Around three-quarters of all teenagers and young adults suffer
from acne. However, men and women in their 30s and 40s can also
suffer.
The exact cause of acne remains unclear but more is known about
how the spots that are part of acne form. And there are more and
more treatments to help deal with this distressing condition.
Acne is a skin condition caused by overactivity of the glands that
secrete oily substances on to the skin. The blackheads and spots
usually occur on the face, where the greatest number of these
oil-producing "sebaceous" glands exist. The back, chest and
shoulders can also be affected.
Several factors are involved in the development of acne. Central
to this are the sex hormones, which are produced at puberty. The
male hormone testosterone - found naturally in women as well as in
men ? triggers the sebaceous glands to produce more of an oily
substance called sebum, making the skin more greasy. However, most
acne sufferers don?t have a hormone problem and their hormones are
at normal levels in their blood.
When there is an excess of sebum, the area around a hair follicle
and the opening through the skin ? the pore ? can become clogged.
A bug, a bacterium called Propionobacterium acnes, that lives
normally on the skin , can thrive within the blocked pore. This
infection causes inflammation, which is responsible for the
redness and swelling of a spot. Sometimes as in severe acne, the
pocket of inflammation witin a pore can rupture, causing damage to
the skin that can result in scarring.
Microcomedone
Drugs such as certain steroid tablets and some beauty products
that block the pores can contribute to acne. Contrary to popular
belief, acne is not caused by eating fatty food or chocolate.
The spots
Acne can cause a number of different types of spots. Typically,
people with acne get blackheads (comedones). These are caused by a
blockage of the pores, which get their dark colour through excess
skin pigment.
Whiteheads are also common. These occur near the surface of the
skin when excess sebum gets trapped inside the follicle. The
sebaceous glands can also become infected.
In this more severe "inflammatory acne", cysts develop beneath the
skin's surface. These acne cysts can rupture, spreading the
infection into nearby skin tissue. This can result in scarring.
Treatment
Acne is not a trivial complaint. It can be the source of
considerable emotional distress. But there is a range of treatment
options to tackle the problem.
Home treatment
It?s important to keep spot-prone areas clean, so wash the
affected area twice a day with an unperfumed cleanser.
Antibacterial face washes and soaps specifically for greasy skins
are also available. However, the skin needs a certain amount of
oil to maintain its natural condition, so avoid aggressive washing
with strong soaps.
Also try to avoid the temptation to pick at spots:
over-enthusiastic squeezing can cause scarring. Acne tends to be
less of a problem in the summertime. This may be due to the
sunshine helping to dry the skin. No home treatments for acne will
work immediately. It can take weeks, if not months, for
significant effects to be noticeable.
Over-the-counter remedies are available from a pharmacy to treat
mild acne. Lotions that contain actives such as benzoyl peroxide
can help minimize bacterial growth on the skin and encourage it to
shed the surface layer of dead skin. Together, these effects make
it harder for pores to become blocked and for infection to
develop. Benzoyl peroxide (contained in treatments such as
Proactiv? and
Exposed) can cause redness and peeling, especially to start
with but can be minimized with special botanical ingredients.
Prescription medicines
If you go to your GP, they will often also start treatment for
mild to moderate acne with a preparation containing benzoyl
peroxide. If this does not work, or if you have more severe acne,
there are a range of other treatment options that can either be
rubbed onto the skin (topical) or taken in tablet form (oral):
Topical treatments
There are several topical treatments you may be prescribed.
Azelaic acid, which is an alternative to benzoyl peroxide, which
may cause less skin soreness.
Topical retinoids, which are medicines based on vitamin A, and are
rubbed into the skin once or twice a day. They work by encouraging
the outer layer of skin to flake off, and may cause irritation and
skin peeling at the start of treatment. Disadvantages of this
treatment include them making the skin hypersensitive to sunlight.
A topical antibiotic lotion applied to the skin can be used to
control the Propionobacterium acnes bacteria. Treatment needs to
continue for at least six months. Preparations that combine an
antibiotic with other acne medication are available. Oral
treatments
Oral antibiotics (tablets), taken daily for around 3 months, can
be prescribed for inflammatory acne. This acts to kill off the
bacteria infecting the skin. The success of this treatment can be
limited because the strains of bacteria are often resistant to the
common antibiotics. It might take four to six months for the
benefits to be seen. Antibiotics do not prevent pores from
becoming blocked so treatment to prevent blackheads, such as
benzoyl peroxide, is often also prescribed at the same time. Some
people find that it?s a prolonged course of antibiotics is a
nuisance. This explains whey some people do not always complete
the course.
Hormone treatment. For women, a standard combined oral
contraceptive pill (containing an oestrogen and a progestogen) can
improve acne symptoms. But in some women, it can also make
symptoms worse. One particular type of Pill, called Dianette,
contains a medicine called cyproterone acetate which cuts the
amount of male hormone in circulation and be an effective
treatment for acne.
Isotretinoin (Roaccutane) is a powerful medicine known as an oral
retinoid - which also exists in topical form (see above). It tends
to be used in severe forms of acne that have proved resistant to
other treatments. It works by drying up oily secretions. There are
a number of side effects of this drug including dryness of the
skin, aches and pains and headaches. It can also damage an unborn
baby if taken by a pregnant woman. For safety reasons,
isotretinoin is only prescribed by hospital specialists.
Acne also affects people with black or brown skin. The processes
that cause it are exactly the same but the impact is altered by
the skin pigmentation.
Further help
AcneNet (from the American Academy of Dermatology)
http://www.skincarephysicians.com/acnenet/
Acne Support Group
020 8561 6868
http://www.m2w3.com/acne/
Acne Myths
myth & fact
1. Acne is curable
There is no cure for acne. However, through
the consistent use of treatment and remedies
acne can be controlled or prevented.
2. Sun is great for acne
Sun may temporarily mask your acne, tighten
up pores, or dry up the oil glands. However,
the sun will also damage your follicular
walls clogging your pores. Resulting in
more acne that may not surface for 3-4 weeks
after your sun exposure.
3. Washing your face more often will help
clear up acne
Facial blemishes are not caused by dirt.
Contrary to what you may have seen in commercials,
pores do not get blocked from the top down.
Rather, an entire pore collapses from deep
within the skin, starting acne formation.
Frequent washing does nothing to prevent
this. Over-washing is actually irritating,
and excess irritation can worsen acne. A
washcloth can aggravate this situation further.
Use bare hands to wash and only wash twice
a day.
4. Pizza, chocolate, and other junk food
make me break out
Does chocolate really make you breakout
with acne? What about oily foods? Prevailing
wisdom in the dermatology community is that
diet and acne are not related. Of course
science is never a 100% reliable enterprise.
But at this time, there is no evidence that
chocolate, sugar, oil, milk, seafood, or
any other food causes acne. Some people
absolutely insist that a certain food causes
acne for them, or that a specific acne diet
works for them. In this case, doctors sometimes
recommend that they avoid that food or follow
that diet. Regarding chocolate specifically,
several studies have been performed, and
the answer to "does chocolate cause
pimples?" is a resounding "No".
1. Bacteria is common culprit to all forms of acne.
2. Hey! Your not alone, an estimated eighty percent of the people
suffer from some form of acne in their life
3. Did you know there are many varieties of acne? In fact, there
are over fifty types of acne. However, the most common form is
acne vulgaris.
4. Although many individuals believe the sun makes their acne
better, the reality is ultraviolet rays that penetrate the skin's
surface can damage the follicles, closing them off and triggering
acne two to four weeks after sun exposure.
5. It takes three to four weeks for a pimple to form, therefore,
what you ate yesterday does not affect your skin. Hormones and
your genes are the main causes of acne.
6. Spot-treating of acne does NOT work. The entire face and
involved area must be treated daily in order to prevent new acne
lesions.
7. Acne is not curable. It is very treatable. The sooner you begin
an individualized treatment program, the faster you have
great-looking skin.
8. Most people do NOT outgrow their acne. This, like any other
disease, must be treated. You should not ignore this condition.
9. Scrubbing and vigorous washing make acne WORSE. Loofah sponges,
Buff Puffs, scrubs containing particles, and strips applied to the
skin are all irritating and make acne worse.
10. To remove all of the oil produced by your body, you would have
to wash your face every minute. Excessive washing actually causes
the body to produce more oil which makes acne worse.
11. Stress does not causes acne, but it certainly can make it
worse. Stress can aggravate hormones, which may affect the process
of producing new acne lesions.
12. Diet does not contribute to acne in most individuals. Certain
foods may cause flare-ups of acne.
13. Acne breakouts are NOT caused by dirt clogging the pores. Acne
is caused by hormones stimulating the oil glands, plugging of the
pores by dead skin cells, bacteria living in the pores breaking
down the oil and causing inflammation.
Basic Acne Washing Routine
Touching
Water
Caloric Intake
Diet
Ice Cubes
Exercise
Sleep
Stress
Before you attempt the other acne treatment
techniques you must be sure that you are currently using the
proper washing routine. Keeping your face clean requires that
you wash it two times per day, three times at the most. You must
be very careful to avoid overdoing it. Skin must maintain the
proper pH levels to remain healthy. Over washing will make your
face dry and irritated causing more breakouts. Many times
individuals will vigorously scrub their skin when they wash it.
I do not recommend this because such treatment will only serve
to irritate the skin causing more breakouts.
Note, acne is not caused by "dirty" skin it is the result of
clogged pores infected with bacteria. Therefore, washing alone
does not prevent acne. Washing is no mystery treatment, in fact
washing alone will not prevent acne. It simply serves to remove
dirt and oil at the surface level. Although washing alone may
not prevent acne, the wrong type of washing can aggravate acne
making it worse.
Follow these recommendations: wash your face by gently rotating
your facial cleanser lathered hands on your face. I do not
recommend face cloths as they may irritate the skin unless you
are using specialized cloth like a microfiber cloth that
specifically made for your face. Rinse well with warm water.
Using a clean soft towel, gently pat dry your face.
Perhaps one of the most often overlooked
remedies. Stop putting your hands by your face! I am often
guilty of this resting my hand on the side of my head while
reading. Also rubbing or bracing your chin is another common
problem when thinking. Avoid rubbing, touching, or itching your
skin with your hands. Your hands contain a lot of bacteria that
can cause acne flare-ups. Also be careful of the telephone.
Clean them often with rubbing alcohol because they sometimes
come in contact with the face causing more acne.
It is probably one of the most difficult things to avoid since
much of the hand to face contact throughout the day we are
unconscious of. Make it a habit to avoid hand contact and be
conscious of it during the day to avoid bacteria.
Water helps the body flush out toxins and transport nutrients to the body. Drinking water puts less strain on the skin organ to flush out toxins. The recommended amount of water you should drink is at least half your bodyweight in ounces of water( a 140lb. individual should drink 70 ounces/day ). While water alone will not eliminate your acne it will greatly assist your skin in remaining healthy and that will be one portion of the pie in fighting acne.
We are also pleased to announce some ground
breaking scientific research that we uncovered while researching
the role of diet and acne. We have discovered several scientific
studies that illustrate what many individuals have probably
overlooked or are unaware of in their diets today. Specifically
it is excess caloric intake (the amount of daily calories
consumed beyond those required to sustain your current body
weight). You can adversely affect your acne levels through
altering your diet, simply by consuming excess calories. Several
scientific studies have proven this.
The scenario goes basically like this: the process of increasing
your caloric intake is by nature an anabolic process for your
body. When this anabolic process is put in motion your natural
hormonal levels increase. Yes, that's right your
testosterone(responsible for acne) will increase beyond their
normal levels within your body. So, you should not be consuming
excessive calories in your diet beyond those needed to maintain
your current body weight. Recall that increased levels of
testosterone will increase sebum production levels that result
in more pimples.
And for those individuals requiring scientific proof or others
that wish to examine this very important issue further, we
direct your attentions to the following scientific study
references:
A.N. Chiang, et al., "Excess Energy and Nitrogen Balance at
Protein Intakes Above the Requirement Level in Young Men," Am.
J. Clin. Nutr. 48 (1988) : 1015-1022.
G.B. Forbes, et al., "Hormonal Response to Overfeeding," Am. J.
Clin. Nutr. 49.4 (1989) : 608-611.
G.B. Forbes, et al., "Lean Body Mass in Obesity," Int. J. Obes.
7.2 (1983) : 99-107.
Jebb, et al., "Changes in Macronutrient Balance During Over- and
Underfeeding Assessed by 12-Day Continuous Whole-Body
Calorimetry, " Am. J. Clin. Nutr. 64 (1996) : 259-266.
Specific foods have not been proven to affect
acne. However it is important to note that good nutrition helps
the body maintain healthy skin. There have been some scientists
suggesting that caffeine products and excessively salty foods
aggravate acne in certain individuals. If you notice that
certain foods aggravate your acne then the best advice is to
limit or avoid them in your diet.
So what foods should you look into? Well, examine foods high in
iodine. Watch out for multi-vitamins (some contain iodine). Be
aware of some junk foods such as potato chips, corn chips, etc.
Keep your diet low in fat and sugar. Eating a properly balanced
diet ensures that your body gets the proper nutrients and
therefore promotes healthy skin.
Eat plenty of fruits and vegetables. A high fiber, low-fat diet
is excellent in promoting overall general health.
Ice cubes to the rescue! Aestheticians as well as some other individuals have reported success from this technique. The trick is to try and catch the pimple before it fully arrives on the surface of the skin. As soon as you feel a pimple forming, ice it! Take an ice cube wrapped in saran wrap and place on the skin portion where you feel a pimple about to form. Hold it there for a few minutes. Avoid prolonged holding as you can get frostbite skin. Perform the above steps three times daily. This technique is effective only on newly forming pimples and rarely useful for existing pimples.
Exercise is good for your overall health. It
will increase your blood circulation and bring more oxygen to
your major organs including the skin. The benefits you get from
exercise are not only physical but to a large extent mental
benefits.
Just make sure that you wash your face after an intense exercise
session to remove any oil or sweat on your skin that may harbor
bacteria, resulting in more acne.
Research has indicated that our hormone levels
increase when our sleep patterns are disturbed. Increased
hormone levels results in increased sebum production which leads
to... yep you guessed it--more acne. It is during our time of
sleep that our skin cells begin to be nourished and regenerating
takes place the most as the body repairs itself from a long day.
Get to bed earlier! Go to bed at least 1 or 2 hours early than
you usually do and in a couple of days you will notice your face
getting clearer and more healthy.
Individuals have also reported severe acne outbreaks due to
prolonged sleep deprivation.
Stress is something that needs to be reduced
in your life since it tends to aggravate acne in many people. I
have experienced high levels of stress during finals weeks at
school resulting in increased levels of acne.
So, how do you lower your stress levels. Aside from eliminating
things that cause you stress in your life, look into relaxation
techniques. Relaxation techniques are great for stressful
situations. You may even look into practicing meditation or yoga
to further reduce your stress levels.