What Is Acne?
Acne is a common skin disease characterized and
recognized for plugged pores such as whiteheads, blackheads, pimples,
and deeper bumps like cysts and nodules which appear on the face, neck,
chest, shoulders, back, and the upper arms. It happens when the pores of
the skin become clogged with internally occurring oil known as Sebum,
bacteria, and dead skin cells.
Acne Vulgaris--sometimes identified as common acne--is
today the most common skin disease. At present, acne affects about 80
million people in both the United States and Canada.
Acne is an "ordeal" for most teenagers but is not
confined to any age group; sometimes adults in their 20's or older--can
experience acne. Although acne is not a dangerous condition, it can
become the root cause of much emotional distress when one's skin is
disfigured and unattractive. When acne becomes severe, it may lead to
permanent scarring; it is known that even less harsh cases of acne may
lead to scarring.
Throughout time there has been a number of effective treatments
developed for addressing from mild to severe cases of acne. There are
natural and very effective treatments, as well as prescription
medications for treating very severe acne but with side effects that can
continue to occur even after one stops taking such medications.
What Causes It?
The cause of acne is not fully understood. Though poor hygiene, poor
diet, and stress can aggravate acne, they clearly do not cause it.
Hormones. Common acne in teenagers starts with an
increase in hormone production. During puberty, both boys and girls
produce high levels of androgens, the male sex hormones that include
testosterone. Testosterone signals the body to make more sebum, a waxy
substance that helps the skin retain moisture. Androgens also boost the
production of keratin, a substance used by the body to make hair and
nails.
Bacteria. Excess sebum clogs the openings to hair
follicles -- especially those on the face, neck, chest, and back.
Bacteria grow in these clogged follicles. This makes blackheads or
whiteheads form on the skin's surface -- a condition called
non-inflammatory acne. Sometimes the follicle wall breaks under the
pressure of this buildup. When this happens, sebum leaks into nearby
tissues and forms a pustule -- this is called inflammatory acne. This
can create cysts. Ruptured cysts leave temporary or permanent scars.
Depending on the type of pill, oral contraceptives may trigger acne in
some women but suppress it in others. Steroids taken by
some bodybuilders and other athletes can also lead to severe outbreaks.
Acne has many subtypes. Acne neonatorum and acne infantum occasionally
affect newborns and infants, usually boys. A pimply rash appears on the
face but usually clears within weeks with no lasting effect. People who
escaped their teen years almost pimple free may develop persistent
adult-onset acne as they get older. Despite the normal increase in
androgen levels during puberty, some doctors believe that flare-ups of
acne have less to do with androgen levels than with how a person's skin
responds to an increase in sebum production. The bacteria
Propionibacterium acnes and Staphylococcus epidermidis occur naturally
in healthy hair follicles. If too many of them accumulate in plugged
follicles, they may secrete enzymes that break down sebum and cause
inflammation. Some people are simply more sensitive than others to this
reaction. Sebum levels that might cause a pimple or two in one person
may result in widespread outbreaks -- or even acute cystic acne -- in
another person.
Who can get acne?
Almost 100% of young people between the age range of twelve and
seventeen have usually an occasional blackhead, whitehead, or pimple,
despite race or ethnicity. Most of these young sufferers successfully
can manage their acne problems by using over-the-counter treatments. For
others, a case of acne may be more serious. In reality, by the time they
reach their mid-teens, a greater number of teens have a severe case of
acne that often requires formal treatment by a doctor or dermatologist.
Generally, most cases of acne begin between the age range of ten and
thirteen, and can usually persist for five years or longer. Acne
normally disappears on its own in one's early twenties. Nonetheless,
acne can continue to surface into the late twenties, thirties, or
beyond. There are people as adults who experience acne for the first
time.
Acne can equally affect both young men and women, but there exists
certain differences. For whatever the reason, young men more often than
young women are prone to suffer more severe and longer lasting types of
acne. Regardless of this fact, young men are less likely than young
women to see a dermatologist for their acne. On the other hand, young
women have a greater chance to experience intermittent acne because of
hormonal changes linked with their menstrual cycle. Young women can
suffer from such acne well into adulthood.
Acne lesions commonly occur on the face, but they may also show up on
the chest, back, neck, shoulders, upper arms, legs, and scalp.