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xxiv Common Misconceptions about Acne that is life changing. Even in situations where two people have similar amounts of acne, the psychological and emotional impact that the acne has can be different between them. So, although most people experience acne at some point in their lives, no one experiences acne in the same way, and it is important to be mindful of the impact that acne can have on people. To read more about the different forms of acne, see questions 1, 4, 5, and 6. 3. ACNE ONLY AFFECTS ADOLESCENTS AND TEENAGERS It is true that acne is most common among adolescents and teenagers, especially because the hormonal changes associated with puberty signifi- cantly contribute to developing acne. At the same time, however, acne is a skin condition that can affect people of all ages, genders, races, and ethnicities. In fact, there are forms of acne that can affect newborns, chil- dren, adults, and even those in their eighties and nineties. Therefore, while acne does primarily impact adolescents and teenagers, it can affect a much broader group of people than most people realize. This topic is addressed in much greater detail in questions 7 and 8. 4. ACNE TREATMENT WORKS QUICKLY AND CAN CURE ACNE WITHIN DAYS Thankfully, acne is a very treatable skin condition for the vast majority of individuals. In fact, most people can experience complete or near complete improvement of their acne with basic medical treatment. However, treat- ments for acne often take several weeks to begin to work on the skin and improve acne bumps. In fact, many people actually experience worsening of their acne during the first few days after starting acne treatments. There- fore, the misconception that acne medications will work immediately can be very disheartening for people who start medical treatment for their acne and do not see quick results. To learn more about the way that acne medi- cations work in treating acne bumps, see questions 35, 36, 37, and 38. 5. SCARRING FROM ACNE IS PERMANENT AND CANNOT BE TREATED One of the most serious outcomes from acne is scarring, especially on sen- sitive and visible parts of the skin such as the face. This is a big problem