skin care routine should help keep your skin free from bacteria, excess oil and dead skin cells, although for most people, maintaining a regular cleansing routine is enough to keep acne under control.

If you're not sure what a basic cleansing routine includes, it's the following: cleansing, toning and moisturizing daily and exfoliating once a week. Opt for skin care products that are effective yet soothing for your skin type. This may require some trial and error, but it's well worth it.

Hormone Treatments: A Different Type of Solution

Hormone treatment is often considered a good acne treatment because many adults suffer from hormonal acne. The idea behind hormone therapy is to regulate hormones that are directly linked to the development acne, in other words, androgens. This is a serious type of treatment that requires full medical supervision, so if you are interested you should consult with your doctor.

Spironolactone

This product is a synthetic steroid that binds to the body's androgen receptors. This action not only keeps androgens from binding to the cells receptors, but it also helps inhibit 5-alpha-reductase activity and reduce androgen biosynthesis. More studies need to be done to get a better picture of its results.

Oral Contraceptives

Because OCs contain estrogen and progestins, they have a direct effect on how much androgen the body produces. Estrogens are responsible for the production of adrenal and ovarian androgens and also responsible for helping reduce the amount of the enzyme 5-alpha-reductase, which can help lower the levels of DHT.

Progestins, however, can vary their androgenic or testosterone-like activity. Which, in essence, means that their effect on acne can be variable. If you are trying to control acne, it is best to use progestins with the lowest androgenic activity.

Natural Acne Solutions

Natural acne products are the best the solution for people with sensitive skin. Products such as honey, tea tree oil and aloe vera can have dramatic effects on acne outbreaks, but there are still other natural ingredients that have proven to be much more effective.