Adult Acne

Misconceptions And Realities Of Adult Acne

Although adolescent acne is more prevalent in the world, adult acne is on the rise. More than half of adult women and a quarter of adult men have acne and all the scars that go along with it. This includes adults over thirty years old and even those going through menopause.

But the effects are different with adult acne, to the extent that acne involving adults is a whole different form, or classification, in itself, separate from adolescent acne. This is due not only to the age of the people inflicted, but also to social experience and physical make up.

Socially, adults are typically more set in their ways than teens and know their niche in their community. The prospect of adult acne as a serious problem once seemed a far and unlikely consideration. Studies show, however, that more adults now realize that the problem of acne is real for them and that science and medicine recognize adult acne as a viable and clinical condition. Because of this, more adults come forward to address a problem that affects their health and their lives on a real-world level.

The psychological effects of adult acne are not easy to detect, but many adults feel the pressure nonetheless--from the physical effects. Due to aged skin, adult acne leaves permanent scars. Older skin loses collagen, a fibrous connective protein, and so scars brought on by adult acne tend to irreversibly damage tissue. This negatively affects adult self-esteem due to the severity. In this way, the damage caused by adult acne is more lasting and hurtful than adolescent acne.

Medical support is available to specifically target adult acne. Proactiv Solution® and oral contraceptives are common forms of medication used in the fight. Since there are more women affected by acne than men, it is understandable that oral contraceptives serve as a leading medication to combat adult acne. Still, this is by no means the extent of medical efforts and research, considering the side effects of birth control.

Adult acne is a growing concern that will undoubtedly never completely go away, but educated support and ongoing research continue to find ways of improving and sustaining the well-being and quality of life for many adults. Hopefully, as a result, many more adults are likely to come forward and share insights that contribute to the world’s understanding of the problem.

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Acne

What Is Acne?

Acne is a skin condition characterized by blemishes and bumps of various sizes and colors ranging from white (whiteheads), black (blackheads), red (pimples), and those filled with pus (cysts). For teens, acne begins at the onset of puberty (usually around twelve, but sometimes earlier and sometimes later) and affects 8 out of every 10 kids. It is a common and therefore normal occurrence in adolescence.

There are two main categories for acne: non-inflammatory and inflammatory.

• Non-inflammatory lesions (whiteheads and blackheads) are those which serve as clogs or "plugs" of oil, dead skin, and bacteria in the pores of the skin.


• Inflammatory lesions (swellings, cysts), on the other hand, are usually a deep red, filled with pus, firm and tender to the touch, painful, and can lead to scarring and infection. This kind of acne usually requires consulting the attention of a dermatologist (a doctor who specializes in skin conditions).

Teens having non-inflammatory acne should keep their skin clean so that their acne doesn’t reach the inflammatory stage.

What Causes Acne?

Acne is due to the build up of oils, dead skin, and bacteria in tiny holes in the skin, called hair follicles (or pores) containing sebaceous glands that create sebum, an oil that moistens the hair and skin. Whiteheads occur when hair follicles clog up, close, and/or bulge out from the skin. When pores, or hair follicles, stay open and grow dark on the surface, blackheads occur. Occasionally, this sebum, dead skin, and bacteria break through the wall of the inner pore and collect under the skin. Small, red infections called pimples result but can lead to more serious and painful infections called cysts. This is the inflammatory stage of acne requiring the attention of a doctor.

Why Does Acne Occur?

A common form of adolescent acne, known as acne vulgaris, appearing usually on the upper body, is due to hormone changes associated with the onset of puberty. When the sebaceous glands become overactive and create too much sebum due to hormone stimulation, the pores clog, causing either whiteheads or blackheads to show up on the skin.

Stress also creates acne. As stress increases (such as at test time or just before that scary first date), the sebaceous glands generate increased amounts of sebum and acne occurs.

Acne is somewhat predictable. Children who tend to get acne are those whose parents had acne during puberty. Fortunately, acne decreases as adolescents grow (although this isn’t always the case), and, with luck, becomes more manageable as teens enter young adulthood.

All About Acne

Learn all about acne, including adult acne, and the various types of acne medication and acne product that will be right for you, in a series of articles that will be published over the coming weeks.