Acne - Women and Acne
When it comes to acne issues, women sometimes have a
larger burden to bear. Lament it as we might, they're often judged more
on looks than men. Their hormonal systems make them more prone to
developing acne at certain times. Treatment options can be more
expensive for them and costs harder to meet.
During the teen years, girls tend to develop acne sooner than boys. On
average most girls will start to develop acne by about age 11, as
contrasted with age 13 for boys. The reason isn't hard to find. Girls
mature sooner. They tend to enter puberty a few months to a couple of
years before boys.
During those years the human hormone system sees rapid increases in
levels of a number of well known hormones, such as estrogen or
testosterone. But there's a class of hormones that are less well known
by name, but more relevant at this stage to acne onset: androgens.
As the name suggests, these hormones are shared by both males and
females. But, as noted, the rise in females occurs sooner. Once they
reach puberty, the androgen levels rise higher in males, so they tend to
suffer more severe acne.
About 2/3 of all teens will develop acne, at least in mild form. But for
females, the condition tends to last longer, at least cyclically. As a
woman enters her 20s, her menstrual cycle tends to raise the likelihood
of developing at least mild acne. Since that occurs approximately once
per month, so does the acne. The week prior to the onset of flow is
typically the worst for almost 62% of women.
The problem persists for women throughout the years of reproductive
capacity. Over 50% of women (as opposed to only 42.5% of men) between
ages 20-29 develop acne. The numbers dip radically for the years 30-39
to 35.2% and 20.1% respectively. By the time she's reached her 40s, the
number has lowered to 26.3% (12% for men). For those aged 50 and older
the numbers are about 15% and 7% for women vs men.
The severity follows a similar pattern. Between the third and fourth
weeks of the menstrual cycle, inflammations increase about 25%. Even
blackheads and whiteheads rise about 20% during this time.
Pregnancy offers some relief, but it mostly shifts the pattern. It
doesn't eliminate acne entirely. During pregnancy, breakouts can occur
at random. Skin changes, even for those who have never had acne, are a
common occurrence when a woman is carrying.
Here again, significant hormonal changes are taking place. The largest
number of cases tends to occur during the first trimester. That
shouldn't be surprising, since this is the interval during which hormone
levels are changing most rapidly from their usual amount and
distribution. Delivering the baby will often put an end to the
outbreaks, but they tend to persist longer in women who breastfeed.
Though a woman has to always be more careful about what medications she
takes, normal over the counter treatments are considered safe. Some
studies have suggested, however, that isotretinoin (brand name:
Accutane) and tetracycline (doxycycline), treatments for severe acne,
should be avoided during pregnancy. They may cause birth defects or
development problems in the fetus.
When in doubt, consult a dermatologist.
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P.Robertson
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