Adolescent Acne: Association to Sex, Puberty, Testosterone and Dihydrotestosterone

    March 2025 in “ Endocrine Connections ”
    Nanna E. Jakobsen, Jørgen Holm Petersen, Lise Aksglæde, Casper P. Hagen, Alexander S. Busch, Trine Holm Johannsen, Hanne Frederiksen, Anders Juul, Stine Agergaard Holmboe
    TLDR Higher DHT levels are linked to more acne in adolescents, especially boys.
    The study of 1,609 adolescents found that acne is more prevalent in boys (26%) than girls (11.8%), with a significant association between acne and higher dihydrotestosterone (DHT) levels. Boys experienced more severe acne in later pubertal stages, with 85% prevalence in Tanner stage G5, compared to 15% in girls at stage B4. Increased 5α-reductase activity, converting testosterone to DHT, may contribute to acne development. The study concludes that late pubertal boys have a higher prevalence of acne, and higher DHT concentrations are linked to acne in both sexes, while oral contraceptive use did not influence acne prevalence.
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