Understanding the Perceptions of Acne in Adolescents

1,507 Parents and Adolescents Survey Report March 2011

Acne Perceptions

Sponsored by and produced incollaboration with

AcneAcademy

The Acne Perceptions Report

This worrying new study, commissioned by Galderma and produced in association with the Acne Academy, reveals that the

single biggest issue in the majority of teenagers’ lives is their appearance, well ahead of issues to do with their social life and

education with 91% saying how they look is most important to them. Yet despite the impact acne can have on teenagers,

many do not seek medical advice, in part due to embarrassment and in part due to ignorance about available treatments,

nor do their parents recognise the extent of its psychological impact and the long term implications if it is left untreated,

such as scarring.

This report details the results of a survey amongst adolescents and parents; the survey questionnaire asked participants

about their perceptions of photos of teenagers with and without acne. The responses were illuminating.

About the Acne Academy

The Acne Academy has been developed by a team of leading UK medical professionals – including dermatologists, a GP

with a special interest in dermatology, dermatology specialist nurse and pharmacist, who have all volunteered their time to

write and produce this online patient resource. The Acne Academy website provides access to balanced, practical

information that attempts to cover everything about acne, including information about treatments you may be prescribed

and what you can do to get help

Development of the website has been funded by unrestricted educational grants from Clinique, Dermal Laboratories

Limited, Galderma, P&G Beauty & Grooming, Stiefel and Yin Yang. These companies have had no influence over the

content of this website except for providing a review for medical accuracy and overall compliance with the requirements of

the ABPI Code of Practice.

About Galderma

Committed to the future of Dermatology: At Galderma, healthy skin begins with science. With a long-standing commitment

to research, we have focused our efforts on developing the best dermatological products to treat a variety of common skin

conditions.

Devoted Exclusively to Dermatology: Since the creation of Galderma in 1981, all of our resources have been channelled in

one direction: to develop quality products that meet the needs of dermatology specialists and their patients.

A Firm Commitment to Dermatology: Our experience has taught us that the effects of skin conditions reach much deeper

than the skin itself. By treating and caring for skin, we help people improve their quality of life. This is what drives our

scientists to explore new areas in dermatological innovation.

Sponsored by and producedin collaboration with

For further information, please visit www.acneacademy.org

AcneAcademy

Dr Alison Layton, Consultant Dermatologist andChair of the Acne Academy“Acne and consequentscarring can be controlledwith early effective therapy”Acne is a very commonproblem that can cause agreat deal of distress. Long-term consequences canresult from acne includingscarring and confidenceissues. However, the public(and indeed many medicalpractitioners) are generallyunaware of the extentteenager’s with acneinternalise their feelings andthe emotional disturbance itcan evoke in the longerterm. It is not just a questionof the embarrassment youmay feel about living withacne, but an awarenessand feeling of increasedpressure from othersconcerning the way theyperceive you because ofyour skin. The findings ofthis report highlight thepsychological impact acnecan have. With the launchof the Acne Academywebsite, we aim to providea comprehensive resourcefor all those suffering fromacne and to offeraccessible up to dateinformation, which willsupport patients inapproaching their GPs,friends and familymembers.

Dr Stephen Kownacki,

Acne Academy GP

Representative and Executive

Chairman of the Primary Care

Dermatology Society

GPs are often the first port of

call for teenagers with acne,

and perhaps the first person

they actually open up to and

admit that their acne is

bothering them. As a GP

with a special interest in

dermatology, I’m really

pleased to be involved with

this campaign and hope the

work of the Acne Academy

can help improve the

management of this

incredibly common skin

disease. The results of the

survey highlight how acne

can influence everything

from a potential employer’s

perspective of a young

applicant, their social life

and even their professional

life in the longer term. Too

many teenagers who suffer

with acne do so in silence,

most, I am sure, from

embarrassment but many

because they don’t know

enough about the treatment

options. I am hoping that

this campaign will raise

awareness amongst the

public and help more

parents encourage their

children to come forward

and ask for help.

Acne Academy Ambassador:

Lucy Speed, TV Actress and

Long Term Acne Sufferer

I was delighted to be asked

to join this distinguished

panel of acne experts and

help with the development

of this Campaign. Having

suffered with acne for ten

years before I found a

treatment which suited me, I

know full well how hard it is

living with acne and having

to face the daily scrutiny of

friends and colleagues; and

for me, sitting in make up

was one of the hardest

things. People always had

advice and tips about how

to treat my spots and I

found this really intrusive

and becoming withdrawn

and unusually for me,

snappy at times; in the end I

just avoided the situation

completely by doing my

own make up. What worked

for me was finding a doctor

I could talk to, someone I

could hand my problem to

and work through to find a

solution with. By supporting

this campaign, I hope I can

help teenagers realise there

are solutions for acne and

empower them to talk to

their doctor.

Guest Expert: Judy Reith,

Accredited Parenting Coach

“Being a parent can be the

best and the worst job in

the world”

Working so closely with

parents who have a range

of concerns about the

pressures their children

face, I have, for a long time,

been frustrated there is so

little information and advice

available to parents about

how they can best engage

with their children and pro-

actively talk to them about

health issues which may be

concerning them. So many

teenagers are left with a

loss of self esteem and

confidence because of the

perceptions of others and

an empathetic relationship

with parents can really help

overcome this. That’s why I

have taken the opportunity

to become involved with the

Acne Perceptions

Campaign; I’d like to use

my experience to help

parents develop a better

understanding of their

children’s needs and build

their confidence to actually

tackle problems that in the

past they may have steered

clear of.

Guest Expert: Dr Eva Ritvo,

Psychiatrist, Mount Sinai, US

Acne is a very common

condition that strikes

individuals at a key phase of

their psychological

development and we know

that acne is a cause of a

great deal of distress for

many teenagers. The

psychological and emotional

consequences of growing up

with acne have been well

documented and left

untreated, acne can lead to

a decreased quality of life.

Sufferers may experience a

loss of self esteem, social

isolation, increased anxiety

and depression. The Acne

Perceptions Survey, initiated

in the US and replicated here

in the UK looks at acne from

a new perspective,

assessing how teens and

adults view teens with acne

compared to those with

smooth clear skin.

The Acne Perceptions

Campaign is an important

initiative alerting the public to

potential consequences of

leaving acne untreated. I am

delighted to join these

experts and hope the

campaign increases

awareness amongst adults

and teenagers about issues

of living with acne.

The Acne Perceptions Expert Panel

Understanding the Perceptions of Acne in Adolescents

Survey Report March 2011

AcnePerceptions 3

AcnePerceptions

Acne

“Acne affects almost 80% of adolescents and young adults aged 11 to 30 and can have a major impact

on the lives of those affected. It is eminently treatable and I would positively encourage people

to seek help from their GP. There is better use of existing treatments and new treatments coming onto the

market all the time which work quickly to start clearing the spots associated with acne”.

Dr Stephen Kownacki, GP Representative for the Acne Academy

and Executive Chairman of the Primary Care Dermatology Society

What is Acne?

Acne is a skin condition that affects

most people at some time during their

lives. It often (but not always) occurs

during the teenage years, although it

can affect children and older people as

well. It causes spots to develop on the

skin, usually on the face, back and

chest. It can last for many months and

sometimes years if left untreated.

People with acne can develop several

different types of spots and in some

cases will also develop some scars.

What is the Impact?

If you have acne, you are far from being

alone as it affects more than three-

quarters (80%) of 11 to 30-year-olds.

Acne affects people of all ethnic

groups.

Some people with acne find they just

have an occasional spot that quickly

clears up. But a lot of people have

repeated flare-ups for several years

before their symptoms improve as they

get older. For a few people – around one

in twenty women and one in every

hundred men over 25 – acne can

continue into adulthood.

Acne can be very distressing. Having

acne can have a negative effect on

people’s quality of life and self-esteem,

affecting social activities and how people

feel about themselves, just as much as

health conditions that would be

considered more ‘serious’, such as

asthma and diabetes.

The good news is that effective treatments

are available and treating acne can

dramatically improve quality of life.

Why Does Acne Occur?

Acne occurs when glands (called

sebaceous glands) in the follicles of the

4

AcnePerceptions

skin become overactive. These glands

produce sebum, an oily substance that

helps to stop the skin drying out.

Someone with acne produces too much

sebum, which forms a plug with dead

skin cells and blocks the follicle.

If the blocked follicle is close to the skin

surface, it balloons outwards and forms

a whitehead. If the plug is the top of the

follicle – opening on to the skin surface,

it can be seen as a blackhead.

Bacteria that live on the skin – and which

are usually completely harmless – can

then infect the plugged follicles. This can

cause the surrounding skin to become

red and sore, and produce pus, leading

to inflamed spots, nodules and cysts.

Areas of skin with the most follicles are

the face, upper back and chest, which

explains why acne tends to occur in

these regions.

Acne in Teenagers

Teenagers and young adults are the age

group most commonly affected by acne.

Around one in eight 11 – 30 year olds

have acne at some point.

In girls, acne is most common between

the ages of 14 to 17. Boys most

commonly have acne over the ages of

16 to 19 years.

Most teenagers have repeated

episodes, or flare-ups, of acne for

several years before finding that their

symptoms gradually start to improve as

they get older. The symptoms of acne

usually disappear when a person is in

their twenties.

Why is Acne Common inTeenagers?

Teenagers are particularly prone to acne

because levels of hormones (known as

androgens) increase at puberty. These

hormones cause an increase in the size

of the sebaceous glands and the amount

of oil they produce. In younger women

about 25% get acne around the time of

their period.

“As dermatologists we can control and manage acne effectively. Successful and early treatment will result

in improved patient satisfaction, confidence and their overall psychological wellbeing.”

Dr Alison Layton, Consultant Dermatologist and Chair of the Acne Academy

People with acne can develop several different types of spots and in some cases will also develop some scars

5Understanding the Perceptions of Acne in Adolescents

Survey Report March 2011

AcnePerceptions

AcnePerceptions

Acne Perceptions

Do Perceptions of Parents andAdolescents Differ?

The findings of the Acne Perceptions

research highlight that teenagers’

preoccupation and unhappiness with

their looks is becoming increasingly

prevalent and that vast numbers of

patients are suffering from depression

because of what they perceive as flaws

in their appearance. It also reveals in

teenagers and young adults, the age

group most commonly affected by acne,

that having acne can be very

distressing, having a negative effect on

their lives, affecting confidence, self

esteem and their desire to become

involved in social and school activities.

However, little research has been

conducted to examine the perceptions

of both adolescents and parents of

adolescents with acne. This study

represents the largest of its kind

conducted in the UK. Over 1,500

participants (parents and adolescents)

completed a survey questionnaire,

which focussed on perceptions of

teenagers with acne.

The results show that perceptions of

teenagers with acne do differ as

compared to perceptions of teenagers

without acne. Respondents generally

felt that teenagers with acne would be

less sociable and less successful.

Teenagers with acne suggested that

they would offer a lot in return for not

having acne, and yet 70% of teenagers

with acne had not sought medical

advice. A high proportion of parents

indicated that they felt that acne was

normal for teenagers and that they would

grow out of it, and many had not sought

medical advice for their teenagers acne.

Significant results, which particularly

interested the Acne Academy Expert

Panel when they reviewed the data

included:

n That teenagers with acne are

perceived less favourably than clear

skin teens by both teens and adults

and demonstrates how acne may

impact teen’s opportunities for

advancing socially and academically

n That many parents appear to have

misguided perceptions regarding the

extent to which teens are affected by

their acne

n Living in the digital era of instant

photography uploads and social

networking could be making the issue

of acne so much worse for today’s

teenagers than previous generations

n That the single biggest issue in the

majority of teenagers’ lives is their

appearance, well ahead of issues to

do with their social life and education

n A solid opinion amongst teenagers

that their acne was not serious

enough to warrant the doctors time

n And finally, the panel was surprised

that so few seek treatment when there

are so many effective prescription

treatments for acne, especially given

the risk of scarring if acne is left

untreated

This online survey was carried out by Opinion Matters on behalf of Galderma (UK)Ltd, with 506 adolescents (aged 13-17) and 1,001 parents throughout the UK,completing questionnaires. The research was conducted in February 2011.Participants were shown photographs of adolescents/ teenagers with or withoutacne in a random manner and asked to respond to questions.

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AcnePerceptions

It seems the preoccupation with social

media could be making the issue of

acne so much worse for today’s

teenagers than previous generations as

teens obsess over photos like never

before. Over a quarter of teens with

acne refuse to have their picture taken,

almost a fifth have untagged photos of

themselves on Facebook, while around

15% have airbrushed their image to

make sure their acne isn’t visible in

photos. Furthermore, 37% don’t like

seeing a picture of themselves on social

networking sites at all, whilst only 13%

of parents believe this to be the case.

“I hate seeing pictures of myself when

my acne is really bad”

“I get really embarrassed about

my acne and hate having my

photo taken; I don’t want to draw

attention to myself because

I think people will judge me

based on my skin

before they get to know me”

Which of the following areeffects of having acne?

n 51% of teenagers consider having

lower self-esteem or shyness an effect

of having acne; this affects more

girls (53%) than boys (47%)

n Younger teenagers (52%) think this

more than older teenagers (49%)

n Over a third do not like seeing

pictures or videos of themselves or

putting them on social network sites,

mobile phones etc.

l More girls (39%) feel this way than boys (36%)

l 16-17 year olds (44%) feel this morethan 13-15year olds (31%)

Which of the following wouldyou be willing to do if you couldget rid of your acne forever?

n 48% of teenagers would not use

facebook for a year if they could get

rid of their acne forever

n More girls would be prepared to do

this than boys (50% vs. 45%)

Growing up with Acne in the 21st Century

7Understanding the Perceptions of Acne in Adolescents

Survey Report March 2011

AcnePerceptions

Mild papular/pustular acneHyperpigmentation Moderate inflammatory acne

AcnePerceptions

n Teenagers aged 16-17 (53%) would

be more prepared to do this than

teenagers aged 13-15 (43%)

n 41% of teenagers would not go on a

date for a year if it meant that they

could get rid of their acne forever

l Again more girls would be preparedto do this than boys (43% vs. 38%)

n Teenagers aged 13-17 would be

willing for their grades to drop if it

meant that they could get rid of their

acne forever (16%)

And......

n 13% of teenagers would even take a

parent to their school leaver’s ball in

order to get rid of their acne forever!

What is the most difficult aspectof puberty?

n Nearly half of teenagers ranked acne

as the hardest aspect of puberty

n More boys than girls felt this way (50%

vs. 43%), with girls more likely to rank

their bodies changing as the most

difficult aspect of puberty (43% vs.

21% of boys)

n 48% of 16-17 year olds place acne in

first place when considering the most

important aspect of puberty; this

reduced to 45% in 13-15 year olds

l Teenager’s living in the North East are most likely to feel this way (56%)

n Teenagers who are currently suffering

from acne, are the most likely to rank

getting acne in the first place (67%)

8

“I think there is more pressure on you when you are younger, because

you are joining new schools, are making new friends, and they might think

you are horrible or dirty just because you have spots

and not want to become your friend”

n 47% of parents believe that body change

is the most important aspect of puberty

l Slightly more fathers feel this way than mothers (48% vs. 47%)

l Parents 55 or older are most likely(49%) to think this is the most difficult aspect of puberty than 25-34 year old parents (42%)

n 35% of parents believe that the most

difficult aspect of puberty is getting acne

l More fathers feel this way than mothers (38% vs. 34%)

l 25-34 year old parents are more likely (38%) to feel this way than their 16-24 year old counterparts (33%).

l 45% of parents living in the East believethat getting acne if the most difficult aspect of puberty

AcnePerceptions

What is the first thing you noticeabout a person’s face?

All parents chose skin as the first thing

that they would notice in teenagers

displaying acne; highlighting that

amongst adults perceptions are already

being made upon first impressions. For

all images shown of teenagers without

acne, the most common feature noticed

was the shape of the mouth.

n Over one third (36%) of teenagers

chose skin as the first thing that they

notice about teenagers faces with

acne. However, when shown faces of

teenagers without acne, only 6%

chose skin

n Teenagers who do not have acne are

most likely to notice the skin first when

looking at images of teenagers with acne

Just based on their face, howlikely do you think it is that youwould be friends with this person?

n Over a third of teenagers said they would

either be extremely likely or somewhat

likely to be friends with teenagers without

acne, yet this was reduced to one in five

for teenagers with acne

n As expected girls are more likely than boys to make friends with teenagers without acne but this drops from 17% to 13% when they were shown an image of the same person, just with acne

How likely is it that this person iscurrently dating someone?

A quarter of teenagers surveyed felt that it

was not very likely or not at all likely that

teenagers with acne would be dating

n Similarly, parents all felt that teenagers

without acne were more likely to be

dating someone

Acne Sufferers Negatively Perceived

9Understanding the Perceptions of Acne in Adolescents

Survey Report March 2011

AcnePerceptions

This survey continues to expose the perceptions society has of teens with acne and

compares the perceptions of parents with the reality of living with acne during teenager

years. Clear-skinned teens were most often perceived as happy, confident, intelligent and

less likely to be bullied, whilst pictures of the same teens, with acne, were labelled "shy,"

"nerdy," and "lonely." The survey clearly demonstrates that teens with acne are perceived

less favourably than clear skin teens by both teens and adult and demonstrates how acne

may impact teen’s opportunities for advancing socially and academically.

AcnePerceptions

Perceptions of teenagers with acne Perceptions of teenagers without acne

If you had to decide, is thisperson likely to be bullied bysomeone?

Sadly, nearly a third of teenagers felt that

those teenagers with acne would be

bullied at school

n In the majority of cases, parents also

felt that teenagers with acne were

more likely to be bullied, than those

without acne

Which of the following extra-curricular activities is thisperson likely to participate in?

n Teenagers believe that teenagers

without acne are more likely to

participate in extra-curricular activities

than those with acne

n Girls are more likely to think that

teenagers without acne are more

likely to participate in organized sports

(football, tennis, hockey, gymnastics,

netball, athletics), than those with acne

(9% vs. 7%)

l Boys also believe this (10% vs. 6%)

If you had to choose one, is thisperson more likely to be a leaderor a follower?

n Over a third of all teenagers surveyed

believed teenagers with acne were

more likely to be a follower than a

leader

n Girls were less subjective and slightly

more likely than boys to think that

teenagers with or without acne might

be leaders

n Teenagers do think that teenagers with-

out acne are more likely than those

with acne to be leaders (10-13% vs. 6-7%).

n Parents mostly consider teenagers with acne to be followers rather than leaders

How likely is this person to beprofessionally successful?

n Slightly more teenagers think that

teenagers without acne are more likely

to be professionally successful

compared to those with acne

n Slightly more teenagers think that teenagers with acne are not very likely to be professionally successful, compared to those without acne (11% vs. 9%)

n Younger teenagers are slightly more

likely to think that those with acne are

not very likely to be professionally

successful (6% vs. 5%)

However, parents generally believe that

those teenagers without acne are more

likely to be professionally successful

than those with acne.

How likely would you be to hirethis person for a weekend orsummer job?n Only one in five parents said that they

were either somewhat or extremely likely

to hire teenagers with acne, whereas

over a third said they would hire a

teenager without acne (34%)

10

“There is already published evidence to demonstrate that patientswith acne are less likely to be employed than those without acne.What we have not been sure about to date, is whether this is due tothe fact acne patients are less confident so don't present themselveswell or whether the employer is less likely to hire someone with acnedue to a preconceived perceptions of their personality as well as theappearance of their skin. This latest survey also indicates that the

appearance and first impression of the skin influence the decision toemploy someone with acne. The goal of the Acne Academy, is to

change the mindset and to inform that acne is a medical conditionthat can be effectively treated. By using appropriate medication(s)

targeted at the disease, patients will achieve clearer skin andpotentially avoid being subject to these biased perceptions."

Dr Alison Layton

AcnePerceptions

Over a fifth of parents recognise their teen

has acne but state they do not seem to be

affected by it and only 15% believe their

teen suffers from depression or low self

esteem as a result. Yet when asked,

nearly one in two teenagers quoted

acne as the thing they would dread

having the most whilst as school,

demonstrating the pressure they face

from the perceptions of adults and peers

during these formative years.

How does acne affect your teen?

nWhilst only 15% believe their teen

suffers from depression or low self

esteem because of their acne, a

quarter of all parents do believe that

acne affects their teenager through

lower self-confidence or shyness, with

fathers feeling more strongly about this

(27% vs. 23%)

Both parents and teens were asked

“what would you like to see improve in

you/your teenagers’ life?” and the

responses demonstrated that parents

appear to have misguided perceptions

regarding the extent to which teens are

affected by their acne:-

n Demonstrating a desire for academic

success and social acceptance more

than half (53%) of parents stated they

would like their children to participate

in more hobbies and activities and get

better grades at school

n In comparison, 51% of teenagers

would like to improve their physical

appearance (weight, height or

acne), with girls feeling more strongly

(60%) than boys (40%)

n 16 -17 year olds (58%) feel more

strongly about this compared to 13-15

year olds (44%) and teenagers with

acne are most likely to feel this way

(55% vs. 46%)

n The second most important thing that

these teenagers would like to improve

is their social life (42%)

Or is it Your Perceptions vs. My Reality?

“I’ve found the disparity between parents’ perceptions of their teenagers’ needs and wants

on a social and physical level, versus those of the adolescents incredibly interesting,

but also quite disturbing. What this demonstrates to me is the extent of the

impact growing up with acne may have on teenagers opportunities for advancing

socially and academically, both whilst at school but also professionally”

11Understanding the Perceptions of Acne in Adolescents

Survey Report March 2011

AcnePerceptions

“I am certain that my son is shy and withdrawn because of his acne”

Judy Reith

AcnePerceptions

Acne: The Unnecessary Rite of Passage for Teenagers

The survey also reiterated the high

percentage of teenagers currently living

with acne, yet further insights do reveal

apathy in actively seeking medical advice,

despite two in five fathers growing up with

acne themselves, vs. one in five mothers.

Do any of your teen childrencurrently have acne?

n Over half (56%) of parents stated that

their teenagers currently have acne

l More fathers (63%) than mothers (52%) stated this

l Parents aged 25-34 are amongst the most likely to say this (68%) compared to parents aged 55 and over (52%)

How have you helped your teenaddress their acne?

Only 30% of parents have taken their

teenager to a doctor for advice or to seek

a prescription treatment. Interestingly, a

visit to the doctor was initiated in most

cases by fathers rather than mothers

(34% vs. 28%). Mothers, it seems, take a

more holistic approach by changing diet

and lifestyle factors instead of actually

seeking prescription treatment for this

well recognised medical condition.

n Three quarters of parents have

encouraged their child to have a

proper skin care regime, such as

washing their face twice a day, with

mothers leading the way in

recommending this (70% vs. 52% of

fathers)

n One in two parents have pro-actively

purchased medication over the

counter for their child’s acne

n A quarter of parents have made

changes to their children’s diet such

as avoiding chocolate or caffeine

So while the study shows just how much

of an affect acne has on a teenagers’

life, are parents taking these concerns

seriously? Over a fifth of parents say

their teen has acne but does not seem

to be affected by it, while only 15%

believe their teen suffers from

depression or low self esteem as a

result.

Yet when teenagers were asked have

you ever sought advice from a doctor for

your acne?

n Only 30% of teenagers have sought

advice from a doctor for their acne,

with girls and boys equally likely to

seek advice

n Older teenagers (16-17 year olds) are

more likely to seek advice than their

younger counterparts (33% vs. 27%)

n One in three teenagers from London

would seek advice from their doctor

whereas only one in five from the

South would do so

70% of teenagers have never sought

advice from a doctor for their acne!

“I’ve tried a few things for my spots, but

they don’t work. I don’t want to go to

the doctor though, because I feel

like I’m wasting his time.”

Similarly, only a third of parents have

sought medical advice for their teens

acne, with the majority saying they have

not worried about it as they believe “it’s

normal” and that their child will “grow out

“It concerns me greatly that some parents fail to recognise the long term implications of not seeking

treatment for their adolescents’ acne; acne scarring is of great concern to healthcare professionals; early

effective therapy from acne may well avoid or reduce the likelihood of scarring but once scarring has

developed treatment is very limited. Research has shown that psychological and social impairment from

scarring is even greater than that caused by acne”

12

Dr Alison Layton

AcnePerceptions

of it” yet when the parents who suffered

from acne in their youth were asked how

they felt growing up with acne, 77% said

they were very affected by it. Interestingly,

parents in the 25-24 age group were more

likely to say this (68%) than those parents

aged 55 and over (52%).

n Reasons parents stated for not thinking

about treating their teenagers acne

were:

l Over half felt that acne is normal and their teenager will grow out of itl More mothers (60%) than fathers (49%) felt this way

l 19% stated that their teenager did not seem interested or motivated to treat their acne

l One in ten stated they were afraid of possible side-effects of treatments

Interestingly teenage responses were

similar when it came to treating their acne:-

n More than 33% of teenagers stated

that the reason they had not treated

their acne or put off treating their acne

is because it is normal and they will

grow out of it

n More girls (38%) than boys (31%) state

that they have not treated their acne or

have put off treating their acne

because they do not believe it is

severe enough to require treatment

l Younger teenagers also say this is the reason (38% vs. 29%)

n 10% stated that it is because they

have heard that acne treatments do

not work

In a staggering contrast though, when

those teenagers with acne who had used

medical treatment were asked about

what best describes the prescription acne

treatments they have used 91% said they

saw an improvement, with over half (56%)

having seen their skin cleared completely,

a major improvement or a noticeable

improvement.

“It is a common myth that avoiding chocolate, fizzy drinks and caffeine will help improve acne.

Sadly, this is not the case and whilst a healthy, balanced diet is essential for healthy skin,

the help of a GP is often needed for active acne treatment”

13Understanding the Perceptions of Acne in Adolescents

Survey Report March 2011

AcnePerceptions

“I think acne is normal and I will just grow out of it”

“When you are with other girls at school,

you look at their skin, see if they have

any spots and then get envious if they

have nice, clear skin”

Dr Stephen Kownacki

AcnePerceptions

It’s all about Appearance

14

The survey results highlight that the

single biggest issue in the majority of

teenagers’ lives is their appearance, well

ahead of issues to do with their social life

and education, with 91% saying how they

look is most important to them.

n Girls are more likely to feel that this is

extremely important compared to boys

(44% vs. 33%)

n 41% of 13-15 years olds feel that the

way that they look is extremely

important as compared to 37% of 16-

17 year olds

n Teenagers with acne are most likely to

feel this way (42% vs. 38%)

Parents concurred with this, with over

one in two parents ranking acne as the

most difficult or the second most difficult

thing to live with whilst at school.

“I just want to be accepted at school,

but I have really bad spots and get

teased all the time”

Which if the following have youever done to hide your acne?

n One in two of all teenagers have used

concealer or other make up to cover

their acne, although as expected this

is considerably higher in girls than

boys (74% vs.17%).

n Many teenagers (21% of boys, 31% of

girls) would refuse to have their picture

taken

l More 16-17 year olds would feel this way than younger teenagers (33% vs. 21%)

Which of the following have youever done to deal with youracne?

n 60% of teenagers have popped or

picked their acne to try and deal with it

l More girls than boys have done this (64% vs. 55%)

l Older teens are more likely to do this than younger teens (65% vs. 55%)

l 50% of teenagers have applied over the counter acne medication, with teenagers from Yorkshire most likely to try this method (62%)

n 36% of teenagers who currently have

acne have tried applying hot water or

steam to their face

n Only one in four teenagers have used a

prescription medication for their acne

Appearance takes highest ranking for teenagers, whilst parents are more concerned about hobbies andeducation

AcnePerceptions

How important to you is the way you look?

Dr Alison Layton Concludes

Understanding the Perceptions of Acne in Adolescents

Survey Report March 2011

AcnePerceptions

Dr Alison Layton, Consultant Dermatologist and Chair of the Acne AcademyM.B;Ch.B.; FRCP

There are some important observations

from this market research that have

surprised the panel including the extent

to which this common medical condition

is just accepted as something

teenagers, and increasingly young

adults, have to live with. The reticence to

seek medical advice and treatment,

perhaps because acne is not deemed

serious enough to waste the doctor’s

time, is something we have to address

and seek to change.

Although there is some published

research to suggest there is negativity

towards people with acne, we didn’t

expect it to be displayed quite so

strongly by parents and we were

surprised that teenagers were slightly

less judgemental of their peers than

adults. The impact this must have on

teenagers stepping out into a new world,

either at university, when starting their

career or personally because of

judgement made on first impressions

must be significant. The results

demonstrate that ultimately acne does

play a role in how teens are viewed by

their peers and adults. This suggests

that what starts as a purely medical

condition can have other, more far

reaching, implications.

Of greatest concern is the fact that many

parents fail to recognise the long term

consequences of not seeking treatment

for their adolescents’ acne; acne

scarring is of great concern to

healthcare professionals and early

effective therapy may well avoid or

reduce the likelihood of permanent

scarring. Once scarring has developed

treatment is very limited. Research has

shown that psychological and social

impairment from scarring is even greater

than that caused by acne.

All colleagues on the Expert Panel

appreciate that the problem of treating

and managing the medical aspects of

acne is just the tip of the iceberg, and

there are many unmet needs including a

lack of understanding on a psychological

level. We really can’t underestimate the

importance of the findings from this

survey and healthcare professionals

must take time with patients to explore

how they feel, both about their treatment

regime and external pressures they may

be experiencing.

For further information, please visit

www.acneacademy.org

AcnePerceptions

GEN/524/0311