56 replies to this topic

[Principal_Pimp_el]

I don't have any new research to post, but I was hoping people who have come across genetics research or even from your own experience could help me out.

So, my dad, who I happen to take after looks-wise, just told me he had acne well into his thirties and still gets the occasional spot...this news is devastating to me..

However, my mom tells me my dad did not have acne when she met him at exactly 30 years old. I don't know who's memory is failing here - I hope it is my dad's but anyways, I am 27 and still have acne (for about 13 or 14 years now) and I guess I want someone to say "Don't worry, you won't necessarily follow your dad's pattern."

Here's the thing though, can someone post scientific research showing the correlation between parents' and children's acne, percentage-wise. How strong or weak is the correlation? I know there are people who come from families where acne is practically non-existent but they have a pretty bad case, but how about the opposite scenario, where one or both parents had bad or chronic acne, yet the kids lucked out? Many thanks!!!

[jmcsm]

My dad had acne so did my brother. Both have the scars to prove it. I am the same. We are prone to icepick and rolling scars. Not nice at all.

My mum however hardly had any acne at all. I think only a few throughout her whole life. Her parents and siblings were the same.

[Principal_Pimp_el]

Hi jmcsm,

do you known when your dad outgrew acne? How about your brother? are you older than they were when they outgrew it? thanks.

[The Effendi]

My parents had little to no acne and I had it for 7 years and it's still
kinda on and off. Genes don't make any sense but good luck.

[jmcsm]

I don't know about my dad but my brother outgrew it in his 20s. I think he is clear most of the time now. He is 26.

I still suffer from acne unfortunately. I am 20.

Genes don't affect some people so it depends I suppose. Acne genes had to start somewhere. In my case it is partly genetics and partly hormonal.

[Demem]

I can sympathize on how you feel, how-ever I would wait till the Dr says it's ok.

My mum and all of her 7 sisters and 3 brothers (yes that many) have all had crystal clear nice tanned skin. Even the ones that are in their 60's dont even have much wrinkles and no sign of even liver spots! My dads side however apparently had MILD acne. My 2 step bros always had clear skin and my sister had very very little spots from time to time (usually period spots, she tells me) So i dont get why i am the only one with severe acne. I guess genetics dont have that much to do with it.

[Test Tube]

My dad had bad acne into his 30s and my siblings were mostly spared except my sister when she was younger. My mom had crystal clear skin. I'm the only one with really severe acne and I'm almost 23.

[Douglas Quaid]

Neither or my parents have ever had bad skin. They've never need anything more than basic bar soap. As far as I know neither have any of their parents/siblings.
However, I have very oily skin and moderate acne, and both my brother and sister have fairly bad skin, though not as bad as mine.

Maybe we just lucked-out and are the result of hundreds of years of bad skin being a recessive gene in our parents.

[find myself]

hmmm I think it has some effect my mom didn't have acne my dad claims he has a lot but if he did then it sure doesn't show on his face because he doesn't have scars at all that I can see of. So yeah I don't know if there is a correlation. If there is I guess it's the genes from my dad. Sigh if it is I'm gonna hate my genes forever.

[-lxl-]

ya i think i read several articles and stuff that acne is genetic... even if your both parents did not have any acne history, your grandparents and etc could have had acne, but was just carrried over to your parents as recessive genes

[radikal]

ya i think i read several articles and stuff that acne is genetic... even if your both parents did not have any acne history, your grandparents and etc could have had acne, but was just carrried over to your parents as recessive genes

Actually the "good" news if you will, is - acne is not a recessive genetic disease, but follows a dominant pattern (does not skip generations). There is research I can reference (just not right now), and there is also my own (unsystematic) fact gathering over the last 15 years.

[IPA]

My mom recently told me that she started getting acne in her 20s, and her sister got it bad as well. I think my dad got it too, but not as much. So I guess I'm probably doomed to have it for a few more years

[Mrs. Lovely]

Neither of my parents ever had acne. They both got the occasional spot a few times a year, but thats it. None of my siblings ever had acne either (they are all older than me), yet I've had it since I was 11 (and now I'm 26 *tomorrow*). Lucky me!

[Alphadog82]

I don't believe genetics is the main cause of acne for most people, because if you look at groups of people who eat a healthy non-Western diet that is made up of unhealthy fast foods, milk products, sodas, etc. acne is almost non-existent.

For example...

From the Archives of Dermatology, December 2002 (Volume 138, Number 12) researchers found that:

"Acne vulgaris is virtually nonexistent in 2 nonwesternized populations: the Kitavan Islanders of Papua New Guinea and the Ache hunter-gatherers of Paraguay. Of 1200 Kitavan subjects (including 300 aged 15-25 years) and 115 Ache subjects (including 15 aged 15-25 years), no active cases of acne were observed over an 843-day period. Both Kitavans and Ache hunter-gatherers have in common a relative lack of Western influence, subsisting on low-fat and low-glycemic-load diets (eg, fruit, vegetables, fish, wild game)."

You see in this group of people, even these young teenagers from age 15 didn't have a single case of acne. Now isn't this the time period where most people in the Western world are supposed to get acne?

Okay this describes how their diet is healthy, but it doesn't explain genetic's influence on acne.
So let's observe other ethnicities from around the world who incorporated Western foods into their diet.

Here's a comment from the same study:

"Inuit Eskimo population was devoid of acne when following traditional living and eating habits, but developed acne prevalence comparable to Western societies when adapting to a Western lifestyle. Others have observed a similar transition in nonwesternized societies such as the Peruvian Indians and Bantu of South Africa."

You see, we could've explained that the Inuit Eskimos did not have acne because of their "clear skin genetics" and they were completely devoid of acne at one point in time. But after incorporating Western foods, acne appeared. Same goes for the Peruvian Indians, Bantu of South Africa, and even the Japanese (not included in this particular study)

That's why I think genetics and acne is way over-rated and greatly exaggerated. My dad has serious acne when he was a teenager and even sprouts a few pimples no and then in his late 50's. I had moderate acne also...but when I kept a strict diet, following supplementation my acne almost completely disappeared.

I don't even use any more of those useless benzoyl peroxide/salicylic acid washes anymore and never take antibiotics or drugs because acne always reappears no matter what when I use these treatments. BUT now that I eat a low GI, healthy diet along with supplementation, I almost always have clear skin.

Oh and if you want to look at that study, here's the link (you gotta sign up though):

The study in detail...

[D n]

NOBODY in my family has had acne except my grandfather. He had severe acne on his back, and moderate acne on his cheeks/chin.

My father and my mother used to get an occasional pimple in their teens, and so do I. I've had 2 minor breakouts in the past three years, not that bad.

[sonal]

I agree that the average Western diet is not as healthy since we eat mostly processed stuff and less of fresh fruits and vegetables. Even our meat produts are filled with artificial hormones and antibiotics. Not to mention the 1000's of chemicals we put on our face and body everyday.
But acne has to be partly also genetic. Since we see people all around us eating all the junk food they want but still having clear, spotless skin. Maybe it manifests itself in other ways in their body instead of acne. There has been rise in cardiovascular disease, diabetes etc. only in the last century when we have swithced from natural way to life to all mechanized, sedentary way of life. Girls and boys are attaining puberty earlier. All this is an effect of modern lifestyle I believe.

[sarajane1029]

my dad had acne, had to take medication for it and still does (43.) same with my uncle. my mom (42) and my aunts (50 and 44) were on medication for it, my mom has scarring and my aunts still have it. my dad's dad had cystic acne, still has a little. my dad's mom did too, has alot of scarring on her cheeks. my younger brother is 11 and i'm really hoping he doesn't get it too..

[stereophonic]

acne's definitely hereditary. i feel for my children should i ever have any

[Acneminator]

Hey Acne yeah you tried loads and loads of stuff that couldnt work for you ..maybe you should start from inside your body ..CHANGE YOUR DIET ! serious ...
and stop smoking if you do
no alcohol
and check out the net about what type of food can cause u allergy to acne ...some people stop eggs and milk their acne dissappear off

[D n]

My grandpa had severe acne (excluding cysts) when he was a teen, but that's probably because he spent his early teens hiding from and ambushing Nazi troops with primitive resistance, as he lost most of his family during World War 2.

Nobody except him in my family has ever had acne, looks like me and my brother are the only ones with mild acne, or acne at all