Acne Education and Prevention
*/ ?> Acne is a major skin condition faced by millions of people ranging from babies to adults of all races but predominately in adolescents and teenagers. All of us have had some type of acne problem rather it be those whiteheads that pop up every now and then or those pesky, bumpy and red pimples that seem to always pop up during the worst times. The goal of acne-resources.com is to help educate everyone on what acne really is, what are the actually causes of acne, and the different treatments available for acne.
Acne: A skin condition faced by millions |
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Acne is a skin condition caused by overexcessive production of oils produced by the sebaceous glands that combine with dead skin cells and cause blocking of the pores that usually drain all of these materials. The pores can be considered a type of drainage where oils flow out and reach the outer skin. Because oils and dead skin cells are trapped under the pores, the bacteria Propionibacterium acnes begin to grow in the area and cause skin inflamations. This eventually leads to acne lesions such as pimples or whiteheads to appear. Acne usually occurs in four main regions: facial area, chest area, back, neck and shoulders area. This is a general description of what acne is and there are many other types of acne that are developed differently. |
| A Guide To Acne |
The general guide below will give a quick overview of what acne is and help as a starting point in understanding the common yet very complex skin condition, acne.
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What exactly causes acne? |
Acne can actually be caused by a variety of factors. There is no one major factor that can be pinpointed to the cause of acne but there are a list of major ones. To really understand what causes acne, again we have to remember that it is caused by blocking of the pores from oils made from the sebaceous glands. Increase of sebaceous glands oils can be caused by a many factors of every day life. Hormones are a major cause of acne. Increased androgens, male hormones found in both men and women, cause sebaceous glands to increase in size and production in both girls and boys going through puberty. Hormone changes at other events like pregnancy or birth control usage can also effect acne. Some studies have come to a conclusion that acne can be caused by genetics. Other studies have found small links to cosmetics, certain drugs, certain foods, and many othersas well. There are many myths on causes of acne such as foods like chocolate, stress, and dirty faces. Although none of these have been proven to be major causes, if you are like use some of these factors to seem to be present in an increase in acne so it is a good idea to count some of these as well. This is just a few informative tidbits on acne causes, more detailed info can be caused in our Acne Causes section. |
The different types of acne |
We have to remember that Acne is after all a skin condition that can vary in degree depending on factors ranging from skin type, resistance of bacteria, and others as well. These varying degrees can produce whiteheads or blackheads, papules, pimples, nodules, and cysts. Comedos are the basic acne lesions that most people get. Comedos that stay beneath the skin are called whiteheads as the white pus appears as a bump. Comedos that reach the surface are called blackheads as a black dot appears to form from dark skin pigments. Papules are inflamed lesions that appear like rashes with bumps. Pimples are like papules but are more severe with pus appearing and are very sensitive to the touch. Nodules are big lesions under the skin that may appear like red bumps that are painful to touching. Cysts are deep skin lesions filled with pus that may explode and destroy the surrounding skin casusing scarring. The name given to common acne problems is acne vulgaris. Acne that is severe can lead to small blemishes to deep lesions that can lead to scarring |
Preventing Acne: Stopping it before it starts |
The key to preventing acne is stopping the overproduction of oils from the sebaceous glands and stopping the clogging of pores. It is a good idea to wash your face daily to wash away dead skin cells as well as remove access oils. For those who wear makeup, make sure that the label is "noncomedogenic" or "nonacnegenic" as they won't clog the pores. During activities or conditions where there is an increase in oil production, using facial wipes with salicylic acid or benzoyl peroxide can help stop bacteria backup as well. Medication can also be taken to lower the production of oils from the sebaceous glands. Although dirt, stress, and healthy eating have not been significantly proven to be causes of acne, keeping a good health regimen never hurts.
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Acne Treatments |
There are many procedures, medication, and other methods that can help lower the production of sebaceous oils and decrease the clogging of pores. Treatment for acne is usually administered by dermatologists and can include anything from home remedies, over the counter topical medications, oral medications, and even lasers. Depending on the severity of acne, different drugs and techniques are used to heal lesions, lower oil production, kill the bacteria, remove dead skin cells, and prevent any scarring. For the less severe acne problems many home remedies seem to work fine for a lot of people, however for extreme cases a dermatologist should be seen immeadiately to prevent any major damage to the skin. There are also a variety of treatments for acne scars as well depending on the size and severity of the scarring. Research on new acne treatments are continually being done to find different techniques that may produce better results for the different skin types. |