Overview

Acne that continue beyond a person's 20s is known as persistent acne. This acne can last to age 50 and beyond, according to the American Academy of Dermatologists. Persistent acne can be problematic because an adult's skin has different needs than a teenager who has acne. Adult skin is often more dry in the area surrounding acne, meaning some acne treatments may be too harsh. In addition to the skin treatments, adults often experience more stress, which can lead to increased acne breakouts. Therefore, to treat adult acne, you must make lifestyle changes in addition to acne treatments.

Step 1

Engage in stress-relieving practices such as meditating, taking a walk, writing in a journal or reading a book each day. Deep breathing exercises also can help to relieve tension throughout the course of your day. Because stress can aggravate adult acne or lead to another outbreak, it is important that you reduce daily stress levels, according to CBS News.

Step 2

Wash your face twice daily with a cleanser that contains salicylic acid, according to CBS News. This treatment will help to encourage exfoliation in the pores, reducing the amount of oil, dead skin cells and bacteria that can plug the pore.

Step 3

Apply a spot treatment cream containing 2.5 percent benzoyl peroxide to an acne blemishes. This cream contains enough active ingredients to reduce bacteria and oil in the pores, yet is not drying to an adult's skin. Be sure to follow up with a moisturizing sunscreen product that can help keep skin soft and protected from the sun's rays.

Step 4

Apply a retinoid product at night instead of benzoyl peroxide as a spot treatment. Retinoids, such as Retin-A, not only help you to fight acne, they also fight wrinkles and are especially good at treating blackheads and whitehead, according to the American Academy of Dermatology. It's best to apply them at night because a retinoind product can make you more susceptible to the sun.