There's a new villain in the world of super powers
Want to know a scary truth? Around 50% of adults experience acne during adulthood, and more than 80% of these cases occur in women. Great. But there's an even more alarming matter capturing our attention of late. The fact that acne has gone and gotten itself some super powers.
During the British Association of Dermatologists' Annual conference, it was acknowledged that 'super acne' is very much real... and it's absolutely terrifying. Known by experts as, p. acnes, this particular strand is capable of evading elimination by common antibiotics. And according to specialists it's resistant to even the best acne treatments - unlike the normal strain of acne, which usually subsides over a course of medication.
Mutations like this commonly occur when bacteria is exposed to antibiotics for a prolonged period of time. So, although antibiotics have been helping boys, girls, men and women for years, they've sort of helped acne to gain a force to be reckoned with. Shit.
The good news is, there's a whole lot of other complexion-clearing alternatives, like salicylic acid, over the counter spot treatments and different types of antibiotics. And you can find the best spot-busting serums here. The bad news is, you won't know whether you're dealing with super acne until three months after treatment.
However, if your acne does prove to be drug-resistant, you'll likely be advised to try ointments such as benzoyl peroxide, which can improve your skin in just a few weeks by injecting air into the pore to help decongest your skin. And if your blemishes are connected to hormones, you may be given spironolactone - an oral medication that reduces hormone-dependent increases in sebum.
So there is hope within these dark times. Just make sure you consult with a doctor on which treatment is right for your skin.
