The new review showed that prevalence in 2021 was highest in Germany, where almost 15.98% of teenagers and young adults were diagnosed.
Researchers said rates of acne had been on the rise in all countries, except New Zealand.
“Our research didn’t look at why this is, but it could be linked to lifestyle factors like diet, stress, obesity rates, increased exposure to pollution from urbanisation, or simply a greater likelihood of seeking treatment.
“It is plausible that, as healthcare becomes more accessible in countries, reported acne rates increase. This is unlikely to be the only factor though, as even in countries with good access to healthcare, cases have increased.
I had bad acne issues as a teen. If I would give one simple advice to myself then I would say “just go to the doctor and get the tetracycline already. You don’t have to live with it no matter if you are bullied or your parents give you alternative remedies. Just go to a doctor and it will get better!”
The worst part of acne was that it bought severe depression, and not necessarily the kind that is easy to recognize as a teen.
Okay, tell me more. Is this like accutane in that it will impact, e.g. gut health?
Tetracycline is an antibiotic, so it kills stuff in your gut. Not all of it, but it is best to take probiotics if you’re taking any kind of antibiotic just to keep your gut flora a little happier. It also kills the bugs that tend to be the reason there’s pus in acne, which are what cause acne to be red and bumpy
Accutane is like a roided-out version of vitamin A and works like vitamin A in your skin, just even more vita-tastically, or whatever scientific term is appropriate. This means that it clears up some of the causes of acne (makes your skin produce less oil, shrinks pores so they can’t clog as easily, etc.), but it’s so freakin’ vitastic that it goes too far. All my friends on Accutane in high school needed lip balm 24/7 and a few of them had frequent nosebleeds, especially while playing sports. One of them had to go off it very soon after he started because it made his acne much worse and he ended up with a pustule 2.5 inches across on his back that needed to be drained and packed.
Inflammatory bowel disease is another thing that seems to pop up down the line for some accutane users, but AFAIK no formal causal link had been established, or perhaps heads are just in the sand. For what it’s worth, one of the folks I know from high school that took accutane has been dealing with inflammatory bowel problems since shortly after she took it, which was around 20 years ago.
Very different drugs that work on acne from entirely different angles. Tetracycline won’t cause long term gut health problems all on its own unless you take it for far too long, or at unsafe dosages.
Okay, this is actually really insightful, I will definitely follow up on this. Thank you so much!
Please follow up with a doctor! I am not a medical professional and what I have written is entirely anectodal and unverified.