THE OCCURRENCE OF ACNE

Acne is the most common skin disease during adolescence and early adulthood. It peaks in females between the ages of 14 and 17 and in males between the ages of 16 and 19. Males are affected more severely than females. Eighty-five percent of high school students will have some acne. Ten percent of those with adolescent acne will continue to suffer from it into their 20’s and 30’s. And sometimes “adult acne” will begin in the 20’s, 30’s and 40’s and later years and continue due to stress and fatigue which can cause increased production of hormones by the adrenal gland with increased levels of androgens. These hormones worsen acne. Six percent of females and eight percent of males in their fifties and later still suffer from acne. Acne affects more than 17 million adult Americans and approximately 60 million adults in other countries.