When you hear the word acne the first thing that probably pops into your mind is adolescence. However, you may be shocked to discover that acne is quite common in adults as well. And sadly enough, adult acne is often more difficult to treat than its teenage equivalent.

Adult acne is normally related to hormonal fluctuations. The proper cleansing routine is definitely important, but hormone therapy is usually the most effective type of treatment. Here's a quick look at the alternatives available for treating adult acne.

Acne Remedies: Skin Care Products

You may feel a bit uncomfortable when you're an adult that's looking for the right acne skin care products. But keep in mind that adult acne isn't that different from teenage acne and can be treated with the same types of products. This should make your search a bit easier.

Acne responds very well to salicylic acid and retinol, which are both ingredients that help regulate the production of sebum. As a matter of fact, they can also eliminate sebum from the surface of the skin.

Benzoyl peroxide is another ingredient that is very effective against acne, however, it can irritate sensitive skin. If your skin is very dry or sensitive then you can use more moisturizer to counteract the stinging effect or you simply switch to tea tree oil.

AHAs are also a good way to treat acne. They help exfoliate the skin and remove excess sebum, dead cells, debris and bacteria. This helps decrease the chances of clogged pores and acne breakouts.

When treating your skin condition you should not only concern yourself with choosing the most effective products, but you should also worry about following a proper adult acne skin care routine to help maintain your skin acne free. Remember to cleanse, tone and/or exfoliate, and moisturize. This should be enough to help treat most cases of mild to moderate acne.

In some cases doctors will prescribe antibiotics or Accutane, however, you should make sure that your doctor has given you all the necessary information, especially information about all possible side effects. Especially if you've been prescribed Accutane because it is known to cause severe problems.

Acne Remedy: Hormonal Therapy

If your cleansing routine and over the counter products are not having an effect on your acne, it's time to ask about hormone therapy. There are a couple of different options that you can try to get your acne under control. These options have to do with inhibiting the production of certain hormones.

In women, birth control pills are a common way of treating hormonal acne. They work reducing the levels of testosterone in the body. DHT inhibitors are another form of hormone therapy.

Recently, studies have shown that a person's ability to convert testosterone into DHT has a direct effect on the appearance of acne. Which means that by inhibiting DHT, doctors can reduce the risk of acne outbreaks.