Acne In Mature Members Of The Community

Acne is so common a complaint that junior school children know that some of them will develop spots and pimples as they grow up and that as they mature they will grow out of them.Their doctors will tell their parents that pimples are due to hormones and that they are part of the growing up phase. Some doctors will state that, acne is condensed into a ten-year period, and that the child with spots at the age of 12 should be clear-skinned before the age of 22. Acne cannot be prevented, neither can it be cured, but it can be controlled. It has, therefore, provided a wonderful field for quack cures, old wives’ tales and for cosmetic remedies amongst teenagers. However, we see patients in a mature age group who are shy and embarrassed by their teenage- type spots who pluck up courage to get medical advice.

A CAJM article on acne in mature members of the community.