What is acne? Acne is a term attributed to plugged
pores, commonly known as blackheads and whiteheads, pimples, and even
cysts or nodules, occur on the face, neck, chest, back, shoulders and
upper arms. Follicles, often called pores, often get blocked with sebum
(oil), which normally drains to the surface, and a bacteria
propionibacterium acnes, begins to grow. Both whiteheads and blackheads
start out as a "microcomedone" which then become skin blemishes called
comedones. Acne can be upsetting, disfiguring, sometimes leading to
permanent scarring.
There are different types of acne. A white
head is a lesion where trapped sebum and bacteria stay below the skin
surface. A blackhead, on the other hand, is a lesion where trapped
sebum and bacteria partially open to the surface and turn black due to
the skin pigment melanin.
A papule is a small solid lesion slightly elevated
above the surface of the skin. A pustule, again, is a dome-shaped skin
elevation containing pus: a mixture of white blood cells, dead skin
cells, and bacteria. It often has a hair in the center. A macule is a
temporary red spot left by a healed acne lesion. It is flat and
pinkish, with well-defined borders that can persist for days to weeks.
A number of macules can contribute to the "inflamed face" appearance of
acne. A nodule is a solid dome-shaped or irregularly shaped lesion,
characterized by pain, inflammation and extending into deeper layers of
the skin. It may cause tissue destruction resulting in scarring.
A
cyst is a sac-like lesion containing white blood cells, dead cells, and
bacteria. It may be severely inflamed and painful, extending into
deeper layers of the skin and can result in scarring.
Who gets
acne? Acne affects teenagers mostly; however it can occur in adults of
all age groups also. Acne starts between the ages of ten and thirteen
and usually lasts for five to ten years. It normally goes away on its
own in the early twenties but can stretch into the late twenties or
thirties or even beyond. Some people get acne for the first time as
adults.
Eighty-five percent of teenagers have had at least
a mild form of acne. During puberty increased hormone levels cause an
increase in oil production. This increased oil can then combine with
dead skin cells and cause acne. Acne does not discriminate though as
some adults, especially women, have intermittent acne all their lives.
For many people the question of “what causes adult
acne” has been a tireless quest in search of an answer to a problem
that plagues many individuals worldwide. For instance 90 percent of all
adolescents and almost 25 percent of all adults are acne sufferers. In
terms of gender approximately 50% of all adult men and 50% of all adult
women suffer or have suffered from some form of acne. One difference in
gender is where the acne outbreak takes place and the severity of zits
and blackheads that form. Males more often have the severe form of acne
rather than females, due to their hormones. Generally the infected
areas that tend to break out most frequently (the chest and back) are
unfortunately more difficult to treat.
The real cause of acne
can actually be a blend of several factors. Typically there are several
steps that lead to zits, pimples, blackheads and minor skin blemishes.
The main cause of acne is due to the blocking or clogging of hair
follicles, more commonly know as pores. Unfortunately the reasons and
combination of events that cause pores to become clogged isn’t fully
known. There are many contributing elements for teenagers and adults
alike, which can include hereditary factors such as whether or not
there is a history of acne problems and if so, to what extent,
hormones, dietary and vitamin supplemental intake and stress related
factors. Other forces or events that can strongly influence the
development of acne and pimples include your body’s normal function of
eradicating itself of its dead skin cells. If this cycle gets out of
whack or becomes irregular due to climate and other environmental
forces or overall body health at the time it can cause your hormones
and their effect on your own body’s sebum production to increase which
is bad for your complexion but outstanding for breeding acne.
When
the body’s function of shedding dead skin cells becomes irregular the
normal dead skin cells that combine with your body’s natural sebum oil
as it drains through the skin’s surface become clogged and cause
blocked pores. This substance becomes somewhat sticky, further clogging
the passageway. This allows the cultivating and incubating of bacteria,
which begins to grow around these clogged areas. As a normal reaction
your body’s white blood cells attack the bacteria, fighting it and
pushing it out of the body. The outcome of this battle between the
white blood cells and bacteria leads to a growth usually within 14-day
to 21-days. These growths are referred to as microcomedones.
Microcomedones turn into comedones, which are more commonly referred to
as blemishes, pimples or acne.
As you can see the formation
of acne is based on a series of events, which starts with the blocking
of pores. The outcome is usually an increase in production of
microcomedones which results in the very noticeable skin blemish known
throughout the world as zits, blackheads, acne or pimples.
What is acne symptoms going to look like to
most people? You will most likely notice an outbreak of whiteheads,
blackheads or pimples. These can occur on your face, back, shoulders,
or chest. Whiteheads and blackheads are clogged pores, while pimples
have a bacteria build-up under the clogged pores. Large and deep
pimples are called cystic lesions and can be quite painful and create
scarring.
What is acne treatments going to consist of? Acne treatments depend
upon the severity of the acne. The goal is to reduce or eliminate acne
outbreaks and reduce any scarring that may occur with an acne outbreak.
The first method of treatment to begin with is cleansing with a mild
soap and warm water and using benzoyl peroxide. This often controls and
prevents mild acne.
The treatment of acne is not difficult at all. Following
a clear regimen helps considerably. Gentle cleansing plus plenty of
2.5% Benzoyl Peroxide gives a clear skin as Benzoyl peroxide kills the
acne bacteria well. A little itchiness after an application is quite
normal, and some people also experience redness of the skin for the
initial couple of weeks. However, this will definitely get better
because it will cure the acne and prevent any new outbreaks.
Other pages on Acne: Acne food
Note: While every care is taken to provide medically accurate and up
to date information in this web site, it is to be noted that this
advice is not intended to replace the advice of your physician. Before
undertaking the advice contained in this web site, you should consult a
medical professional.
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