Many people are of the belief that acne is a skin problem that only affects teenagers when the reality is, it can be a struggle as an adult too. As someone who has been known to wake up in the morning and freak out after looking in the mirror, there's no denying that adult acne can take you from hero to zero instantly. There's a lot of things to consider when it comes to establishing the root cause of adult acne: stress can play a big part, fluctuating hormones can cause painful throbbing cyst like spots and diet is also a contributing factor. Speaking about adult acne, Professor Rino Cerio of the Royal London Hospital said that adult acne is a skin concern steadily on the rise. “Adult acne is increasing in prevalence, and amongst women in particular. I’m seeing some women come to me with acne in later life; they can be tearful, frustrated and have very poor self-esteem or depression in some cases" said Cerio. The beauty industry is booming and trying to figure out a skincare regime that delivers is a daunting prospect. Not only do we want visible results, minimal effort and an affordable price bracket are also important factors. From cosmeceuticals to contouring, hydrating to hypo-allergenic, there’s a LOT to get your head around and it’s pretty tempting to bring it back to basics. By basic we mean a regimental routine of the same products that are tailored to your skin’s needs rather than a need to try the latest must-have anti-aging night serum. All about Avéne Her.ie recently visited Avéne, a little village in the South of France which is home to Avéne skincare and while there, we had a crash course in the science behind the brand.   People visiting the centre are encouraged to drink the water in combination with their treatment plan which can include hydrotherapy baths, underwater massage and scalp masks depending on the severity of the patient in question. Not only does the brand target people suffering from allergies, they have a range completely dedicated to blemish-prone skin. Cleanance EXPERT (€19 for 40ml) aims to purify skin and reduce pesky spot causing sebum without stripping the skin of its natural oils. The stand out feature is the fact the brand has patented an ingredient called Diolenyl, which only works where it is needed. This means it only kills off the 'bad' acne-causing bacteria but leaves behind the 'good' bacteria. We could talk about it all day but the before and after photos from people using the product are proof that it actually works. Megan Clark suffered with acne, as can be viewed in the below photo. After using Cleanance EXPERT for eight weeks, it had a considerable impact on clearing up her skin as can be seen in the after photo. A recent survey conducted by Avéne concentrated on people suffering from adult acne and it turned up some interesting results. Only one in five of those surveyed have ever found an effective treatment for their acne while 44 per cent feel they're too old to get spots. As mentioned above, hormonal changes (53 per cent) and stress (49 per cent) cause acne. Diet (25 per cent) and change in season (22 per cent) also play a role when it comes to the underlying reason for blemishes. The survey also established that 55 per cent of people would feel more attractive with clearer skin while 30 per cent are so self-conscious about their skin that they feel it's the first thing people notice about them. In an effort to gather statistics on the product, a group of 38 people used Clearance EXPERT twice per day over six weeks. At the end of the six weeks, nine out of ten people said they noticed an improvement "in the appearance of their skin". After hearing this impressive figure, I had to put it to the test for myself. Cathy says:  My skin is both combination, sensitive and blemish-prone so finding products that keep shine and spots at bay without aggravating redness can be a serious struggle. As a journalist, I’ve trialed a fair amount of products and it stands to reason that I would be a little sceptical about another range that promises results. That said, I’ve noticed a definite difference in my skin since using both the Thermal Spring Water (which is kept in a sterile tube so it can never expire, interesting fact of the day) and Cleanance Expert, a little white tube of wonder. I've been using Cleanance EXPERT daily (and twice daily when I remember!) for the last month. It has toned down my flaky red patches, banished the dryness, lessened blackheads and I swear those pesky period painful boils are lessening by the day. The research conducted by the brand shows that there are plenty of people experiencing adult acne and it really isn't something to be ashamed about. Speaking from experience, it can be an uphill battle to find the perfect acne-fighting formula but the stats gathered by Avéne and the patient testimonies mean this is definitely a regime to be reckoned with.