Adult Acne & Modern Perceptions
Posted on 03. Jan, 2009 by admin in Acne Types
Acne Can Occur At Any Age – Adult Acne and Modern Perceptions
Many of us think of adolescence when we think of acne, because puberty and pimples seem to go hand in hand, right along with all those body changes that are so bothersome. It is true that teens are included in the largest percentage of individuals who suffer from acne, but they are not the only ones suffering from this problem. Acne strikes in more than half of the adult women and in as much as a quarter of the adult male population, and this number is continuously on the rise. As more studies are done, many realize that the physical, psychological and social effects of this troubling condition are not ones that simply disappear with age.
Why the sudden commotion about adult acne?
This is a hard question to answer. The Goulden and Cunliffe did a study in 1999 called “Prevalence of facial acne in adults,” and found that mean age of individuals that were treated increased from 20.5 years to that of 26.5, in the period of one decade. This could mean two different things, either there are a higher number of adults that get acne, or there are more adults who are deciding to receive treatment. Both of these are more than likely the case. Some studies suggest that the incidences of acne in adults have increased, and others feel that more adults and more particularly women are becoming much more concerned about the health of their skin than in previous years.
Lasting effects from a lingering problem
It does not matter if an individual’s acne begins at the age of 30, during adulthood, or in adolescence, the problems with acne can have lasting effects from both the psychological and physical standpoints. Many dermatologists know that cases of adult acne are well known to cause acne scars that are permanent. It is a lot harder for aged skin that has lost collagen to bounce back once tissue damage has occurred. Problems with the scarring that can occur psychologically are a lot harder to trace. For several years it was thought that older patients with acne suffered less effects than those that were younger and simply accepted the problems they suffered as part of life. Because of fear of embarrassment, many adults experiencing acne will simply suffer silently and privately.
A stand!
In two developments that were recently completed, they suggested that perceptions made from the public might be changing. Dermatologists have seen a rise in the number of adults suffering from acne who are requesting help. This may largely be due to the products available on the market today. Over the counter medications and treatments requiring a prescription have increased in sales.
New hopes and greater awareness
As acne is more and more recognized as problem that all age groups can suffer from, more advancement can be made in the treatment of the acne fight. Now that many doctors are also realizing acne can also be a problem adults suffer from, more consideration will go into the specific causes and effects on the older generation. More people will likely seek treatment as the increase continues to climb in public awareness.
