Tag: Acne Vulgaris

Acne Get The Lowdown On This Four Letter Word

Acne Get The Lowdown On This Four Letter Word

Acne is considered pimples, zits, blackheads, and whiteheads. These are all part of the same irritating ailment that affects so many, especially teenagers. In fact, many people consider acne the most irritating thing about puberty. At a time when teenagers tend to be very self conscious and are going through physical changes, cracking voices, menstrual cycles, facial hair, and hair growing in strange places, these darn pimples come along to make things even more complex.

Common acne is officially known as acne vulgaris. This blemish producing blight is caused by multiple factors. During puberty the body produces an excess of the male hormone testosterone. Also, female menstrual cycles cause changes in the body that throw the hormone balance a bit out of whack.

For many years people thought that acne was caused by poor hygiene, and kids would scrub their faces raw in an effort to open up pores and get rid of pimples and blackheads. That actually may make the problem worse by damaging the skin. Also for many years people thought that certain foods would make some people more prone to acne.

Teenagers often eat candy bars and other chocolate foods. Also teenagers tend to be fans of fried foods, such as hamburgers, French fries, tator tots, fish and chips, and fried chicken. Many people associated oily skin with greasy foods, but there is no medical or scientific connection. Acne is a nasty, but natural part of growing up.

Most people outgrow acne as their bodies change and puberty ends. In fact, by the time most people reach their twenties they are through with the ravages of acne. For a few people it may hang on longer, but for the vast majority of people it is a temporary and passing thing. Time will cure most cases as a person passes into adulthood.

The types of acne blemishes are divided into two different categories, inflamed and non-inflamed. Non-inflamed blemishes are called blackheads or whiteheads. The whitehead is a clogged follicle that plugs the skin pore. The mass is made up of dead skin cells. The blackhead is in essence the same thing, but it has opened up and become oxidized, creating the darker tint. Many people think that blackheads come from dirt, but that is not the case.

Inflamed blemishes are those that are commonly call pimples or zits. These blemishes are usually reddish and look inflamed. The red pimple is classic. A bit more troublesome is the larger cyst. Pimples develop when a whitehead does not turn into a blackhead and plugs the pore so that it can be expelled. Instead the pore wall breaks down and becomes a repository for oil, dead skin cells, bacteria and other debris of the body. White blood cells congregate in the blemish to fight the infection, and form a puss substance, that can become painful.

There are many misconceptions about acne. Some people think that the sun will cure acne and seek a suntan as a cure all. However, this has no positive effect, simply darkening the skin just makes pimples harder to see, and the side effects can be wrinkles and skin cancer in later life. However, there are many treatments available for acne that can lessen the impact it has on the lives of the sufferer.

What factors causes Acne?

What causes Acne?

Did you know that common Acne, also known as Acne Vulgaris, is suffered by up to 85% of adolescents and young adults? That is an extremely high portion of the population which is affected by this skin disorder.

The cause of Acne is not fully known, but there are several factors which contribute to the development of this inflammatory skin disorder. Your genes play a role in this, meaning if your parents or grandparents suffered this skin condition, you will be prone to getting Acne yourself.

Most notably, there is a link to a change in hormonal activity, such as menstrual cycles and puberty. In the past the over production of sebum was considered to be the main cause of Acne. Sebum is an oily secretion of fats and the remains of fat producing cells, caused by hyperactive sebaceous glands in the skin.

However, it appears as though the narrowing of follicle channel, where the hair is rooted in the skin, is also a major factor causing common Acne. There are several other factors which can contribute, such as Stress, accumulation of dead skin cells, an allergic reaction to bacteria in the pores, scratching and the usage of anabolic steroids.

What has not been confirmed in any way, is the contribution a fatty diet, including chocolate, potato chips and French fries, may have on Acne. Generally, sufferers should experiment with their diet to ascertain what food stuffs affect the severity of their Acne.

What could have an influence on Acne is a diet high on refined sugar products. Acne is rare in societies which have not been influenced by our western way of life. These people have a low glycernic level in their diets. However, if the reduction of high glycernic foods, such has soft drinks, sweets and white bread, has a significant effect on alleviating Acne disorders has yet to be proved. Keeping a low consumption of these kinds of foods will influence your general health for the better.

Another misconception concerning Acne is personal hygiene. Acne is not caused by dirt, so a poor personal hygiene is not a factor. To make this clearer, Acne causes blockages to occur deep within the follicle or hair channel and as such cannot be washed away. In fact, anything more than a gentle cleansing can cause new lesions by damaging or over drying skin.

On a lighter note, if you have heard that celibacy or masturbation can cause Acne and sexual intercourse can cure it, I have good news for you. There is absolutely no scientific evidence at all that this is true.

Identify Your Acne Before You Get Treatment

Understanding how to treat your Acne involves knowing which type of Acne may have. Acne has many variations, ranging in severity from mild to much more serious cases that can cause disfigurement. There are many treatments for acne available on the market, but it is very important to first identify your Acne type before choosing a treatment.

Acne Vulgaris

The most common form of Acne is named Acne Vulgaris. This type of acne can be easily identified by looking at the characteristics of the lesions.

Whiteheads: When a pore becomes completely blocked by trapping sebum, dead skin cells, and bacteria, you will notice a white appearance on the surface. Whiteheads normally will disappear fast than blackheads on your skin. You should resist the temptation to pop these pimples

Blackheads: When are pore is only partially blocked, the trapped sebum, bacteria and dead skin will have slowly drained to the surface of your skin. The black color is caused by your skins pigment and melanin reacting with oxygen. Blackheads will normally take longer to disappear than whiteheads. You should also resist the temptation to pop these pimples too.

Pustules: You can identify a pustule by a red circle with a white or yellow center. The pustule will look similar to a whitehead with the difference being inflammation. Pustules are commonly referred to as Zits.

Papules: The papule is a red, inflamed and tender bump on the skin with no visible head. You should not attempt to squeeze this lesion as you may cause or exacerbate scarring.

Severe Acne Vulgaris: The sever types of Acne Vulgaris include Nodules and Cysts and will be quite painful. You should consult your dermatologist for treating these types of acne.

Acne Rosacea

Acne Rosacea may look very similar to Acne Vulgaris and often causes confusion. Millions of people are affected by Acne Rosacea, and it mostly strikes people over the age of 30. It will start to appear as a reddish rash on the cheeks, forehead, nose and/or chin. You may also notice small bumps, skin blemishes or pimples in the area. Blackheads are not a symptom of Rosacea.
You should consult your dermatologist if you suspect you have Rosacea, because treatment is often very different.

There are other very serious forms of Acne such as Acne Conglobata, Acne Fulminans, Gram-Negative Folliculitis and Pyoderma Faciale. These forms of Acne are very rare, but they can be disfiguring, painful and have psychological effects.

It is always recommended that you consult with your dermatologist to confirm the type of Acne you have and the best treatments available.

The above information should only be used as a reference, and only a trained dermatologist can accurately diagnose your Acne.

The Basics of Acne

We see it and we obsess over it but do we know anything about it?

Acne is a skin condition brought about by a host of factors that all contribute to its development. It starts off with an excess production of oil on the skin due to the over activity of bodys skin glands. The bodys hormonal havoc may lead to the plugging and clogging of the pores. When these oils interact with the dead skin cells that line up the pores and the dirt that accumulates from the environment, outbreaks may occur especially when bacteria begins to accumulate.

Genetics play a role in acne. People whose family members have acne will most likely develop acne or have children who will develop the condition. The bodys internal hormonal system also contributes. This is the reason why teeners are more predisposed to it than adults.
Acne does not only occur on the face, although they are much visible there. Acne may crop up in different parts of the body but the most common is of course in the neck, at the back and on the shoulders.

There are five different types of acne, or one may also call them stages of acne. The first one is the most common form, acne vulgaris. This is actually the mild to moderate version of acne problem. Do not get be confused. If your only problems is some zits that you can count with your fingers then this is not your problem. Acne vulgaris involves all the works, whiteheads, blackheads, papules and pustules, which are quite visible as they often have a white or a yellow center. In severe cases of acne vulgaris, the person may also experience the development of nodules and even cysts that are filled with pus. These are the forms of acne that when not treated carefully may lead to scarring.

Another form of acne is the Acne Rosacea, which may appear as the red rash that covers the spaces in between pimples and other blemishes. The condition occurs more often in women than in men and may require specialized treatment and care compared to Acne Vulgaris.

Acne Conglobata, on the other hand, is more severe as it occurs as an interconnected leasions that are dotted with pimples, whiteheads and blackheads. Because of the severity of the condition, this often leads to scarring.

The fourth one is the Acne Fulminans, which is actually similar to Acne Conglobata except that it occurs suddenly. The acne oozes out and the body is even affected, frequently resulting in aching muscles and joints. Males are more affected by this than women. To treat the condition, doctors often recommend the use of Accutane, which is very effective in completely stopping the breakouts altogether. This however is not often prescribed and only as a last resort because of the side effects that it can cause in the body especially for women who have just gotten pregnant.

The last type of acne is the Pyroderma Faciale, which can be often seen in women, 20 to 40 yeatrs old. This is actually quite severe as it often involves the presence of nodules, sores and some pustules, which will no doubt all lead to scarring in the future. Still, if treated well, the condition will rarely continue or last for longer than a year. The important is to have it treated as soon as it crops up.