Acne is without a doubt the most common skin condition and probably one of the main reasons why a patient will visit a skincare clinic.
Acne affects almost 80% of teenagers worldwide, and is significant because it can seriously impact the patient’s self-esteem at a time when the development of social bonds is very important. Furthermore, it can leave severe scars and spots on the skin.
Acne can start at any time following the onset of puberty, and will usually go away once adolescence ends at around 22-23 years of age. This is when the neuronal and endocrine maturation end.
The severity of a person’s acne is directly related to their parents’ acne. Only a small percentage of teenagers are lucky enough not to inherit this condition.
There are many myths surrounding acne this are some of them
Sex and Acne: Many people believe that teenagers who are not sexually active have more severe acne. This is completely false, as acne is cause by hormonal imbalances which are typical at this stage.
It is contagious: This is also not true. The bacteria that cause acne develop from lack of oxygen in the pilosebaceous follicles of every person with acne. However, they are not contagious as they cannot survive in the presence of oxygen.
Stress: In some cases, acne will flare up during periods of stress. It’s common to see students break out during exam time when they are very stressed out.
Food: This is one of the biggest misconceptions regarding acne. In fact, it has been scientifically proven that there is not connection between acne and diet. However, there are rare cases in which a particular food may cause certain people to break out. In those cases only, a patient would be told to cut that food from their diet.
¿Why is acne an “adolescent” condition?
Because during adolescence, the sex hormones that were not produced by the patient during childhood and which adults normally secrete, are totally out of balance. This imbalance increases the size of oil-producing glands on the face, chest and back, causing clogged pores and promoting bacterial growth.
Hope you find this information useful, and because acne is such an extensive topic, we will continue discussing it in the next few weeks.
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