Evolutionary Significance of Acne?

[Shawn]

Why is it that humans get acne and why do some people get it worse than others? Could it possibly have an evolutionary significance? I don't recall any other animal that is affected.

 

[Colt45]

Design flaw.

 

[0roo0roo]

yup, never selected against hard enough to eliminate. sometimes good enough is enough. like how we have sh*t things like wisdom teeth.

 

[ShotgunSteven]

To keep Aimster from procreating.

 

[aidanjm]

it's an external sign of sexual maturity. it occurs due to the hormonal changes associated with puberty. for most of our evolutionary history, we would have been reproducing by 14 or 15 years old or even earlier and dead by our late 20s

 

[b0mbrman]

Originally posted by: Shawn
Why is it that humans get acne and why do some people get it worse than others? Could it possibly have an evolutionary significance? I don't recall any other animal that is affected.

Because every time your face gets torn down by acne, it rebuilds stronger.

 

[Mo0o]

Not everything has an evolutionary purpose, might just be a random side effect of raging hormones

 

[dug777]

it attracts the opposite sex. duh!

 

[0roo0roo]

Originally posted by: Mo0o
Not everything has an evolutionary purpose, might just be a random side effect of raging hormones

or its the side effect of something else which was selected for.

 

[Mo0o]

Originally posted by: 0roo0roo

Originally posted by: Mo0o
Not everything has an evolutionary purpose, might just be a random side effect of raging hormones

or its the side effect of something else which was selected for.

well hormones help in developing secondary sex characteristics, which was selected for so iguess circuitously...

 

[BrownTown]

ACNE has nothing to do with evolutionarry casues, it is simply a disease that alot of people become more suseptible to during puberty when more sweat and oil is released. Its not like your body sees you are a computer nerd and decides to alert all the hot girls to stay away from you by giving you ACNE or something like that. Also, if it were of evolutionary signifigance it would be something selected AGAINST since people with ACNE are less likely to attract mates, so you would expect it to go away over the years, not remain so prevelant.

 

[aidanjm]

Originally posted by: BrownTown
ACNE has nothing to do with evolutionarry casues, it is simply a disease that alot of people become more suseptible to during puberty when more sweat and oil is released. Its not like your body sees you are a computer nerd and decides to alert all the hot girls to stay away from you by giving you ACNE or something like that. Also, if it were of evolutionary signifigance it would be something selected AGAINST since people with ACNE are less likely to attract mates, so you would expect it to go away over the years, not remain so prevelant.

can you point to evidence showing that individuals with mild acne (say during their teen years) are less likely to reproduce than individuals with no acne at all? I'd be very surprised if you can.

 

[f4phantom2500]

Originally posted by: Shawn
I don't recall any other animal that is affected.

One of my cats gets blackheads sometimes.

Originally posted by: aidanjm
can you point to evidence showing that individuals with mild acne (say during their teen years) are less likely to reproduce than individuals with no acne at all? I'd be very surprised if you can.

He's just saying that acne isn't attractive.

 

[Jeff7]

Originally posted by: aidanjm

Originally posted by: BrownTown
ACNE has nothing to do with evolutionarry casues, it is simply a disease that alot of people become more suseptible to during puberty when more sweat and oil is released. Its not like your body sees you are a computer nerd and decides to alert all the hot girls to stay away from you by giving you ACNE or something like that. Also, if it were of evolutionary signifigance it would be something selected AGAINST since people with ACNE are less likely to attract mates, so you would expect it to go away over the years, not remain so prevelant.

can you point to evidence showing that individuals with mild acne (say during their teen years) are less likely to reproduce than individuals with no acne at all? I'd be very surprised if you can.

Acne is probably also only a big deal in modern society, because we know that pimples contain gobs of bacteria-laden goo. Long ago, wiping your butt with your hands probably wasn't a big deal, and I don't think that pimples were much of a problem.
"Hm, face red and dotted."
"Ugh, it happen. Who care?"

 

[Phokus]

God obviously didn't want teenagers to have sex so he created acne. DUH!

 

[her209]

So you can tell the 12-year-olds from the 13-year-olds.

*RIMSHOT*