Skin care plays large role in managing challenges of adult acne

Key takeaways:

• While less common than adolescent acne, adult acne is substantial and primarily affects women.
• Skin care is important for restoring the skin barrier and mitigating the effects of acne and its treatments.

A panel of experts shared consensus statements on how to best manage adult acne, according to a study.

“Adult acne can be very isolating due to social stigma and misconceptions that acne only affects teenagers, and negative perceptions by others can have a profound socioeconomic impact, such as observed higher unemployment rates in those with severe acne,” Hilary E. Baldwin, MD, medical director at the Acne Treatment & Research Center and clinical associate professor at Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical Center, and colleagues wrote. “Despite frequent occurrences in the dermatology clinic, the literature on adult acne is scarce, particularly concerning skin barrier function and management.”

In this study, a panel of eight dermatologists who treat adult acne created consensus statements about the role of skin barrier function and skin care in management. Overall, the dermatologists agreed that adult acne primarily affects women, and a proper skin care regimen can mitigate the further skin barrier disruption caused by acne treatments.

The first consensus statement established that while acne is most common during adolescence, it also affects a substantial number of adults, especially women. One study found that 45% of women aged 21 to 30 years, 26% aged 31 to 40 years and 12% aged 41 to 50 years had acne.

In the second statement, the dermatologists said that adult acne more commonly presents on the lower half of the face, particularly along the jawline, compared with adolescent acne. Further, this population experiences lesions more than comedones and endocrinopathy.

The third statement confirmed that acne in adults can lead to embarrassment and self-consciousness, even more so than during adolescence due to the fact that fewer peers have acne.

In the fourth statement, the dermatologists acknowledged that acne medications can induce additional changes to the skin that further exacerbate the inherent skin abnormalities already associated with acne. In the fifth and sixth statements, the experts agree that a proper skincare regimen can help repair the skin barrier and return it to normal function.

They stated that once- or twice-daily application of fragrance-free, nonirritating and noncomedogenic cleansers, moisturizers and sunscreen may reduce adverse events resulting from prescription oral and topical medications such as dryness and post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation. Overall, an adult with acne must focus their skincare routine on restoring and supporting the skin barrier, regardless of how they are responding to acne treatment.

According to the panel’s final statement, improving the skin barrier function will reduce skin irritation thus encouraging adherence to acne medications that lead to positive clinical outcomes.

“While challenging to execute within the confines of a high-volume practice,” the authors advised, “improving patient knowledge of comprehensive acne treatments, including quality adjunctive cleansers and moisturizers, may be an effective way to maximize regimen efficacy and provide patients with the necessary tools for personalized and successful acne treatments.”