Why Does Acne Improve With Age for Some People
Acne is often thought of as a teenage problem, but many people continue to struggle with breakouts well into adulthood. Interestingly, some people do experience improvement in their acne as they get older. Understanding why this happens requires looking at how our skin changes over time and what drives acne in the first place.
The Role of Hormones in Acne
One of the biggest reasons acne improves for some people as they age is hormonal change. Acne is fundamentally driven by hormonal imbalances, particularly increased androgen activity. Androgens are hormones that trigger the sebaceous glands to produce more oil, or sebum. This excess oil creates an environment where acne-causing bacteria can thrive.
During puberty and young adulthood, hormone levels are often at their peak of fluctuation. As people move through their twenties, thirties, and beyond, these hormonal swings can become less dramatic for some individuals. When androgen activity decreases or stabilizes, sebum production often decreases as well. Less oil means fewer resources for bacteria to feed on, which can lead to fewer breakouts.
For women specifically, hormonal acne is often tied to menstrual cycles, pregnancy, and menopause. Some women find that their acne improves after these major hormonal transitions, while others experience worsening. The direction of change depends on how their individual hormones shift during these life stages.
Sebum Production and Bacterial Growth
Sebum reduction is critical to acne improvement. Sebum is what researchers call the “final common pathway” in acne development – it feeds the bacteria that cause breakouts. When sebum production decreases with age, the bacteria have less to feed on, resulting in fewer inflammatory and non-inflammatory lesions.
This is why some people notice their skin becomes less oily as they age. The sebaceous glands that produce sebum can actually shrink when sebum secretion decreases. This means not only is there less oil on the skin, but the pores themselves may appear smaller and less noticeable.
Skin Maturity and Healing Changes
While some aspects of aging skin work against acne improvement, others work in favor of it. Adult skin does heal differently than teenage skin. Adult skin has reduced collagen, slower cellular turnover, lower elasticity, and accumulated sun damage. These factors make adult skin more prone to scarring from acne, which is why adult acne can be more damaging in appearance.
However, the slower cellular turnover and other changes in adult skin can sometimes mean fewer new breakouts form. The skin’s reduced activity in some areas may paradoxically lead to fewer inflammatory responses that trigger acne in the first place.
Individual Variation
It is important to note that acne improvement with age is not universal. Some people continue to struggle with acne well into their forties and fifties. Others see dramatic improvement in their twenties or thirties. The difference comes down to individual biology, genetics, and how each person’s hormones change over time.
Adult acne is actually more common in women than in men, and it tends to be persistent or relapsing in nature. This means that even when acne improves, it may return during times of hormonal stress or change.
The Bottom Line
For people who do experience acne improvement with age, the primary driver is usually hormonal stabilization and reduced sebum production. As androgen activity decreases or becomes more stable, the skin produces less oil, which starves the bacteria that cause breakouts. While adult skin has some disadvantages when it comes to healing and scarring, the reduced hormonal activity that often comes with age can lead to fewer new breakouts forming in the first place.
Sources
https://www.london-dermatology-centre.co.uk/blog/adult-acne-scarring/
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12691598/
https://aura-medspa.com/blog/medical-insights-into-skin-rejuvenation-treatments
https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/aging/articles/10.3389/fragi.2025.1727244/full
https://www.ajmc.com/view/the-tolerable-future-of-acne-treatment-reducing-sebum
https://www.medicaldaily.com/hormonal-acne-adults-acne-causes-skin-hormones-explained-474128
