Tackling Adult Acne

Dr Levashni Naidoo, specialist Dermatologist and Founder of the Dermatology Room, discusses adult acne, why it occurs and the treatment options available.

- Caitlin Geng

WHAT CAUSES ACNE IN ADULTS?

If you’re experiencing adult acne, you’re far from alone. An increasing number of adults are seeking treatment for acne, which is currently ranked as the eighth most prevalent disease in the world. According to Levashni, most people seeking treatment are female, although experts are unsure whether this is due to an increase in female sufferers, or whether more women are simply realising purely aesthetic treatments aren’t working for them and are starting to seek help. Levashni says there are several major contributing factors to developing adult acne, including:

GENETICS

Fifty per cent of those affected will be able to find at least one close blood relative with acne, as, Levashni explains, ‘The genes we inherit determine both the size and activity of our sebaceous glands.’

HORMONE SENSITIVITY

Your sebaceous gland, which produces the waxy, oily substance called sebum, can overproduce as your skin’s receptors become more sensitive to hormones. The sebum produced in acne sufferers has also been found to contain more saturated fatty acids, which makes the substance more likely to clog the pores.

SMOKING