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AAD Addresses Cosmetic Aging and Potential Treatments
Posted: November 11, 2009
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Adult acne occurs more frequently in women than men
Often mistakenly considered a condition that only affects teenagers, acne can occur at any age and is very common in adults in their 20s, 30s and 40s. While acne that occurs during the teenage years generally affects more boys than girls, adult acne occurs more frequently in women than men. In fact, studies show that acne affects more than 50% of women between the ages of 20–29 and more than 25% of women between the ages of 40–49*.
Jaliman explained that the two main causes of acne in women can be attributed to hormones, referred to as hormonal acne, and cosmetics, known as acne cosmetica). In hormonal acne, an increase in the production of androgens, the male hormones present in men and women, can over-stimulate the oil glands and hair follicles in the skin, leading to hormonally-triggered acne flares, particularly in women.
To treat hormonal acne in women, Jaliman noted that there are several oral contraceptives available—three of which have been approved by the FDA for the treatment of acne. While these therapies can be very beneficial, Jaliman cautioned that a patient must be carefully screened and matched with the right therapy before starting treatment, as some birth control pills actually can cause acne in certain patients.
In addition, time-released antibiotics that are now dosed by a person’s body weight can be very effective, and laser and light treatments also can help treat acne lesions and reduce future breakouts in many patients.