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Started 3 years ago by Paul
Latest reply from priyaviv45
About acne
More than four in five teenagers get some form of acne. It's much less common in later life. However, about one in 20 women and one in 100 men aged 25 to 40 continue to be affected by acne, or develop it at this age (late-onset acne). Rarely, newborn babies can get acne in the first few weeks or months of life.
Acne starts to develop when hair follicles in your skin become blocked with the natural oil produced by your skin (known as sebum) and dead skin cells. Each follicle is connected to a sebaceous gland that lies just underneath the surface of your skin. The sebaceous glands produce sebum to keep your skin soft and supple. Normally, sebum travels up the follicle and out through small holes (pores) on the surface of your skin. However, if your body produces too much sebum, and dead skin cells get trapped in your pores, a 'spot' will form. This can either be a whitehead or a blackhead.
The skin
Sometimes the bacterium Propionibacterium acnes, which normally lives on the surface of your skin, causes inflammation (but not infection) in the hair follicles. If the inflammation develops near the surface of your skin, red or yellow spots (pustules) can form. Deeper inflamed lesions (nodules and cysts) can form if the infection is nearer the hair root. In very severe acne, cysts may join together to form even larger, deeper inflamed lesions (acne conglobata), but this is rare.
Acne isn't infectious, so you can't catch it or pass it on to other people.
Symptoms of acne
If you have mild or moderate acne, you may have greasy skin and spots (whiteheads or blackheads) on your face, back and chest. Most spots will not cause any other symptoms. Sometimes, spots that have become inflamed and infected (pustules, nodules and cysts) may be painful.
Acne can usually be treated with over-the-counter creams and lotions. However, if your acne doesn't improve with self-help measures, or is affecting you emotionally, see your GP.
Complications of acne
Most people have a mild form of acne that usually clears up after their teenage years, but sometimes more severe complications may develop if you have moderate or severe acne.
Scarring. Up to one in five people with acne have scarring that is socially noticeable. If you pick and squeeze your spots, you may get 'ice pick' scars. These are initially purple in colour before fading to a whitish colour. Rarely, 'keloid' (lumpy, painful and itchy) scars may develop on your chest and back.
Hyperpigmentation (your skin becomes darker in the areas affected by acne). You're more likely to have hyperpigmentation if you have a dark skin tone.
Psychological problems. Acne may cause you to have low self-esteem or feel angry about the appearance of your skin, especially if you have scarring. Talk to your GP if your acne is making you feel particularly low.
Causes of acneContrary to popular belief, acne isn't caused by poor diet or bad hygiene.
During puberty, both men and women produce more of the male hormone testosterone. This increases the production of sebum in your skin, causing it to become greasy and encouraging spots to form. It's thought that this is one of the main reasons most teenagers develop acne during puberty.
If you're a woman, hormonal changes during your menstrual cycle and pregnancy may trigger acne.
Acne can be hereditary. For example, if both your parents had acne you have an increased chance of having it too.
Other rarer causes of acne may include:
conditions such as polycystic ovary syndrome and Cushing's syndrome
some progesterone-based contraceptives
cosmetic products, particularly some types of greasy moisturisers
medicines such as steroid creams and ointments used for eczema, and some anti-epileptics
Diagnosis of acneYour GP will examine your skin and may ask about your medical history.
Acne is easily recognisable by the distribution of spots on your body. Depending on how severe the acne is, your GP will recommend the most appropriate treatment.
Treatment of acne
Most treatments aim to control the symptoms of acne by:
preventing new spots forming
reducing inflammation in spots that are already present
preventing scarring -
Acne is the most common type of skin disorder. In this condition there is an inflammation of sebaceous glands and also the hair follicles. Usually it appears on the skin of the neck, chest, shoulders and face also.
Causes of AcneFollowing are the major acne causes:
1. Improper diet
2. Use of cosmetic products
3. Hormonal disturbances
4. Lack of hygiene
5. Indigestion and constipation
6. Presence of toxins in blood
7. Menstruation
8. Eating chocolate, nuts, soft drinks, fatty meals and increased sugarAcne is often treated by dermatologists (doctors who specialize in skin problems). These doctors treat all kinds of acne, particularly severe cases. Doctors who are general or family practitioners, pediatricians, or internists may treat patients with milder cases of acne.
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Acne is one of the major problem among teenagers...I think one shud take care of eating habits in teen age....
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