Acne: Not Just A Teen Issue

(NAPSI)-The first step in clearing up your skin may be to clear up some misconceptions about acne-such as the mistaken idea that it only affects teens.

While acne may traditionally be viewed as a teenage “rite of passage,” a recent survey shows that acne is a problem that also commonly affects adults and can have a negative effect on many aspects of a person’s life-professional, academic, physical and social.

According to the Skin Matters 2008 Survey, conducted by Harris Interactive on behalf of Retin-A Micro Pump, nearly half of dermatologists’ acne patients are adults (46 percent). The survey showed that 38 percent of adults with acne say it is more stressful having acne as an adult than as a teenager, and 50 percent find acne to be unappealing, more so than having facial wrinkles (36 percent) or gray hair (29 percent). Adults with acne also state that it negatively impacts their self-confidence (41 percent) and mood (31 percent). Some adults with acne say that it negatively impacts their lifestyle, causing some to refrain from asking for or accepting a date (9 percent), cancel social plans (7 percent) or get passed over for a promotion or raise (3 percent).

“Acne is definitely not just a teen issue,” says Richard Fried, M.D., Ph.D., Clinical Director, Yardley Dermatology and author of “Healing Adult Acne.” “It has become increasingly common for adults to experience acne-one in five women who suffer from acne is between the ages of 25 and 40.”

Interestingly, the severity of one’s acne does not necessarily determine the amount of emotional distress a person may endure.

“The effect acne has on each individual varies. It is the dermatologists’ responsibility to talk with their patients about acne, and to determine an effective treatment plan to improve their patients’ skin and quality of lives,” says Fried.

According to the American Academy of Dermatology, nearly every case of acne can be treated. In fact, 72 percent of dermatologists agree that acne treatment options have improved considerably over the past five years. Tretinoin, the leading prescribed retinoid for the treatment of acne, has proven to be highly effective for 30 years, and delivery systems, such as the Retin-A Micro Pump (tretinoin gel) microsphere 0.04 percent and 0.1 percent, have evolved to improve ease of use, another common issue among adults with acne.

The Pump was specifically designed to dispense the right amount of medication during each use and to help prevent overuse. Microsphere technology slowly releases tretinoin over time, reducing irritation commonly associated with other tretinoin formulas.

The first step in treating adult acne is to make an appointment with a dermatologist. For more information, visit www.retinamicro.com.

Many adults believe they will no longer have acne when they reach their 20s, but, in fact, people can get it well into their 40s and 50s.

About Retin-A Micro: Retin-A Micro (tretinoin gel) microsphere 0.04 percent and 0.1 percent are prescription medicines to put on the skin to treat acne. Retin-A Micro 0.04 percent and 0.1 percent start working in as little as two weeks, with full results after seven weeks. Unprotected exposure to the sun or tanning lights, extreme wind or cold or use of irritating skin care products may aggravate the skin. During the first weeks of treatment, you may experience dryness, redness or peeling. For the full prescribing information, visit http://www.retinamicro.com/prescribinginformation.asp.