How Long Does Acne Last
How long does acne last?
For thousands of years, awkward teenagers and young adults alike have suffered the red marks, blotchy features, painful swellings and unattractive blemishes that are all hallmarks of that most ruthless of opponents: acne. How long does acne last? That would be the first question in the mind of anyone considering going outside, into the public arena with an acne-scarred face. Does this pimple stay with me until life itself ends? The answer is going to vary, but within reason, we can point out some land marks to look for along the ugly road of vanquishing acne with time.
What other teenage problem is so obvious as an outbreak of acne on the face? That would be the teenager’s angst. In general terms, angst is a collection of hormones all working to change the personality and physical make-up of their young host. The answer to the question, “How long does acne last?” can, in some ways, coincide with the end of that teenage angst. A couple of problems with this, however; some kids never outgrow their troubled years, and so this would be a poor choice of landmarks for them. Also, with the end of that angst come other stressors which bring on outbreaks of acne. With some certainty, biology working to change itself hormonally is the cause of much of the earlier acne years.
When the teenage years are over, what then, is the root cause of the break-outs? Changes continue to occur in the bodies of young adults, and sadly for them, these changes are often accompanied by breakouts of acne. The good news here is that the outbreaks should be milder and less frequent. This does not entirely suffice for a young person asking “how long does acne last?” but it does show the lessened power of acne and the increased ability to outgrow it. When skin problems do occur after twenty, it is usually time to blame heredity..
Some people are not going to outgrow their acne. Yes, it is true. Some people walk around as 30, 40, even 50 year olds with acne. No, there are not many of them, but they are out there. The reason this even sounds ludicrous is testament to the fact that there just aren’t that many people those ages suffering from what should be a teenager’s challenge. The fact that we do not know the diet and genetic make-up of every person suffering from middle-aged acne means that we do not know what they are doing wrong (or what their ancestors gave them in terms of genes).
What we do know, is that, as hormone levels drop and as diets full of grains and sugars become more rare, the aging human tends to have fewer and fewer outbreaks until, one day, with any luck, and this is going to hold true for the majority of people out there, the acne will stop. That day might be a couple years after their first growth spurt or a decade, but that day is likely going to come.
