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Risk factors
By Mayo Clinic staffHormonal changes in your body can provoke or aggravate acne. Such changes are common in:
- Teenagers, both in boys and girls
- Women and girls, two to seven days before their periods
- Pregnant women
- People using certain medications, including cortisone
Other risk factors include:
- Direct skin exposure to greasy or oily substances, or to certain cosmetics applied directly to the skin
- A family history of acne — if your parents had acne, you're likely to develop it too
- Friction or pressure on your skin caused by various items, such as telephones or cell phones, helmets, tight collars and backpacks
References
- Questions and answers about acne. National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases. http://www.niams.nih.gov/Health_Info/Acne/default.asp. Accessed Aug. 18, 2009.
- Acne, rosacea, and related disorders. In: Habif TP. Habif: Clinical Dermatology. 4th ed. St. Louis, Mo.: Mosby; 2006. http://www.mdconsult.com/das/book/body/154949720-8/876573412/1195/43.html#4-u1.0-B0-323-01319-8..50009-1--cesec93_660. Accessed Aug. 18, 2009.
- Thiboutot D, et al. New insights into the management of acne: An update from the Global Alliance to Improve Outcomes in Acne Group. Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology. 2009;60:S1.
- Ofori AO. Treatment of acne vulgaris. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed Aug. 18, 2009.
- Ofori AO. Pathogenesis, clinical manifestations, and diagnosis of acne vulgaris. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed Aug. 18, 2009.
- Acne scarring. American Academy of Dermatology's AcneNet. http://www.skincarephysicians.com/acnenet/scarring.html. Accessed Aug. 18, 2009.
- Ofori AO. Oral isotretinoin therapy for acne vulgaris. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed Aug. 18, 2009.
- Ofori AO. Light-based, adjunctive, and other therapies for acne vulgaris. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed Aug. 18, 2009.
- Hull SK. Acne vulgaris and acne rosacea. In: Rakel D. Integrative Medicine. 2nd. ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Saunders Elsevier; 2007. http://www.mdconsult.com/das/book/body/154949720-5/876573048/1494/120.html#4-u1.0-B978-1-4160-2954-0..50077-6_3793. Accessed Aug. 18, 2009.
- Bowe WP, et al. Effective over-the-counter acne treatments. Seminars in Cutaneous Medicine and Surgery. 2008;27:170.
