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Lifestyle factors associated with adult female acne
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A family history of acne and various lifestyle factors were associated with adult acne in women, according to recently published study results.
Researchers measured factors associated with adult female acne in 248 women aged 25 years or older (mean age, 32.2 years) and 270 controls who were women (mean age, 36.4 years) diagnosed with conditions other than acne. The women had attended outpatient departments in 12 Italian cities between February 2013 and January 2015.
There were no significant differences between the women with acne and controls regarding women who were current smokers (24.5%) and regular or occasional drinkers (62.3%). Among the patients with acne, 50.2% had moderate acne, 42% had mild acne and 7.8% had severe acne.
Multivariate analysis determined a significant association between adult female acne and a history of acne in parents (OR = 3.02; 95% CI, 1.8-5.06) or siblings (OR = 2.4; 95% CI, 1.46-3.94). Other factors associated with adult female acne included history of acne during adolescence (OR = 5.44; 95% CI, 3.43-8.61), being an office worker compared with being unemployed or a housewife (OR = 2.24; 95% CI, 1.24-4.06), having no previous pregnancies (OR = 1.71; 95% CI, 1.06-2.78), having hirsutism (OR = 3.5; 95% CI, 95% CI, 1.42-8.6), having a high or very high level of reported psychological stress during the previous month (OR = 2.95; 95% CI, 1.57-5.53), and a low intake of fruits of vegetables (OR = 2.33; 95% CI, 1.20-4.53).
“We did not establish an onset date for acne, and our associations may not reflect a causative role but may, at least in part, reflect shared risk factors or consequences of established acne,” the researchers wrote. “Lifestyle factors may play an important role for acne development in adulthood, but their role should be further assessed in prospective studies.” – by Bruce Thiel
Disclosure: The researchers report no relevant financial disclosures.