I believe most people in the world have already knew how it feels when a tiny reddish-object and sometimes becomes black showed in their face. Well, that tiny thing is often we called acne, and I know it really disturbs your self-confidant when it suddenly shows. People of all races and ages get acne. It is most common in adolescents and young adults. An estimated 80 percent of all people between the ages of 11 and 30 have acne outbreaks at some point. First thing important to tell you is Acne is a disorder resulting from the action of hormones and other substances on the skin’s oil glands (sebaceous glands) and hair follicles. These factors lead to plugged pores and outbreaks of lesions commonly called pimples or zits. Acne lesions usually occur on the face, neck, back, chest, and shoulders. Although acne is usually not a serious health threat, it can be a source of significant emotional distress. Severe acne can lead to permanent scarring.
Acne can take the following forms:
Whiteheads. These are created when the openings of hair follicles become clogged and blocked with oil secretions and dead skin.
Blackheads. These are similar to whiteheads, but are open to the skin surface and darken.
Pimples. These are raised, reddish spots that signal inflammation or infection in the hair follicles.
Cysts. These are thick lumps beneath the surface of the skin, which are formed by the buildup of secretions deep within hair follicles.
Doctors describe acne as a disease of the pilosebaceous units (PSUs). Found over most of the body, PSUs consist of a sebaceous gland connected to a canal, called a follicle, that contains a fine hair. These units are most numerous on the face, upper back, and chest. The sebaceous glands make an oily substance called sebum that normally empties onto the skin surface through the opening of the follicle, commonly called a pore. Cells called keratinocytes line the follicle.
The hair, sebum, and keratinocytes that fill the narrow follicle may produce a plug, which is an early sign of acne. The plug prevents sebum from reaching the surface of the skin through a pore. The mixture of oil and cells allows bacteria Propionibacterium acnes (P. acnes) that normally live on the skin to grow in the plugged follicles. These bacteria produce chemicals and enzymes and attract white blood cells that cause inflammation. (Inflammation is a characteristic reaction of tissues to disease or injury and is marked by four signs: swelling, redness, heat, and pain.) When the wall of the plugged follicle breaks down, it spills everything into the nearby skin – sebum, shed skin cells, and bacteria – leading to lesions or pimples.
Okay, we have known (and I hope understand) more about acne especially the forms and a little bit medical explanation about it. Well, It’s not known what causes the increased production of sebum that leads to acne. But a number of factors — including hormones, bacteria, certain medications and heredity — play a role. Contrary to what some people think, foods have little effect on acne. Acne also isn’t caused by dirt. In fact, scrubbing the skin too hard or cleansing with harsh soaps or chemicals can cause irritation, which may make acne worse. I think no one wants to make it worst, so I think let’s solve it with a good care. Here are the treatments for solving it:
Topical treatments. Acne lotions may dry up the oil, kill bacteria and promote sloughing of dead skin cells. Over-the-counter lotions are generally mild and contain benzoyl peroxide, sulfur, resorcinol, salicylic acid or lactic acid as their active ingredient. These products can be helpful for very mild acne. If your acne doesn’t respond to these treatments, you may want to see a doctor or dermatologist to get a stronger prescription lotion. Tretinoin (Avita, Retin-A, Renova) and adapalene (Differin) are examples of topical prescription products derived from vitamin A. They work by promoting cell turnover and preventing plugging of the hair follicle. A number of topical antibiotics also are available. They work by killing excess skin bacteria. Often, a combination of such products is required to achieve optimal results.
Antibiotics. For moderate to severe acne, prescription oral antibiotics may be needed to reduce bacteria and fight inflammation. Antibiotics control breakouts by curbing the body’s production of P. acnes and decreasing inflammation. This process may take several weeks or months, so be patient. And remember, you’re not “cured” just because your breakouts have subsided. That’s the medicine doing its job — so if you stop taking it, your acne will probably come back. Likewise, doubling up on your medication won’t make your skin clear up twice as fast. Using your topical antibiotics more frequently than prescribed may actually induce greater follicular irritation and plugging, which slows clearing time. And taking your oral medications more often than prescribed won’t help your skin clear faster — but it will increase your chance of experiencing unpleasant side effects.
Isotretinoin. For deep cysts, antibiotics may not be enough. Isotretinoin (Accutane) is a powerful medication available for scarring cystic acne or acne that doesn’t respond to other treatments. This medicine is reserved for the most severe forms of acne. It’s very effective, but people who take it need close monitoring by a dermatologist because of the possibility of severe side effects. Isotretinoin is associated with severe birth defects, so it can’t be taken by pregnant women or women who may become pregnant during the course of treatment or within several weeks of concluding treatment. In fact, the drug carries such serious potential side effects that women of reproductive age must participate in an FDA-approved monitoring program to receive a prescription for the drug. In addition, isotretinoin may increase the levels of triglycerides and cholesterol in the blood and may increase liver enzyme levels. For most people, however, these levels return to normal when the medication is stopped.
Oral contraceptives. Oral contraceptives, including a combination of norgestimate and ethinyl estradiol (Ortho-Cyclen, Ortho Tri-Cyclen), have been shown to improve acne in women. However, oral contraceptives may cause other side effects that you’ll want to discuss with your doctor.
Cosmetic surgery. Doctors may be able to use cosmetic surgery to diminish scars left by acne. Procedures include peeling away damaged skin with chemicals or by freezing it, dermabrasion, intense light therapy and laser resurfacing. Peeling procedures eliminate superficial scars. Dermabrasion, which is usually reserved for more severe scarring, involves removing the top layers of skin with a rapidly rotating wire brush. Laser resurfacing involves using short pulses of intense light to remove the outer layer of your skin. If your skin tends to form scar tissue, these procedures can make your complexion worse.
Blue Light Therapy. It is an FDA approved skin treatment that harnesses specific bands of the light spectrum in order to target and eliminate acne bacteria. In cosmetic clinics and living rooms from Los Angeles to New York, Blue Light Therapy is a safe, highly effective means of treating P. acnes, as well as acne vulgaris.
However, besides all of those treatments you can do for solving acne, there are other aspects you should care about. If you have an oily skin or easy to get acne, you should clean skin gently with a mild cleanser, avoid frequent handling of the skin, shave carefully using a safety razor. The next is avoid sunburn or suntan because it can make your skin feel drier and the acne gets worse. Last and also important is you should choose cosmetics carefully especially oil free. If you have acnes which is still in the early stage, maybe you can try this tips on Simple treatments for Black heads and Acne.
To have a clean and healthy skin is an option whether you want to care about or not. You should consider all about the options in order to get a clear skin, if you don’t, never feel sorry for what you’ve done
image credit Erik Araujo
