About 31% of 35-year-old Finnish women have acne on the face or back, according to research from the University of Oulu in in Oulu, Finland.
The study included almost 1,900 women, each of whom had their face and back photographed without makeup. Dermatologists assessed the presence and severity of acne based on the images. Acne was most commonly found on the face, affecting 26% of participants. About 12% of the women had acne on their back, and 6% had both facial and back acne. Facial symptoms were particularly concentrated in the lower parts of the face, most commonly on the chin and cheeks, the study showed.
“The results show that acne is not confined to the face, as back acne is surprisingly common. However, it may easily go unnoticed unless the patient is undressed for examination or mentions it themselves. Skin changes on the back may be mistaken for harmless heat spots, even though they are often acne. Both facial and back acne can lead to permanent scarring if left untreated,” says study author Suvi-Päivikki Sinikumpu, a specialist in dermatology and allergology at the University of Oulu, in a news release.
Most acne cases in the study were mild, but more than 1 in 10 also had a moderate form. Just a few women had severe acne, researchers report.
Participants had poor awareness of their own acne. Only about one-third of the women whose acne was identified by a doctor reported experiencing it, and recognition was even lower for those with back acne.
Both over-the-counter and prescription acne medications were only used sparingly. Oral antibiotics and isotretinoin were used very rarely even for more severe types of acne, the study showed.
Poor symptom recognition may partly explain why adult acne is often left untreated, the researchers speculate.
“Even mild acne can significantly affect well-being and mood, and adult acne has been shown to have an even greater impact on quality of life than teenage acne. For this reason, its treatment deserves attention. Acne lesions can also be painful,” Sinikumpu says.
The researchers recommend that healthcare professionals raise the topic of acne more readily with adult patients. “Patients may leave skin symptoms unmentioned, thinking that doctors consider them trivial problems,” Sinikumpu adds.
The study was published in Acta Dermato-Venereologica.
