While acne is not a dangerous disease, it affects a large number of people. It can make a big difference not only in the way you look, but also in the way you feel and relate to others. A look at the statistics will give you an idea of how big the problem is.

There are over 60 million Americans who have current acne problems at any given moment. This very large group of acne sufferers comes from many different age groups, races, economic circumstances, and both genders. It does not matter who you are, you could get acne some time in your life.

Of these 60 million people, 20 million people have acne that is so bad that they will have scars from it. Acne can be treated for any of them. Yet, over 40% of them will do nothing about their acne. 30% will use an over-the-counter medication. 20% will go to a skin care center, and 11% will actually go to see a doctor.

Of all adults, 20% suffer from acne. When a condition is so widespread that one in five adults has it, it means that it is a significant problem. If you are an adult with acne, you are not alone.

To show how common acne is among adults you only need to look at the statistics about one medication. Tretinoin is a medication that can be used for either sun damage to skin, or for acne. 75% of the prescriptions written for patients aged 33 years old were written for acne and not for sun damage. For the patients aged 40 years old, 63% of the prescriptions were written for acne.

On the other hand, 85% of teenagers have acne of some degree. Although many adults have acne, it is easy to see why people think of acne as being a teenager’s disease. The fact that there are so few teenagers who do not have acne shows that it is definitely a problem that teenagers can relate to.

Of these teenagers who have the condition, 25% have acne bad enough to cause permanent scarring. Thus, the condition will follow them into adulthood unless they expend the time and money to get the scars removed.

In fact, acne happens to be the most prevalent skin disease in America. There are more people with acne than with psoriasis, eczema, or any other kind of dermatitis. Acne causes pain, discomfort, and emotional upheaval to millions of people every year.