Are you suffering from breakouts on the skin and redness? The answer is acne can occur at any age and for many reasons, mostly genetic and hormonal. Acne is an inflammatory reaction to the serum produced by our hair follicles. Sebum and dead skin cells bind hair follicles beneath the skin, causing acne. Sebum is an oleic acid that moisturizes the skin. Dead skin is normal and can result from a variety of things, including age, gender, climate, sun exposure, and not washing your face properly or at all.

• Excessive Production of Oil: Some patients genetically produce excess sebum and oil in their skin. It is important to not over moisturize and stick to non comedogenic moisturizers to prevent worsening of oil production.
• Pore Size: Excessive sebum production from large pores might contribute to skin that is prone to acne.
• Hormonal Changes: Higher progesterone, estrogen or testosterone levels may be the cause of acne breakouts in men and women.
• Genetics: The likelihood of developing adult acne is high if you had acne in your family. Acne also can occur at higher rates in patients who have suffered from it as teenagers.
• Lifestyle and other factors: Acne can flare with many environmental factors such as stress, pollution, diet, temperature, humidity and skin care.

Every patient is unique as there are numerous types and treatments of acne, says Dr. Rana Mays, a double board-certified Dermatologist at Mays Dermatology in Corona Del Mar. Depending on her assessment, Dr. Mays combines oral treatment, topical treatment and /or procedures to treat acne and its underlying causes.