Why won't my adult acne go away?
Answered by the AskDoc Medical Team · Medically reviewed under our Medical Director, MBBS
Adult acne runs on hormones, stress, genetics and sometimes products, which is why teenage scrubbing strategies fail against it. Harsh cleansing strips the barrier and makes oil production worse.
What works: a gentle cleanser twice daily, a non-comedogenic moisturizer, and evidence-based actives, benzoyl peroxide or adapalene, used consistently for eight to twelve weeks before judging. Consistency beats intensity every time.
Deep painful cysts, scarring, or acne flaring with irregular periods deserve professional treatment; prescription options are excellent now, and scars are far easier to prevent than to fix.
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