Millions of adult acne sufferers are not alone in their battle against acne.

Kathleen Steadwater

It's often been thought that acne is a teenage issue, but more and more it's apparent that acne plagues adults just as much as it does adolescents. In fact, adult acne is a strong source of discomfort and embarrassment for millions of adults around the world.

Some may even say that adult acne is just as bad, if not worse, than dealing with acne as a teen, because adult acne is unexpected and considered a more of a problem than a phase of growing up.

The common belief is that acne should go away once a person leaves high school. The truth is, adult acne is very common and it affects the everyday lives of adults from all backgrounds. Teachers, police officers, marketing gurus, corporate executives and even celebrities alike are prone to adult acne.

Adult acne is also not concentrated just to the face. It appears in the same way it does for teens — as a pimple here and there on the surface of your skin, or as a full-blown breakout covering much of your face, neck, back and/or shoulders.

No matter how bad your acne is, if you're an adult suffering from acne, the emotional effects of acne are excruciating. How will you stand up at the board meeting with a face full of zits? Are your friends and coworkers secretly laughing at you behind your back? How will you ever find a date with that huge pimple on the tip of your nose?

Adults aren't supposed to have acne! You are not alone in thinking that. There are millions of adults dealing with the same issues you are. They're embarrassed and not sure where to turn for help. Or maybe they're just too embarrassed to seek help. The good news is that adult acne is treated in much the same way as adolescent acne, so there is relief for the adult acne sufferer.

Common acne care skin care products can be found at drugstores and grocery stores in products containing salicylic acid and other oil absorbing, anti-bacterial agents, as well as natural acne treatments using only herbal, vegetable and organic-based ingredients. For severe or prolonged cases of adult acne, your best bet would probably be to visit your doctor or dermatologist, who can provide more insight into your particular situation and write a prescription if necessary.