Weren’t we told acne was just a teenage problem? I was. And then you get into your early 20’s and beyond when it hits you. Acne does not discriminate. This is one of life’s cruel little jokes to toy with our self confidence, isn’t it? The truth is, the hormonal imbalances that cause acne can happen at any age, and like it or not, adulthood is by no means off limits.

On the bright side, there is something you can do to get rid of adult acne once and for all. This entails adopting some new dietary habits, as this can directly affect the production of certain hormones within your body. The following is a list of some of these new dietary changes you may want to make:

1. Reduce your meat consumption. The animals themselves come complete with hormones of their own. When you take these hormones into your body, they combine with your own hormones and enzymes, and all heck breaks loose. An overconsumption of meat is one of the leading causes of hormonal imbalance.

2. Reduce your dairy consumption. Much like meat, dairy products are chock-full of foreign hormones that come from other living creatures. Your body doesn’t know what to do with these invading hormones, and you can get thrown out of balance very quickly.

3. Lower your stress levels. Stress is a killer… literally. It causes our bodies to break down more rapidly, promoting the aging process at an alarmingly rapid rate. In addition, it throws our hormones out of whack and causes – you guessed it – zits! The best defense against stress is heart-pounding exercise.

4. Reduce your sugar consumption. Too much insulin stresses the body out and causes a whole host of health problems, acne being one of them. Excess sugar intake produces too much insulin. Refined sugar, brown sugar, artificial sweetener, powdered sugar… these should all be avoided in favor of natural sweeteners such as real, grade b maple syrup and organic agave syrup or nectar. Raw honey is okay, too.

5. Increase your natural food consumption. The less work your digestive system has to do, the better equipped your body becomes for keeping your weight down and your skin clear. Natural foods allow your body to function more efficiently, and they don’t mess with your hormones. Fresh, raw organic fruits, vegetables, whole grains, seeds, nuts, sprouts, and herbs are all ideal for staying healthy.

6. Reduce your salt intake. A whole host of health ailments can be attributed to excess salt consumption. The havoc it can wreak on your hormones is significant. Try to avoid sprinkling salt on your meals. Opt for fresh herbs instead. This can make a tremendous difference in the quality of your skin.

It is 100 percent possible to do away with adult acne once and for all. The only question is, are you willing to do what it takes. A healthy diet and quality exercise routine are not just things that overweight people need to be adopting. We can all benefit from a healthier lifestyle. Acne is just the tip of the iceberg, but it will clear up all the same.

Believe it or not, adult acne is seen as a different skin condition from teen acne. There are treatment options available to adults that would not be offered to teens. One example of this would be Dianette, a medication prescribed to adult women as both a contraceptive and acne treatment. If teen girls were to take this particular medicine, it would throw their hormones dangerously out of whack.

Adult acne can be treated in a variety of ways, though some treatment options will prove to be far more effective than others. One option men and women may wish to consider is prescription medication. With this option, your dermatologist will examine your condition and write out a script for one of many different medications. These drugs will generally have a twofold effect, balancing hormones for acne reduction and stimulating healthy skin growth. Antibiotics would be included in this category.

Another option adults have to treat their acne is over-the-counter medicine. The most popular OTC ingredient for the treatment of adult acne is benzoyle peroxide, which is also fine for teens. The purpose for these types of medications is to dry out excess oil and wipe the dirt clean, effectively unclogging the pores and thereby eliminating the cause of the pimples. Resorcinol, sulfer, and salicylic acid are other active ingredients that are used in OTC acne treatments.

More and more people are turning to non-drug treatments to banish their acne once and for all. These types of treatments usually entail a physical manipulation of the affected skin, and can be quite expensive. However, generally speaking, their effectiveness is unmatched by drugs. The main treatments that fall into this category are microdermabrasion, subcision, and laser resurfacing.

You would generally want to start with dermabrasion, as laser resurfacing is intended only for the most severe acne. Microdermabrasion is essentially sand blasting for the skin. It works in the exact same way that you imagine it would. It sands the pimples off of your skin, destroying whiteheads and blackheads alike. It will leave your skin fresh, clean, and virtually blemish-free.

Of course, prevention is always your best defense against acne breakouts. A cleansing diet, consisting of whole, natural foods and plenty of purified water, along with an enjoyable exercise routine and effective stress management could very well bring you to a point where adult acne is no longer of any concern to you. In fact, if you are currently suffering from adult acne, this advice also applies as a treatment option. Good health doesn’t just prevent, it can cure!