Women & Acne
May 13, 2001
Although many Americans think that teens are the largest group of acne sufferers, a new study from the American Academy of Dermatology reveals that adult women complain of acne more so than teens.
"Seventeen million Americans have acne, and at least half of adult women suffer from some degree of acne," stated Dr. Diane Berson at the American Academy of Dermatology annual meeting. Moreover, adult women do not typically respond to traditional acne medications, making it even harder to treat this area of the population. Traditional acne medications include retinoids, antibiotics, and benzoyl peroxide.
It is believed that some of these women are not responding to the traditional acne treatment. In order to treat these women, doctors are turning to low dose birth control pills, corticosteroids, and Aldactone. All three of these drugs reduce sweat production and may help some women beat acne. Women who suffer from hormonal acne are thought to have normal levels of androgens, which means that the problem must stem from high local production of androgens in the sweat glands.
Some adult female acne is not related to hormones. If this is the case, doctors
doctors look to stress as the common factor leading to acne. Stress can stimulate the adrenal gland, thus producing more acne.
Patients and doctors need to be aware, however, that some acne medications can cause more problems than the acne itself. Patients should always tell their doctors what medications they are currently taking before taking any acne therapy and should get routine physical exams.
So, why are more women today getting acne than twenty years ago? Dr. Berson believes that stress is the culprit. "Stress levels are higher."
-- Article Courtesy of InjuryBoard.com
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