How is Adult Acne Different from Teen Acne?

RATMALANA, Sri Lanka - March 30, 2015 - PRLog -- Is there really a difference in teen and adult acne? While both present in much the same way with whiteheads, blackheads or cysts, there are some major differences. One of those differences is the underlying cause of the acne, and its treatment.

Teen Acne

It seems painful that at a time when fitting in is so important is also a time when this disorder is most likely to occur. It can affect both self-image and social development as the teen is seen as different. Treatment is critical at this age. In order to treat though underlying causes must be looked at, and the truth is no one is sure as to what causes teen acne. It is known that androgens are a factor. Androgen is a male hormone that increases considerably during puberty, even in girls. Genetics is thought to play a part. If your parents had teen acne, the odds are good that so will you.

Teen acne occurs when sebum (a type of skin oil) is overproduced by the skin. It becomes trapped in pores where it mixes with dead skin cells and bacteria, (propionibacterium is the most common). This process causes inflammation which then triggers an immune response and possible pus formation. If this occurs over a significant area, the teen will develop acne. Teen acne is most common in males although of course girls also have it. As a matter of fact, 85% of all teens will experience acne.

Adult Acne

Adult acne will often appear as less severe than the teen form. It presents, in the same way. It is most likely affected by hormonal changes explaining why more women than men,(25% of men and 50% of women) suffer from it. It's commonly seen prior to menstruation; pregnancy, menopause even changing the type of birth control used.

It can occur due to an underlying disorder such as polycystic growths, diabetes, and even dehydration. Lithium and anti-seizure medications can also trigger it. In these cases, the disorder must be treated first before acne treatments will be effective. It can occur as late as the 50s. Retinal which is used as an anti-wrinkle treatment has been found effective for treating adult acne.

Teen vs. Adult Acne

Of great importance in treating these acnes is that skin over 30 years is much thinner than teenage skin. The thinning of the skin means that many of the treatments for teen acne are too strong for adults. These chemicals will quickly dry out the mature skin. They will also leave micro tears in the skin.

With an adult, another difference is that stress plays a more defined role in acne. While many doctors believe that it plays a part in the teen form studies have remained inconclusive. Adult acne also tends to go deeper into the skin layers and is more painful than the teen version. The deeper the lesion is greater the chance of scarring.

Many adults with acne show no hormonal imbalance which is a primary cause for teens. If you should develop adult acne with no prior history, it is important that you check with your doctor. As a retired nurse, I know of a few cases where an unknown diabetic disorder was found while looking for a cause to a sudden case of adult onset acne.

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