March 1, 2002 -- Alexandra Moore breezed through her teens without even a trace of a pimple. "I was the only one in my grade whose medicine cabinet wasn¹t stocked with Clearasil and Buff Puffs. I was the envy of the class. I never had any pimples until I turned 32, and now it is worse than I ever thought possible."

Indeed, Ms. Moore is not alone: some recent surveys suggest that 50 percent of women have breakouts, and one study has put the incidence of mild acne in women as high as 54 percent in 1996, compared with 35 percent in 1979. Even stars such as Liz Hurley, Brad Pitt and Vanessa Williams have struggled with acne and acne scarring.

What may be a curse for some, including Ms. Moore and millions of women who are experiencing acne in their 30's, is a boon to others: Alongside the rise in acne is the rise in profit for pharmaceutical and skin care company profits who are busy fulfilling the demands created by these women.

Once thought of as an adolescent and teen problem, adult acne, according to dermatologists is caused by a variety of factors. Culprits could be hormones released by increased stress, premenstrual hormones, or environmental pollution. Says Rene du Cloo, a dermatologist at the Tokyo Skin Clinic: "Unfortunately, acne is not a problem strictly for youth. Five percent of women in their 40's have acne severe enough to require medical treatment ." And, despite being non-life threatening, chronic cystic acne and the scarring could lead to trauma.

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