Women More Likely Than Men to Experience Acne as Adults
As many of us well know, acne is not just a teenage problem. Many people struggle with acne well into adulthood. But according to one new study, women are far more likely to have adult acne than their male counterparts.
The study, completed by dermatologist Julie C. Harper, MD, FAAD, in conjunction with the University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Medicine, set out to determine the prevalence of acne in adults. A random sample of over 1,000 men and women, age 20 or older, were asked to complete a one-page survey.
Over 73% of participants reported dealing with acne at some point in their lives. According to the survey, acne affected both male and female participants equally during the teen years (68.5% of males and 66.8% of females). From age 20 on, however, the women were much more affected than men. The prevalence of acne was reported as follows:
- 50.9% of women versus 42.5% of men, between the ages of 20 and 29
- 35.2% women versus 20.1% men, between the ages of 30-39
- 26.3% women versus 12% men, between the ages of 40-49
- 15.3% women versus 7.3% men, ages 50 and older
Across all age groups, women consistently reported experiencing adult acne at a higher rate than did men.
The survey also asked women to evaluate their acne pre- and post-menopausal, as well as around the time of their menstrual cycle. Interestingly, just over 62% of women reported having a worsening of acne around the time of their monthly period.
The results of this study will be published in a coming issue of the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology.
Comments
I’ve suffered from acne all through my teenage years. Now as an adult woman, I still am plagued by acne. I’ve tried a lot of the over the counter products, but they dry out my face severely. Are there any acne treatments that can be tailored to different skin types, male, female, fair skinned, etc.?