You suddenly notice in your early 30s that the dreaded pimples that you thought you have got rid of once and for all in your teens are making a reappearance yet again.

The fact is you are not alone in your misery. Studies show that one in five women between the ages of 25 and 40 suffer from adult acne.

Dr Meera James, cosmetic dermatologist who runs Beau Aesthetica says, it has nothing to do with the food you eat.

"There is a wrong notion that eating chocolates may result in acne. Adult pimples for that matter any breakout on the face or body has nothing to do with what you eat," says Dr Meera, and attribute it to stress.

"Most skin diseases, especially pimples are due to stress in your daily life. If you want to get rid of pimples, you need to make changes in your lifestyle," she says.

She says red pimples develop when blackheads become inflamed. "They get infected easily when you touch them with your dirty hands. These can break and cause scars," she warns.

Dr Meera's advice is not to rub face with too much pressure. "Instead of soap, use an anti-pimple face wash with salicylic acid and also an exfoliant with alpha-hydroxy acids. It is better to avoid scrubs, as these chemical products clean out pores better than scrubs," she says.

Apart from stress, bad cosmetics, hormones and birth control pills can also cause pimples in adults.

"The products you used as a teenager won't work on adult skin. What you need is medicated cleansers with benzoyl peroxide or salicylic acid. Don't exfoliate too much or scrub too hard. Make it a point to visit a medical practitioner before your pimples flare up," she says.