Study Reveals Widespread Unrecognized Acne Among 35-year-old Finnish Women

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Adult acne is much communal than often assumed. According to investigation from nan University of Oulu, astir 31 per cent of 35-year-old Finnish women person acne connected nan look aliases back. Yet galore do not admit their symptoms and acne often remains untreated.

The study progressive almost 1,900 women, each of whom had their look and backmost photographed without make-up. Dermatologists assessed nan beingness and severity of acne connected nan ground of nan images.

Acne was astir commonly recovered connected nan face, affecting 26 per cent of participants. About 12 per cent had acne connected nan back, and 6 per cent had some facial and backmost acne.

Facial symptoms were peculiarly concentrated successful nan little parts of nan face, astir commonly connected nan chin and cheeks.

The results show that acne is not confined to nan face, arsenic backmost acne is amazingly common. However, it whitethorn easy spell unnoticed unless nan diligent is undressed for introspection aliases mentions it themselves. Skin changes connected nan backmost whitethorn beryllium mistaken for harmless power spots, moreover though they are often acne. Both facial and backmost acne tin lead to imperishable scarring if near untreated." 

Suvi-Päivikki Sinikumpu, master successful dermatology and allergology

Most acne cases successful nan study were mild, but much than 1 successful 10 participants besides had a mean form. Only very fewer had terrible acne.

Many do not admit their acne

According to nan study, participants had mediocre consciousness of their ain acne. Only astir one-third of nan women whose acne was identified by a expert reported experiencing it themselves. Recognition was moreover little successful cases of backmost acne.

This was besides reflected successful curen behaviour: some over-the-counter and medicine acne medications were reported to beryllium utilized only sparingly. Oral antibiotics and isotretinoin were utilized very seldom moreover for much terrible types of acne, contempt being proven effective and safe treatments.

According to nan researchers, mediocre denotation nickname whitethorn partially explicate why big acne is often near untreated.

Adult acne is worthy treating

Although acne is often thought of arsenic a teenage problem, it is becoming much communal among big women. The researchers statement that successful adults, acne symptoms typically ore astir nan chin and cheeks. On nan different hand, big acne whitethorn not disagree greatly successful quality from teenage acne, and successful some groups acne tin besides look connected nan back.

"Even mild acne tin importantly impact well-being and mood, and big acne has been shown to person an moreover greater effect connected value of life than teenage acne. For this reason, its curen deserves attention. Acne lesions tin besides beryllium painful," Sinikumpu notes.

The researchers urge that healthcare professionals raise nan taxable of acne much readily pinch big patients. "Patients whitethorn time off tegument symptoms unmentioned, reasoning that doctors see them trivial problems," Sinikumpu reflects.

The study was published successful nan world journal Acta Dermato-Venereologica.

Source:

Journal reference:

Telkkälä, A., et al. (2025). The Prevalence and Characteristics of Adult Female Acne: A Cross-sectional Population-based Study. Acta Dermato-Venereologica. DOI: 10.2340/actadv.v105.44151. https://medicaljournalssweden.se/actadv/article/view/44151

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