Teen Girls

• Around 80% of teen girls will get acne at one point or another during their teen years.
• Girls are more likely to be motivated about treating acne via at-home treatments and/or visiting a dermatologist.
• It is common for girls to have acne only on the face as opposed to back and/or chest.

Teen Boys

• Boys will most likely have worse and longer-lasting acne than teen girls.
• Up to 95% percent of boys will get acne at one point or another during their teen years.
• Boys are more likely to have mild, moderate, or severe acne on the back and chest than girls.
• Many teen boys will not be inclined to seek treatment for acne and some will only do so because of encouragement from their parents.

Adults

• As age increases, females are more likely than males to have any amount of acne.
• Extensive cosmetic use and hormones associated with menstrual cycles are the main reasons adult women are more likely to get acne than adult men.
• It is not uncommon for adult women to have acne present continuously up into mid-life.

Primary causes

Modern science is still not able to determine why everyone gets acne, but science has shown that part of the reason might be hereditary in a good number of cases.  Dozens of factors may lead to some form of acne developing, but the key links are:

• Family & genetics.  It is very likely that the main cause of acne is that it simply “runs in the family”.  If there is a significant family history of acne, it can lead to acne developing earlier in the teenage years and also stronger occurrence of outbreaks over the years.
• Hormonal activity, mainly the menstrual cycle and puberty, is the second most common cause. This is the result of an increase in hormone levels and fluctuation that can trigger outbreaks.
• Stress, though still highly debated, can possibly lead to certain types of outbreaks as a result of changes in hormones brought on by high stress.
• Dirty, unwashed skin leading to an accumulation of dead skin cells.
• Bacteria in the pores.
• Scratching or skin irritation can lead to dirt, bacteria, and/or infections.
• Use of anabolic steroids.
• Certain medications that contain any: halogens, barbiturates, or androgens.
• Exposure to certain chemical compounds that is known to dry out, irritate skin, or create hormonal changes.

Acne may develop or worsen as a result of:

• Frequently wearing tight fitting items, straps, or equipment that rubs up against the skin.
• Irritating substances that can be commonly found in chemical heavy skin and hair products.
• Hot water, frequent washing, strong detergent, or scratching.
• Frequent stress that lasts for days at a time.
• Excess sweating or using dirty towels to wipe away sweat, resulting in bacteria and dirt spreading onto the skin.
• Coming into direct contact with oils and/or strong chemicals on a regular bais.