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This is the question heard round-the-world. When will I outgrow my acne? Well, we have an answer for you: It’s different for each person!
Acne (unfortunately) is not restricted to any age. “We always think of acne as something we have to go through in our teens,” says Dr. Adam Mamelak, board-certified Dermatologist, in Austin, Texas. “Almost like a right of passage.”
“We also often downplay acne in the teenage years, because of this,” continues Dr. Mamelak, “but very few people recognize just how much this can impact a teen’s life. Studies have shown individuals with acne don’t date as much, don’t participate in sports as much, and even don’t get as high grades as individuals without acne.” Seeing a dermatologist during this phase is therefore a good option – untreated acne can lead to permanent scarring and can have continual flare-ups.
Despite this, about a quarter of patients don’t start breaking out until after age 25. Patients can also continue to break out into their 30’s, 40’s, 50’s and even later. “Acne is often linked with hormonal changes, which are very common in pre-teens and teenagers,” states Dr. Miriam Hanson, a Dermatologist and cosmetic skin care expert at Sanova Dermatology. “but adults, and women in particular, can have hormonal fluxes throughout their lifetime.”
“We are constantly going through a hormone balancing act within our bodies” states Dr. Hanson. These hormones, along with stress and outside factors including chemical reactions with make-up and facial products, can combine to leave your skin a bit traumatized. “There are some people who are also innate acne formers. People with oily skin and sticky skin cells can develop acne throughout their life.”
This may be a little disconcerting, seeing as how acne can be very detrimental to your appearance and your self-esteem. The good news is there are a number of treatments available to treat this condition. “A dermatologist can help identify the underlying cause and come up with an individualized approach and treatment to keep acne under control, no matter what your age,” explains Dr. Mamelak.
There are several options that you have when it comes to Acne. It is a very sensitive subject, and each person is effected by different factors.
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If you have any acne or skin related questions, feel free to contact us to set up a consultation with the doctors of Sanova Dermatology.