Acne Facts Acne This factsheet is for people who have acne. Acne is a skin which causes spots. Most of the people affected by acne are aged between 12 and 25.1, however, men and women in their 30s and 40s can also suffer. There are many treatments available to deal with the State. What is acne? Acne is a skin, usually on one or more of the following: * Blacks (comedones) * Whiteheads patches of red or yellow * * acne scars oily skin usually on the skin of the face, back, neck, chest and arms and severity the disease can vary. Acne affects people of all colors of skin. The processes that lead to acne are exactly the same people with the skin black or brown, but the effect is through the pigmentation of the skin. Acne is very common and affects about 80 100 people aged 11-30, at any time. Home health information health factsheets This factsheet is acne for those with acne. Acne is a skin which causes spots. Most of the people affected by acne are aged between 12 and 25.1, however, men and women in their 30s and 40s can also suffer. There are many treatments available to deal with the State. What is acne? Acne is a skin, usually on one or more of the following: * Blacks (comedones) 2.3 * whiteheads2, 3 * Red or yellow spots2, 3 oily skin2 *, 3 * scars2, 3 acne generally applied to the skin of face, back, neck, chest and arms and the severity of the disease may vary.1 4 acne affects people of all colors of skin. The processes that lead to acne are exactly the same people with the skin black or brown, but the effect is through the pigmentation of the skin. Acne is very common and affects about 80 100 persons aged 11-30 in some time.4 The skin The surface of the skin has lots of small sebaceous glands just below the surface. These glands an oily substance called sebum to keep skin smooth and soft. Tiny pores (holes in the skin) the sebum to come to the skin surface. Hair grow through the pores. IIllustration shows the structure of the skin illustration shows the structure of the skin What causes acne? Acne is caused by excessive sebaceous glands that secrete oily substances on the skin. The sebaceous glands of people with acne are especially sensitive to normal blood levels of a hormone called testosterone, of course, for men and women. Testosterone in people prone to acne, the sebaceous glands to a surplus of sebum. At the same time, the death of the cells of the skin along the openings of hair follicles (the tubes that contain the hair) are not shed properly and clog the follicle. These two effects in relation to a body of oil in the hair follicles. This leads to blacks and whites to form heads. For some people, their acne does not progress through this phase. However, in others, the development of oil in the hair follicles creates an ideal environment for a bacterium called Propionibacterium acnes to grow. These bacteria normally live danger to the skin, but when it creates an ideal environment, will increase. They feed on sebum and produce substances that have a response from your immune system. This inflames the skin and creates the redness associated with blemishes. In severe 'inflammatory acne, cysts develop beneath the surface of the skin. These cysts can rupture the acne, the spread of infection to nearby skin tissue. This can lead to scarring. What makes acne worse? There are a number of things that can aggravate your acne. These include the following: * collecting and pressing of points can cause inflammation and further scarring1 * Stress can aggravate acne in some people, but it is not clear why1 *, in women, outbreaks may be terminated by hormonal changes that occur during the menstrual cycle1, * excessive production of male hormones like testosterone, such as polycystic ovary syndrome may be another cause.5 For more information, please see separate BUPA factsheet Polycystic ovary syndrome * Some contraceptive pills may aggravate acne. This is due to the nature of some progestins in hormone pills that some other types of contraceptives, acne – see Treatments section below. Your doctor will tell you that taking the pill * Some medications can worsen the acne. For example, some drugs used to treat epilepsy, and steroid creams and ointments that are used for eczema. Do not stop a prescribed medicine if you suspect that acne is the worst, but tell your doctor. An alternative may be an option * steroids can cause acne as a side effect of treatment can cause acne is significant emotional stress, but there are a number of treatment options for you the problem. N. treatment completely 'cure' your acne. The goals of treatment are to prevent new jobs to improve, which already exist, and to avoid scarring.3 Home treatment is important to identify areas clean, and wash the affected area twice a day with a unperfumed cleanser.1, 6 The skin needs a certain amount of oil to its natural condition, so avoid aggressive washing with strong soaps. There are a number of "over-the-counter remedies from pharmacies to treat mild acne. These usually contain antibacterial agents such as benzoyl peroxide (eg Oxy and Clearasil Max). As well as its antibacterial effects, benzoyl peroxide can dry the skin and encourage the surface of dead skin. Together, these effects make it difficult for pores to become blocked, and to develop the infection. Benzoyl peroxide can cause redness and peeling, especially at the beginning. This trend, if the number you use it. You can then use your step by step. N. home treatments for acne is now. It may be weeks if not months, for significant effects to be felt. If home treatments have not worked, after two months, or severe acne, you should visit your doctor. Prescription medications your doctor can guide you through the treatment, a preparation with benzoyl peroxide. If this fails, or if there are more serious acne, there are a number of options than any other treatment that you can rub on the skin (topical) or in tablet form (oral). Current treatments There are several topical treatments you can use the following: Azelaic acid (Skinoren) is an alternative to benzoyl peroxide, and can not, such as sore skin, benzoyl peroxide * topical, such as retinoids (eg Adapalene) are medicines based on vitamin A, which rubbed into the skin once or twice a day.7 They work by encouraging the outer layer of the skin flakes off a topical antibiotic lotion on the skin * can be used to Fr acnes bacteria (eg Dalacin T). Treatment should continue for at least six months. The preparations, an antibiotic with other acne medications are available (eg Benzamycin which is an antibiotic with benzoyl peroxide) Oral treatments There are several oral treatments you can use the following: * oral antibiotics (tablets), for example, can tetracycline for inflammatory acne. They should be a day for about three months, although it may be four to six months for the benefits that seen.7 The success of this treatment may be limited because the strains of bacteria are often resistant to common antibiotics. Antibiotics do not prevent blocked pores so as to become a treatment to prevent blacks, such as benzoyl peroxide, is often at the same time * some types of oral contraceptive tablets help women who have acne. A combination of the usual pill hormone called ethinylestradiol with cyproterone acetate (eg Dianette) suppresses male hormone, as is common in women with acne * isotretinoin (eg Roaccutane) is a medicine known as an oral retinoid, which is also available in a recent form (see above). Isotretinoin works by drying up oily secretions. It tends to be around people with severe forms of acne that are resistant to other treatments. There are a number of serious side effects of the drug, such as liver disease and depresssion. You should not use isotretinoin if you are pregnant, because it is very dangerous to an unborn child. For safety reasons, isotretinoin is only under the supervision of specialists in dermatology. Kerwin Chang writes for the event, you can learn more about acne skin care and other topics.