Acne vulgaris (commonly called acne) is a skin disease caused by changes in the pilosebaceous units (skin structures consisting of a hair follicle and its associated sebaceous gland).  Acne happens when oil (sebaceous) glands come to life around puberty stimulated by male hormones from the adrenal glands of both boys and girls.

 

 Acne is most common during adolescence, affecting more than 85% of teenagers, and frequently continues into adulthood. It develops as a result of blockages in follicles and occurs on the face, as well as the neck, chest, back, shoulders, and upper arms.  Acne can be disfiguring and upsetting to the patient.

 

  Acne has nothing to do with not washing your face.  Although it is not curable, it is controllable; proper treatments can help you to feel and look better and may prevent scars.  Acne is a common skin disease that causes pimples. However it is not just a problem for teenagers, it can affect people from ages 10 through 40.  One myth is that eating greasy foods like french fries or pizza, chomping on chocolate, or drinking sodas causes acne.  Rather it develops when the hair follicle of skin gets plugged by over production of sebum, dead cells and become infected by bacteria.  Acne can have a short-term, potentially lasting psychological effect.  It may cause you considerable emotional distress but there is a range of treatment options to help you tackle the problem.  Acne in young women tends to be more random and linked to hormone changes, such as the menstrual cycle.

 

Treatment

 

Treatments for acne include medicines and creams.  Treatment choice depends upon whether the acne is mild, moderate, or severe. Generally the treatment will last about 6 months.

 

  Treatment is aimed at reducing the production of excess amounts of sebum, preventing the development of comedowns and killing the bacteria responsible for the infection.  There are many products available for the treatment of acne, many of which are without any scientifically proven effects.  Generally speaking, successful treatments show little improvement within the first two weeks, instead taking a period of approximately three months to improve and start flattening out.

 

  Acne will generally reappear quite soon after the end of treatment—days later in the case of topical applications, and weeks later in the case of oral antibiotics.  No matter what special treatments your dermatologist may use, remember that you must continue proper skin care.  Acne treatment for mild cases usually involves self-care measures, such as washing your skin daily with a gentle cleanser and using an over-the-counter acne cream.

 

  Acne treatment for severe cases usually includes one or more prescription medications.  Acne treatments work by reducing oil production, speeding up skin cell turnover, fighting bacterial infection, reducing the inflammation or doing all four.  With most prescription acne treatments, you may not see results for four to eight weeks, and your skin may get worse before it gets better.

 

 Types of acne treatments include: Topical treatments.  If your acne doesn’t respond to these treatments, you may want to see a doctor or dermatologist to get a stronger prescription lotion.  Alternative treatments for acne focus on self care: proper cleansing to keep the skin oil-free; eating a well-balanced diet high in fiber, zinc, and raw foods; and avoiding alcohol, dairy products, tobacco, caffeine, sugar, processed foods, and foods high in iodine, such as salt.

 

  The aims of treatment are to prevent new spots forming, to improve those already present, and to prevent scarring.  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 types of oral contraceptive tablets help women who have acne.  It tends to be prescribed to people with severe forms of acne that have proved resistant to other treatments.  Expect to use your treatments for at least two months before you see much improvement.  Some topical treatments may dry or irritate the skin when you start using them.  An oil-free moisturizer should help, but you may also have to cut down on the frequency with which you apply the treatments.  Safe, effective treatments are out there, but sometimes it can be a little tricky working out what’s going to work for you.

 

Conclusion

 

Acne seems to affect men and women in different ways.  Young men are more likely to have a more serious form of acne.  As women get older, acne often gets better.  For many women, acne can be an upsetting illness.  But you don’t have to wait to outgrow acne or to let it run its course.

 

 Today, almost every case of acne can be resolved.  You should never try to drain or remove your acne by squeezing or picking.  This can lead to infection, worsen your acne, and cause scarring.

 

 At present there is no cure for acne, although the available treatments can be very effective in preventing the formation of new spots and scarring.  For some, acne can be a bit of hassle but for others it can be devastating.

 

  The important thing to remember is that all types of acne can be well controlled by safe and effective treatment.  So, whether it’s a few annoying pimples or more severe acne that is getting you down, face up to acne with the right information and you’ll be on the road to recovery getting the treatment you need.

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Thanks to Elvis Foote for contributing this article to our Acne blog:

Blemish Treatment For Dark Skin

The term ’scarring’ means a fibrous process in which new collagen is laid down to cure an injury. It is basically common in acne conglobata and acne fulminans. It can also be a long term result of infantile acne. Acne breakouts are caused by a various environmental, gene, and age factors, even stress. Acne or pimples affects almost everybody.

Acne scars can be desolating to their self esteem and outward appearance. In the easiest terms, scars form at the site of an injury to tissue. They are the discernible reminders of injury and tissue repair. In the case of acne, the injury is caused by the body’s inflammatory retroaction to sebum, bacteria and dead cells in the plugged sebaceous follicle. Many individuals will deal with aplomb issues due to their scars.

Post acne scars is one of the universal cosmetic problem and consequent from neglected acne or improper treatment. Post acne scars are absolutely a preventable condition which could have been prevented by simple advise from your dermatologist. It is now not as easy to efface these permanent scars , pits and blemishes.

After an acne lesion has healed, it may leave a red or hyper-pigmented mark on the skin. This is actually not a scar, but rather a post-inflammatory variation. Acne scar removal can be by dermabrasion. This is a technique where the top layers of the skin are removed with the use of a machine which literally excoriates the skin. Chemical peels are one more choice for acne scar removal. This works much the same as dermabrasion, but instead of machinery, chemicals are used to abrade the top layer of skin.

Acne removal laser treatments are comparatively painless, have no down time, and are should only be executed by experienced medical staff. Laser acne treatments normally last between fifteen minutes and one hour. There is no pain or down time for this maneuver. Acne scar removal is treated in much the identic way as fine line and wrinkle removal.

Lasers encourage new collagen growth, filling scars from the inside out. Brown and red discoloration left from acne scars are removed by treatments same to the removal of pigmented lesions and vascular lesions. Another drastic acne scar removal approach is punch grafts. This is a process where small skin grafts are taken and used to supersede scarred skin. This acne scar removal technique is usually used to remove deep acne scars.

Treatment for Acne scars

· Micro-dermabrasion is an acne scar treatment alike to dermabrasion but a suction tool is used with a rude tool or crystal blasting tool.

· Punch grafts is a procedure for removing scars. These are small portions of skin that are taken from one part of your body and inculcated where deep holes have occurred.

· Steroid injection directly into the scars may sometimes result in scar improvement. Doctors combine the steroid injects with surgery to reduce the size of scarring, but that is in selected patients.

· Chemical peels are often used to minimize sun-damaged skin, irregular pigment, and superficial scars.

· Soft tissue fillers is used to elevate depressed scars. A small amount of bovine collagen, collagen-related fillers, polymer implants or a patient’s own fat is interlarded below the surface of the skin, raising the depressed area.



Thanks to Peter sams for contributing this article to our Acne blog:

Retin A Acne Treatment

Acne scars are scars that are left behind after a person has had acne. There are two types of acne scars. Pitted scars happen when the underlying skin tissue has been damaged. Pigmented scars (either red or brown) are marks left behind after the acne has cleared up.

It is best to use an acne scar treatment as soon as possible after the scars appear.

After an acne lesion has healed, it can leave a red or hyperpigmented mark on the skin. This is actually not a scar, but rather a post-inflammatory change. The redness or hyperpigmentation is seen as the skin goes through its healing and remodeling process, which takes approximately 6-12 months. If no more acne lesions develop in that area, the skin can heal normally. Any color change or skin defect still present after 1 year is considered to be a permanent defect or scar.

Causes of Acne Scars

In the simplest terms, scars form at the site of an injury to tissue. They are the visible reminders of injury and tissue repair. In the case of acne, the injury is caused by the body’s inflammatory response to sebum, bacteria and dead cells in the plugged sebaceous follicle. Two types of true scars exist, as discussed later: (1) depressed areas such as ice-pick scars, and (2) raised thickened tissue such as keloids.

Acne Scar Treatment

So you’ve followed our tips on combating acne and your skin is blemish free, but now you’re left with red or brown spots or your skin appears to be pitted. There are two ways to deal with acne scars. The easier option is prevention. Most acne scars are caused by the type of acne known as cysts. These are painful, red bumps underneath the skin. If you pop this type of blemish it is more than likely that you will develop a scar. Even though it may be uncomfortable, you need to use the right treatments and let your skin heal.

If you have done your best to treat your acne and you still end up with scars, it is not the end of the world. Pigmented scars are red or brown marks left behind after an acne blemish has disappeared. Pitted scarring is a result of damage to underlying skin tissue. There are ways to plump up and repair that tissue. Pigmented scarring is the most common and while it is not permanent, it can take weeks or months for it to clear. This news may make you want to run and hide under a rock, but don’t worry there is hope for your damaged skin.

Surgical Treatment

Subcision is a process used to treat deep rolling scars left behind by acne or other skin diseases. Essentially the process involves separating the skin tissue in the affected area from the deeper scar tissue. This allows the blood to pool under the affected area, eventually causing the deep rolling scar to level off with the rest of the skin area. Once the skin has leveled, treatments such as laser resurfacing, microdermabrasion or chemical peels can be used to smooth out the scarred tissue.



Thanks to Peter sams for contributing this article to our Acne blog:

Home Remedies For Acne Scars