Men’s health centre

Acne treatments for men

The medical term - acne vulgaris - captures the condition pretty well: an ugly, vulgar scourge that ravages the faces of many unfortunate adolescents. Acne can leave lifelong scars, both physical and emotional. However, it’s something that most men assume is behind them once they reach their twenties.

For some, that’s not the case, whatever they do their acne won’t go away. The cause of acne may not be apparent, which makes it all the worse. Stress, diet, too little sleep - have all been implicated, but dermatologists can’t identify the cause for every patient.

The result, however - the inflamed spots on the face and maybe the back too - are plain for all to see.

Adult acne may not always be as severe as that experienced by adolescents, but it can be bad enough to give men flashbacks to school and send them scrambling for treatment. Fortunately, acne treatment is better than ever for teens and adults. Why allow your self-worth to suffer when you can fight back?

The gross anatomy of a spot

No matter how smooth the skin on your face may look to the naked eye, it actually consists of millions of follicles, each containing a tiny, almost invisible hair. These follicles exude a fatty substance called sebum, the skin’s natural oil.

As long as sebum flows all the way out of the follicles, your skin will look smooth and clear. Sometimes, however, the sebum gets stuck. If it gets stuck below the surface of the skin, the back-up produces a whitehead. If the sebum breaks through the top layer of skin and comes into contact with air, oxygen will turn it black, transforming it into a blackhead. (Shaving too close can produce an infection of the hair follicle known as follicultis, which is not typical acne even though it can be just as unsightly.)

When the trapped sebum gets backed up, pressure grows, stretching the walls of the follicle. This may give bacteria a chance to multiply in the clogged follicle, which is known as a comedo (the plural is comedones), commonly known as blackheads or whiteheads. If the follicle wall ruptures, your immune system will respond by sending cells to attack the bacteria and other foreign matter in the comedo. In the ensuing battle the surrounding skin becomes red and inflamed. You might even see a little pus full of dead bacteria and immune cells.

While acne in men may not be dangerous, it certainly can be distressing - and it’s surprisingly common too. It’s thought that between 25% and 40% of adult men have acne. Acne is also affecting more people after adolescence. One 1999 study published in the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology found that the median age of people with acne has risen by almost 23%, from 20.5 years to about 26.5 years.