What Is Acne And What Causes It?
Acne as defined in the dictionary: skin condition: a disease of the oil-secreting glands of the skin that often affects adolescents, producing blackheads and pimples on the face, neck, and shoulders that can leave pitted scars. Technical name: acne vulgaris So why are so may adults particularly women affected by acne? There are several reasons.
1. Hormones While teen years are normally associated with immense hormonal changes in the body, adults may also experience hormonal changes. Most women are familiar with the once-a-month breakout however, hormonal changes also occur during pregnancy and menopause, causing acne in some women.
2. Medication Certain medications can also play a role in acne. The Following are some medications that can cause acne.
Oral contraceptives- Oral contraceptives that are most likely to cause worse acne are those that have a low estrogen content and a type of progestin that increases the androgen (male hormone) levels in women. The ONLY women who will be affected, however, are those women who have a tendency toward androgencity. Corticosteroids- corticosteroids can stimulate sebum production and lead to acne. Sobriety Medications- The regular use of Antabuse has been known to cause acne in some of the recovering alcoholics. Immunosuppressants- Immuran can suppress the patient’s natural ability to fight the bacteria that causes acne. Thyroid Medications- Thiourea and Thiouracil are known to trigger acne. Systemic Steroids- While some systemic steroids are prescribed for some skin conditions, it could cause some patients to have a breakout of acne while curing the original skin condition. Anabolic Steroids- Anabolic steroids such as danazol and stanozolol can cause severe cases of acne in some of its users. 3. Cosmetics Some products can cause a type of acne called acne cosmetica. When buying products to be used on the skin or hair, look for ones labeled “non-comedogenic” or “non-acnegenic.” This means that they are less likely to cause acne.
4. Family History Of Acne Researchers found that 50% of the adults with acne had a first relative (parent, sibling, or child) who had acne.
5. Stress Studies indicate that stress may trigger acne in women. When stress occurs, the body produces more androgens (a type of hormone). These hormones stimulate the oil glands and hair follicles in the skin. When over-stimulated it can cause acne to flare up.
The truth is that acne can continue well into one’s 30s, 40s, and even 50s. Dermatologists call acne that does not clear by one’s mid-20s persistent acne. Persistent acne tends to form on the lower face, predominately around the mouth, on the chin, and along the jawline. Adults also develop late-onset acne. Again, women are more prone. People who have not had acne for years can suddenly develop it. Even those who have never had acne get late-onset acne. Adult-onset acne generally forms on the chin, jawline, and around the mouth. Lesions can appear on the chest and back. Most cases of adult acne can be successfully controlled with acne therapy. Yet, research shows that many women do not seek treatment. Most women think treatments are not available. While adult acne can be stubborn, effective treatments are available.
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