Female type of adult acne: Physiological and psychological considerations and management

Abstract

SummaryToday we see more cases of acne after adolescence, with a greater prevalence in females than males. Adult female acne has a distinct clinical presentation and is associated with a number of specific pathophysiological features and gender‐specific triggers. The psychological impact of acne is generally significant and largely underestimated; stress during professional and private life, anxiety and sleep quality, in particular, have a reciprocal relationship with disease susceptibility and severity. It is essential to compare with males. Acne in females often causes greater distress in adults than in adolescents. The impact of disease may therefore be greater for female patients, triggering higher levels of psychosocial anguish and increasing the likelihood of sequelae such as skin picking and the risks of cutaneous superinfection, scarring and PIH and acne recurrence. The management of adult female acne should encompass not just medical treatment of the symptoms, but also a comprehensive, holistic approach to the patient as a whole, her individual lifestyle factors and the impact of acne on her quality of life. Future management of this disease should aim to improve patient adherence to therapy and to develop validated outcomes of treatment regarding overall skin appearance and quality of life.

Spironolactone-Loaded LeciPlexes as Potential Topical Delivery Systems for Female Acne: In Vitro Appraisal and Ex Vivo Skin Permeability Studies

“…This might lead to poor body image and limited social activities [6]. Female patients were found to have worse scores in the Dermatology Quality of Life Index and acne quality of life self-assessment score compared with male patients [2,3,12].…”

Acne Severity and Sleep Quality in Adults

“…In a French study, fatigue upon waking and acne were shown to be strongly correlated [13]. Prior studies have also suggested a bi-directional relationship between sleep and acne [14,15]. In this study, we attempted to further elucidate the connection between sleep and acne.…”

Acne Protection: Measures & Miseries

“…Facial appearance has an important role in self-perception, as well as in the interaction with others; face lesions cause a significant impact in women's quality of life [147]. The psychological impact of acne is generally significant and largely underestimated; stress during professional and private life, anxiety and sleep quality, in particular, have a reciprocal relationship with disease susceptibility and severity [145]. Suicidal ideation was found in 6-7% of acne patients.…”

“…In a study in Middle East, 23% of acne female students reported that they had difficulty in sports because of acne; while, a study among Scottish students found that 10% of acne sufferers avoided swimming and other sports because of embarrassment [144]. The management of adult female acne should encompass not just medical treatment of the symptoms, but also a comprehensive, holistic approach to the patient as a whole, her individual lifestyle factors and the impact of acne on her quality of life [145]. Compared with heterosexuals, sexual minorities report higher rates of depression, suicidal ideation, and body image issues.…”