Acne can be a frustrating condition for adolescents, but it can be even more so for adults. When a person reaches his or her adult years, acne is expected to be a thing of the past. But adults can be plagued with acne or a condition similar to acne, known as rosacea. There are ways to treat these conditions on an adult face. 1. For adults with outbreaks on the face, the products that are used should be different from what the younger generation uses. Many acne medications that can be purchased over-the-counter contain some form of salicylic acid or benzoyl peroxide. Both of these substances are very drying to the skin, which will work effectively on the face of a teenager with overactive oil glands, but may be too harsh for more mature skin. Unless the skin is very oily, the products that are used should be geared towards the skin of an adult and not contain these drying ingredients. There are products available that are specifically for adult forms of acne. 2. Use a gentle cleanser when washing the face, something that will not strip moisture from the skin and dry it out. Adult skin needs cleaning that will effectively remove makeup and dirt, but not leave the skin tight and overly dry. 3. Use quality makeup that is dermatologist-tested and will not cause breakouts. It may cost a little more but will be worth it in the long run. The mineral makeup that is now the rage is very good at covering up blemishes and redness and is also healthier on the skin than other types of makeup. 4. Rosacea looks very much like adult acne but is not. Rosacea can start as flushing and redness of the face and then progress to breakouts. This condition needs different products from what would be used on adult acne. There are over-the-counter products that have been specifically created to treat rosacea. 5. If adult acne is severe and does not seem to be responding to OTC treatments, a visit to the dermatologist will be the answer, as a doctor may need to prescribe antibiotics to get acne under control.