Dealing with Adult Acne
Video Transcript
Jamie MacKelfresh, M.D. Dermatologist, Emory University: Good Morning Ben, Doctor Mackelfresh. How are you?
Benjamin Stoff: Hey Doctor Mackelfresh. How are you?
Jamie MacKelfresh, M.D. Dermatologist, Emory University: Good to see you again.
Benjamin Stoff: I am doing fine.
Jamie MacKelfresh, M.D. Dermatologist, Emory University: So I here you're here today for your acne?
Benjamin Stoff: Yeah, Yeah just for a follow-up
Narrator: Benjamin Stoff is in medical residency training to become a dermatologist.
Benjamin Stoff: Mostly it's kind of on the face, you know a little bit in the chin and can get on the nose and forehead
Narrator: He's learned a lot about acne – but still:
Benjamin Stoff: It's kind of embarrassing to have as an adult when it flares and it's sometimes difficult to remember to do all the elements of the regimen sometimes as well, so it's a challenge.
Narrator: This challenge affects 25-40% of men …and at least half of all adult women. Acne is typically thought of as an adolescent condition…in Benjamin's case his teenage acne followed him into adulthood.
Jamie MacKelfresh, M.D. Dermatologist, Emory University: But there are certainly a small percentage of patients that have had clear skin as teenagers that certainly show up in our office as 20 or 30 year olds and it's the first time they are having acne.
Narrator: Regardless of when it first appears – acne can have tremendous emotional impact in adults. Severity doesn't seem to matter:
Jamie MacKelfresh, M.D. Dermatologist, Emory University: Some people with what we would consider horrible acne go on and they are not that bothered, even when you probe, they seem fine. Others where the physician would consider virtually cured are still very bothered.
Narrator: Even though the patient's skin looks clear – for her, acne has been devastating:
Patient: If I have an event or an important work engagement and if I have one of those big, I call them underground pimples that start under your skin, then big, and it gets so upsetting you know you just don't want to face the world.
Narrator: In fact, acne's impact on quality of life can be as great as that reported by those suffering from chronic asthma, epilepsy, diabetes or arthritis.
Jamie MacKelfresh, M.D. Dermatologist, Emory University: It would seem surprising at first that acne can have that same quality of life impact (butt) as these major diseases, but when you think about it, it's on our face, it's on our chest, it's on the parts of our body that we present to the outside world and it's a very important part of who we are
Narrator: As a result…depression, social phobia, certain anxiety disorders have been associated with adult acne.
Alison O'Neil Tritt Aesthetics & Plastics Center: Often times I see a lot of bumps there.
Narrator: As an aesthetician and counselor Alison O'Neil treats both the skin condition and the emotional impact of acne.
Alison O'Neil Tritt Aesthetics & Plastics Center: It's difficult for people to see because there's no redness in other words around any of this, its just blocked pores
Narrator: She finds when patients are able to get their acne under control by understanding the course of the disorder, how to cleanse and protect their skin and how to properly use medications prescribed by their dermatologists…they do better emotionally.
Alison O'Neil Tritt Aesthetics & Plastics Center: It's just about our lives, understanding our bodies. And this is the largest organ of the body and so it's our responsibility to understand it and live with it.
Patient: You just want to put your best self forward and it really can be devastating, kind of makes me emotional thinking about it, it is under control now, at this moment and looking at me you'd think that it's fine, but it is upsetting.
Narrator: For WebMD, I'm Rhonda Rowland
Benjamin Stoff: Hey Doctor Mackelfresh. How are you?
Jamie MacKelfresh, M.D. Dermatologist, Emory University: Good to see you again.
Benjamin Stoff: I am doing fine.
Jamie MacKelfresh, M.D. Dermatologist, Emory University: So I here you're here today for your acne?
Benjamin Stoff: Yeah, Yeah just for a follow-up
Narrator: Benjamin Stoff is in medical residency training to become a dermatologist.
Benjamin Stoff: Mostly it's kind of on the face, you know a little bit in the chin and can get on the nose and forehead
Narrator: He's learned a lot about acne – but still:
Benjamin Stoff: It's kind of embarrassing to have as an adult when it flares and it's sometimes difficult to remember to do all the elements of the regimen sometimes as well, so it's a challenge.
Narrator: This challenge affects 25-40% of men …and at least half of all adult women. Acne is typically thought of as an adolescent condition…in Benjamin's case his teenage acne followed him into adulthood.
Jamie MacKelfresh, M.D. Dermatologist, Emory University: But there are certainly a small percentage of patients that have had clear skin as teenagers that certainly show up in our office as 20 or 30 year olds and it's the first time they are having acne.
Narrator: Regardless of when it first appears – acne can have tremendous emotional impact in adults. Severity doesn't seem to matter:
Jamie MacKelfresh, M.D. Dermatologist, Emory University: Some people with what we would consider horrible acne go on and they are not that bothered, even when you probe, they seem fine. Others where the physician would consider virtually cured are still very bothered.
Narrator: Even though the patient's skin looks clear – for her, acne has been devastating:
Patient: If I have an event or an important work engagement and if I have one of those big, I call them underground pimples that start under your skin, then big, and it gets so upsetting you know you just don't want to face the world.
Narrator: In fact, acne's impact on quality of life can be as great as that reported by those suffering from chronic asthma, epilepsy, diabetes or arthritis.
Jamie MacKelfresh, M.D. Dermatologist, Emory University: It would seem surprising at first that acne can have that same quality of life impact (butt) as these major diseases, but when you think about it, it's on our face, it's on our chest, it's on the parts of our body that we present to the outside world and it's a very important part of who we are
Narrator: As a result…depression, social phobia, certain anxiety disorders have been associated with adult acne.
Alison O'Neil Tritt Aesthetics & Plastics Center: Often times I see a lot of bumps there.
Narrator: As an aesthetician and counselor Alison O'Neil treats both the skin condition and the emotional impact of acne.
Alison O'Neil Tritt Aesthetics & Plastics Center: It's difficult for people to see because there's no redness in other words around any of this, its just blocked pores
Narrator: She finds when patients are able to get their acne under control by understanding the course of the disorder, how to cleanse and protect their skin and how to properly use medications prescribed by their dermatologists…they do better emotionally.
Alison O'Neil Tritt Aesthetics & Plastics Center: It's just about our lives, understanding our bodies. And this is the largest organ of the body and so it's our responsibility to understand it and live with it.
Patient: You just want to put your best self forward and it really can be devastating, kind of makes me emotional thinking about it, it is under control now, at this moment and looking at me you'd think that it's fine, but it is upsetting.
Narrator: For WebMD, I'm Rhonda Rowland