Acne

REQUEST AN APPOINTMENT OR BOOK A CONSULANT – Sargam.dange.18@gmail.com

Your skin has tiny holes called pores that can become blocked by oil, bacteria, dead skin cells, and dirt. When this occurs, you may develop a pimple or “zit.” If your skin is repeatedly affected by this condition, you may have acne.

According to the American Academy of Dermatology, acne is the most common skin condition in the U.S. Although acne isn’t a life-threatening condition, it can be painful, particularly when it’s severe. It can also cause emotional distress.

Acne that appears on your face can affect your self-esteem and, over time, may cause permanent physical scarring.

There are many effective treatments for acne that reduce both the number of pimples you get and your chance of scarring.

Acne is a skin condition that occurs when your hair follicles become plugged with oil and dead skin cells. It causes whiteheads, blackheads or pimples. Acne is most common among teenagers, though it affects people of all ages.

Effective acne treatments are available, but acne can be persistent. The pimples and bumps heal slowly, and when one begins to go away, others seem to crop up.

Depending on its severity, acne can cause emotional distress and scar the skin. The earlier you start treatment, the lower your risk of such problems.

Causes

Four main factors cause acne:

• Excess oil (sebum) production
• Hair follicles clogged by oil and dead skin cells
• Bacteria
• Inflammation

Acne typically appears on your face, forehead, chest, upper back and shoulders because these areas of skin have the most oil (sebaceous) glands. Hair follicles are connected to oil glands.

The follicle wall may bulge and produce a whitehead. Or the plug may be open to the surface and darken, causing a blackhead. A blackhead may look like dirt stuck in pores. But actually the pore is congested with bacteria and oil, which turns brown when it’s exposed to the air.

Pimples are raised red spots with a white center that develop when blocked hair follicles become inflamed or infected with bacteria. Blockages and inflammation deep inside hair follicles produce cystlike lumps beneath the surface of your skin. Other pores in your skin, which are the openings of the sweat glands, aren’t usually involved in acne.

Certain things may trigger or worsen acne:

• Hormonal changes. Androgens are hormones that increase in boys and girls during puberty and cause the sebaceous glands to enlarge and make more sebum. Hormone changes during midlife, particularly in women, can lead to breakouts too.
• Certain medications. Examples include drugs containing corticosteroids, testosterone or lithium.
• Diet. Studies indicate that consuming certain foods — including carbohydrate-rich foods, such as bread, bagels and chips — may worsen acne. Further study is needed to examine whether people with acne would benefit from following specific dietary restrictions.
• Stress. Stress doesn’t cause acne, but if you have acne already, stress may make it worse.

Acne myths

These factors have little effect on acne:

• Chocolate and greasy foods. Eating chocolate or greasy food has little to no effect on acne.
• Hygiene. Acne isn’t caused by dirty skin. In fact, scrubbing the skin too hard or cleansing with harsh soaps or chemicals irritates the skin and can make acne worse.
• Cosmetics. Cosmetics don’t necessarily worsen acne, especially if you use oil-free makeup that doesn’t clog pores (noncomedogenics) and remove makeup regularly. Nonoily cosmetics don’t interfere with the effectiveness of acne drugs.

Symptoms

Acne signs vary depending on the severity of your condition:

• Whiteheads (closed plugged pores)
• Blackheads (open plugged pores)
• Small red, tender bumps (papules)
• Pimples (pustules), which are papules with pus at their tips
• Large, solid, painful lumps under the skin (nodules)
• Painful, pus-filled lumps under the skin (cystic lesions)

Acne usually appears on the face, forehead, chest, upper back and shoulders.

When to see a doctor

If self-care remedies don’t clear your acne, see your primary care doctor. He or she can prescribe stronger medications. If acne persists or is severe, you may want to seek medical treatment from a doctor who specializes in the skin (dermatologist or pediatric dermatologist).

For many women, acne can persist for decades, with flares common a week before menstruation. This type of acne tends to clear up without treatment in women who use contraceptives.

In older adults, a sudden onset of severe acne may signal an underlying disease requiring medical attention.

REQUEST AN APPOINTMENT OR BOOK A CONSULANT – Sargam.dange.18@gmail.com

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) warns that some popular nonprescription acne lotions, cleansers and other skin products can cause a serious reaction. This type of reaction is quite rare, so don’t confuse it with any redness, irritation or itchiness that occurs in areas where you’ve applied medications or products.

Seek emergency medical help if after using a skin product you experience:

• Faintness
• Difficulty breathing
• Swelling of the eyes, face, lips or tongue
• Tightness of the throat

Complications

People with darker skin types are more likely than are people with lighter skin to experience these acne complications:

• Scars. Pitted skin (acne scars) and thick scars (keloids) can remain long-term after acne has healed.
• Skin changes. After acne has cleared, the affected skin may be darker (hyperpigmented) or lighter (hypopigmented) than before the condition occurred.

Risk factors

Risk factors for acne include:

• Age. People of all ages can get acne, but it’s most common in teenagers.
• Hormonal changes. Such changes are common during puberty or pregnancy.
• Family history. Genetics plays a role in acne. If both of your parents had acne, you’re likely to develop it too.
• Greasy or oily substances. You may develop acne where your skin comes into contact with oil or oily lotions and creams.
• Friction or pressure on your skin. This can be caused by items such as telephones, cellphones, helmets, tight collars and backpacks.

How is acne diagnosed?

If you have symptoms of acne, your doctor can make a diagnosis by examining your skin. Your doctor will identify the types of lesions and their severity to determine the best treatment.

How is acne treated?

At-home care

There are a few self-care activities you can try at home to prevent pimples and clear up your acne. Home remedies for acne include:

• cleaning your skin daily with a mild soap to remove excess oil and dirt
• shampooing your hair regularly and keeping it out of your face
• using makeup that’s water-based or labeled “noncomedogenic” (not pore-clogging)
• not squeezing or picking pimples, which spreads bacteria and excess oil
• not wearing hats or tight headbands
• not touching your face

Medication

If self-care doesn’t help with your acne, a few over-the-counter acne medications are available. Most of these medications contain ingredients that can help kill bacteria or reduce oil on your skin. These include:

• Benzoyl peroxide is present in many acne creams and gels. It’s used for drying out existing pimples and preventing new ones. Benzoyl peroxide also kills acne-causing bacteria.
• Sulfur is a natural ingredient with a distinctive smell that’s found in some lotions, cleansers, and masks.
• Resorcinol is a less common ingredient used to remove dead skin cells.
• Salicylic acid is often used in soaps and acne washes. It helps prevent pores from getting plugged.

Sometimes, you may continue to experience symptoms. If this happens, you may want to seek medical advice. Your doctor can prescribe medications that may help reduce your symptoms and prevent scarring. These include:

• Oral or topical antibiotics reduce inflammation and kill the bacteria that cause pimples. Typically, antibiotics are only used for a short time so that your body doesn’t build up a resistance and leave you prone to infections.
• Prescription topical creams such as retinoic acid or prescription-strength benzoyl peroxide is often stronger than over-the-counter treatments. They work to reduce oil production. Benzoyl peroxide serves as a bactericidal agent that prevents the resistance of acne-causing bacteria to antibiotics. It also has moderate comedone-destroying and anti-inflammatory properties.

Women with hormonal acne may be treated with birth control pills or spironolactone. These medications regulate hormones that can cause acne through a decrease in oil production.

Isotretinoin (Accutane) is a vitamin-A-based medication used to treat certain cases of severe nodular acne. It can cause serious side effects, and it’s only used when other treatments don’t work.

Your doctor may recommend procedures to treat severe acne and prevent scarring. These procedures work by removing damaged skin and reducing oil production. They include:

• Photodynamic therapy uses medication and a special light or laser to reduce oil production and bacteria. Other lasers may be used alone to help improve acne or scarring.
• Dermabrasion removes the top layers of your skin with a rotating brush and would be best for treating acne scarring as opposed to a treatment for acne. Microdermabrasion is a milder treatment that helps remove dead skin cells.
• A chemical peel removes the top layers of your skin. That skin peels off to reveal less damaged skin underneath. Chemical peels can improve mild acne scarring.
• Your doctor may suggest using cortisone injections if your acne consists of large cysts. Cortisone is a steroid naturally produced by your body. It can reduce inflammation and speed healing. Cortisone is usually used along with other acne treatments.

What is the outlook for someone with acne?

Treatment for acne is often successful. Most people can expect their acne to begin clearing up within six to eight weeks. However, flare-ups are common and may require additional or long-term treatment. Isotretinoin is the treatment most likely to provide permanent or long-term positive results.

Acne scarring can cause emotional distress. But, prompt treatment can help prevent scarring. Also, your dermatologist will have treatment options designed to treat scarring.

REQUEST AN APPOINTMENT OR BOOK A CONSULANT – Sargam.dange.18@gmail.com