Acne is a skin condition that occurs when your hair follicles become clogged with oil and dead skin cells. It causes whiteheads, blackheads or pimples.
Although acne affects people of all ages, it is most common among young people. Effective acne treatments are available, but acne can be permanent.
Pimples and bumps heal gradually and when one starts to go away, the others are trimmed. Depending on its severity, acne can cause emotional distress and scar the skin.
The earlier you start treatment, the lower your risk of developing such problems.
Acne symptoms vary depending on the severity of your condition:
Acne symptoms or acne usually appear on the face, forehead, chest, upper back and shoulders.
What causes acne? Causes :
Acne typically appears on your face, forehead, chest, upper back and shoulders because these skin areas have the most sebaceous (oil) glands.
Hair follicles are connected to sebaceous glands. The follicle wall may swell and form a white spot. Or the plug can open to the surface and darken, causing a blackhead. A blackhead may look like dirt stuck in the pores. But actually the pore is clogged with bacteria and oil, which turns brown when exposed to air.
Pimples are red spots with a white center that develop when clogged hair follicles become inflamed or infected with bacteria. Blockages and inflammation deep inside the hair follicles form cyst-like lumps under the surface of your skin.
Other pores on your skin, which are openings for sweat glands, are usually not involved in acne.
Some things can trigger or worsen acne:
Acne medicines work by reducing oil production and swelling or treating bacterial infection.
With most prescription acne medicines, you may not see results for four to eight weeks. It may take months or years for your acne to clear up completely.
For example, you may need to wash and treat the affected skin twice a day for several weeks.
Topical medicines and medicines that you take by mouth (oral medicines) are often used together. Treatment options for pregnant women are limited due to the risk of side effects.
Talk to your doctor about the risks and benefits of medicines and other acne treatments you are considering. And make follow-up appointments with your doctor every three to six months until your skin improves.
For some people, the following acne therapies may help alone or in combination with medicines.
Most studies of acne treatment medicines involve people aged 12 years and older. More and more young children are also experiencing acne.
If your child has acne, consider consulting a pediatric dermatologist.
Ask about acne in children, medicines to avoid, appropriate doses, drug interactions, side effects and how treatment may affect the child's growth and development.
These articles are written for informational purposes. You should consult your doctor to determine whether the procedure has been performed and the appropriate treatment for you.
