If you're breaking out as an adult — classically along the jawline, chin, and neck, often flaring before your period — you've got plenty of company, and it has nothing to do with how well you wash your face.
Adult acne is largely about hormones, specifically androgens (like testosterone). Androgens drive the oil glands; when their influence rises relative to oestrogen, the glands produce more oil, pores clog, and spots form. This is why acne can worsen in the second half of your cycle, in perimenopause (as oestrogen falls and androgens become relatively more dominant), with stress (cortisol stirs the pot), and in conditions like PCOS where androgens run higher.
What helps:
When to see a doctor or dermatologist: if acne is persistent, painful, scarring, or denting your confidence, don't soldier on with shop-bought products. There are effective prescription options — including treatments that work on the hormonal driver itself — that a professional can tailor. If acne arrives alongside irregular periods and excess hair growth, mention that too, as it can point to PCOS worth investigating.
The reframe that helps most: this isn't a hygiene failure or something to be ashamed of. It's hormones, it's common, and it's treatable.
Why am I getting acne as an adult?
Adult acne is mainly hormonal — androgens drive oil production, so breakouts flare with your cycle, in perimenopause, with stress, and in conditions like PCOS. It's not about hygiene.
What helps hormonal acne?
Gentle skincare (not harsh scrubbing), salicylic acid, retinoids with guidance, and — for stubborn cases — prescription options from a doctor that target the hormonal cause.
Related reading: Why your skin changes at menopause · PCOS, explained · Take the free Hormone Quiz