Women often have a far greater burden to bear when it comes to acne because, like it or not, women are judged far more on their looks than is the case with men. As if this were not bad enough in itself, a woman's hormonal system also means that women are prone to acne at certain times in their lives. Finally, to crown it all, treatment options for women are often more expensive than those for men and the costs are therefore harder to meet.



Most people develop acne during their teenage years and, while boys tend to develop acne at around the age of thirteen, for girls the condition typically raises its ugly head at about the age of eleven. The reason for this is simply that girls mature earlier than boys and typically enter puberty about two years before boys.

During our teenage years we see a rapid increase in a number of the body's hormones including both estrogen and testosterone, as well as a lesser know set of hormones called androgens which play an important role in the onset of acne. It is the earlier rise in the level of androgens in girls which accounts for the earlier arrival of acne but, fortunately, levels in girls do not rise quite as far as they do in boys and so, while acne arrives sooner, it does not tend to be as severe in girls.

About two out of every three teenagers will develop acne to a greater or lesser degree but the condition tends to last longer in girls and often persists into adulthood. As women enter their twenties the menstrual cycle comes into play and the hormonal changes associated with the menstrual cycle often produce at least a mid form of acne. Also, because menstruation follows a monthly cycle, so does acne which tends to be at its worse for about two thirds of women in the week before the onset of flow.

For many women the problem of acne persists as long as they continue their periods and more than half of all women suffer from acne in their twenties. This figure drops to about a third during their thirties and about a quarter in their forties. For women over the age of fifty, acne is seen in about fifteen percent of the female population.

Pregnancy can offer some relief from acne, although often this is simply a shift in its pattern. Acne tends to break out randomly in pregnant women and indeed is commonly seen in women who have never suffered from acne while they are carrying. The largest number of cases of acne during pregnancy is seen during the third trimester when hormonal levels are changing most rapidly. In many cases delivery will put a stop to acne, although it can persist for some women who choose to breastfeed.

In general most over-the-counter preparations can be taken safely by women, although some studies show that isotretinoin (which is sold under the brand name Accutane) and tetracycline can cause developmental problems for a fetus or result in birth defects. For this reason, preparations of this nature should be avoided during pregnancy. To be safe, it is always a good idea before trying any acne medication to consult either your own doctor or a dermatologist.