Q:
How does acne change as a person gets older? Is there a difference
between acne in a teenager and an adult?
A:
Fundamentally, the factors that lead to acne are pretty much the
same in both adults and teens. For example, the influence of hormones
are a central factor in acne at any age, as is the tendency of
the lining of the follicle (pore) to thicken and block the outlet.
That
said, there are definitely distinctions between adults and teenagers
and how those influence how their acne behaves. For example, the
testosterone-related hormones that push the skin toward acne reach
their peak during adolescence and generally begin a gradual decline
in the 20’s.
Even
though the actual hormone levels may tend to be lower in an adult,
they are still an influence in many adults pushing their skin
toward acne.
Another
thing that changes with advancing age is that the skins top layer
of dead cells tends to become ‘stickier’ and less
ready to let go. So, the problem of the thickening skin surface
(hyperkeratinization) that is one of the factors leading to acne
is already an increasing tendency in adults.
While
the appearance and behavior of teen acne and adult acne can be
very similar, these subtle differences between teens and adults
tend to lead to some distinctions.
For
example:
o
In teen acne, both guys and girls tend to get acne in about the
same proportions, though guys may tend to have more severe cases.
o
In adult acne, women tend to get it much more readily than men,
as much as four times more likely.
o
In teen acne, it’s the dreaded T-zone that tends to be most
susceptible to blemishes and often affects a wider area, including
more of the face, the neck and even the back.
o
Adult acne, especially in women, has a tendency to be more focused
on the lower face and around the chin (but can be as widely spread
as a teen’s).
Finally, as an adult, the skin gradually becomes thinner and less
resilient to challenges like the harsh medications that are most
effective for acne, like benzoyl peroxide and many of the prescription
medications.
For
this reason, adult women often tend toward use of the gentler
salicylic acid medications. But this can be frustrating, because
of some of the limitations of the medication. Potential solutions
to this problem include use of combination therapy, using the
less-irritating time-release form of benzoyl peroxide or using
a system that allows the user to adjust medication strength.
If
you have a question that you haven't been able to find an answer
to on this site, please send your question about acne to Dr.
Wilkinson.
