Acne is not an Adolescent Problem

Acne is One of the Most Common Skin PROBLEMS KNOWN

• The blackheads and whiteheads (pimples), or red bumps of acne affect almost every adolescent and many young adults. Acne happens when a lot of oils, skin, and sometime germs, get stuck in a hair follicle. A hair follicle is also known as a "pore". A blocked pore swells, reddens, inflates and forms acne.
  
  
• Whenever the term ‘acne’ comes under discussion, adolescence automatically comes to mind. It is thought that pimples go hand-in-hand with puberty and all its bothersome bodily changes. This is a misconception on the part of many people around the world. While teenagers do make up the largest percentage of the population afflicted by acne, they are certainly not alone in their suffering.
  
  
• Acne strikes adults, too; so much so that more than half of all adult women and about a quarter of adult men have to bear with it. And these figures seem to be sky-rocketing day by day. As the world begins to realize the trouble that adults face because of acne, it’s becoming clear that the psychological, social and physical effects of this condition don’t diminish or lessen with age.

Many people still have this misconception that acne is for teenagers and as a person grows up, he gets out of it. This myth is harmful in a number of ways.

Firstly, it can lead teenagers to keep waiting for the acne to fade away itself with the passage of time, instead of looking for treatment for their acne from a dermatologist; this can result in further sinking self-confidence and in severe cases of acne, scars and blemishes.

Secondly, this false belief can cause further alienation in grown-ups who suffer from acne. They may feel too embarrassed and self-conscious to seek treatment, wondering why they still have acne and what wrong have they done that they have not got rid of acne.

The truth is that acne can strike at any age; it is not because of a blunder in the treatment of skin that acne appears. And while it is curable, the course and time duration of treatment differs dramatically from person to person.

It’s difficult to identify for sure exactly why adult acne seems to be on the rise and why there has been an increase in the studies related to adult acne.

In recent studies, scientists have found that the mean age of patients treated for acne had increased considerably over the course of a decade, from 20.5 years to 26.5 years. This could either mean that more adults are ‘getting’ acne, or more adults are ‘seeking treatment’ for their acne.

One can make a convincing case for either of the options — but most probably both are true. While some recent studies have suggested that incidences of adult acne are on the rise, others propose that adults especially women are simply more concerned about and conscious of their skin than they used to be.

Acne is a persistent problem and it has lasting effects. Whether one’s acne lingers through adolescence into maturity or strikes suddenly after thirty, the condition can have lasting physical and psychological consequences.

Dermatologists have known for many years that adult acne is more likely to leave permanent physical blemishes or scars; as the skin ages and loses collagen, it’s much harder for it to get back after tissue damage.

Psychological scarring is much harder to map out. For many years, the prevalent perception was that older acne patients were less affected by their state of skin than younger patients, having accepted its symptoms as part of life. Without a visible peer group, many of these people felt too embarrassed to step forward to get treatment. Adults with acne found themselves suffering silently — and most notably, privately.

Things are not what they used to be anymore. Two recent developments suggest that public awareness is increasing. Dermatologists have reported an increase in the number of adult patients coming to them for treatment.

As the world's awareness shifts to include adults in the group of acne-afflicted people, more adults are coming forward with their skin troubles. Secondly, adults now know that they are not alone in facing the menace of acne. Bolstered by this fact, today's adult acne sufferer is learning to be more practical. Not unexpectedly, these new attitudes are reflected in the product market. Both prescription treatments and over-the-counter acne products have been reported to have an increase in sales. With step by step acne treatments gaining populairty.

The greater awareness of the fact that acne is not just a problem of adolescents has brought new hopes. As people have started recognizing acne as a condition for all ages, better ways to fight it can now be found. Doctors, like everyone else, are beginning to observe acne as a problem of all ages.

With reported cases of adult acne on the rise, doctors will be taking into account the special causes and unique effects of this condition on older patients. And as public awareness increases, more people are likely to seek treatment — and move towards an acne-free life.