Aretha Persaud, M.D.
Acne affects many individuals of all ages. Acne is a skin disorder characterized by clogged pores and pimples. Although acne is not a serious medical condition, it often causes emotional distress and can lead to scarring of the skin.
Acne can appear anywhere on the body, typically affecting the face, neck, chest, back and shoulders, which are the areas with the largest amount of oil glands. Acne appears in several forms. Whiteheads occur when the openings of hair follicles become clogged and blocked with oil secretions and dead skin. Blackheads are similar but are open to the skin surface and darken. Pimples are red, raised spots that indicate infection and inflammation in the hair follicle. Finally, cysts occur when there is a buildup of secretions beneath the surface of the skin deep within the hair follicles.
There are three main factors responsible for acne: overproduction of oil or sebum, irregular shedding of dead skin cells and buildup of bacteria. Pores, the openings of the sweat glands on your skin, are not normally involved in acne.
Contrary to common belief, foods have little effect on acne. Acne usually occurs when there are hormonal changes in your body—for females, during menstruation and pregnancy. Acne is also associated with certain medicines, such as cortisone or steroids.
Other causes include exposing the skin to greasy or oily substances. Scrubbing the skin too hard or with harsh chemicals can cause irritation and worsen acne. If there is a family history of acne, you have a greater risk of developing it. Friction or pressure on the skin caused by phones, collars or backpacks can lead to acne.
Treatment for acne focuses on reducing oil production, speeding up skin cell turnover and fighting bacterial infection. The treatment usually takes weeks before results are noted and the skin may appear worse before it gets better. Topical treatments that contain benzoyl peroxide, sulfur, resorcinol, salicylic acid or lactic acid as the active ingredients, are usually found over the counter. Prescription topical treatments include Tretinoin (Retin-A) or adapalene (Differin) which are derived from Vitamin A. These agents promote cell turnover and prevent plugging of the hair follicles. Topical antibiotics are also available and kill excess bacteria. Combining these products helps achieve optimal results.
Oral antibiotics are used for moderate to severe acne. Isotretinoin or Accutane is useful to treat deep cysts when oral antibiotics have failed. However, there are several serious side effects associated with Accutane. Severe birth defects may occur in females taking Accutane. Cholesterol, triglycerides and liver enzymes in the body may become elevated, so baseline blood testing and follow-up labs should be done routinely when Accutane is prescribed for acne treatment. Oral contraceptives have also been shown to improve acne but are associated with other side effects. Finally, cosmetic procedures, including microdermabrasion, chemical peels, IPL (intense pulse light) therapy or laser resurfacing, are options to diminish scarring caused by acne and enhance your complexion.
Acne can appear anywhere on the body, typically affecting the face, neck, chest, back and shoulders, which are the areas with the largest amount of oil glands. Acne appears in several forms. Whiteheads occur when the openings of hair follicles become clogged and blocked with oil secretions and dead skin. Blackheads are similar but are open to the skin surface and darken. Pimples are red, raised spots that indicate infection and inflammation in the hair follicle. Finally, cysts occur when there is a buildup of secretions beneath the surface of the skin deep within the hair follicles.
There are three main factors responsible for acne: overproduction of oil or sebum, irregular shedding of dead skin cells and buildup of bacteria. Pores, the openings of the sweat glands on your skin, are not normally involved in acne.
Contrary to common belief, foods have little effect on acne. Acne usually occurs when there are hormonal changes in your body—for females, during menstruation and pregnancy. Acne is also associated with certain medicines, such as cortisone or steroids.
Other causes include exposing the skin to greasy or oily substances. Scrubbing the skin too hard or with harsh chemicals can cause irritation and worsen acne. If there is a family history of acne, you have a greater risk of developing it. Friction or pressure on the skin caused by phones, collars or backpacks can lead to acne.
Treatment for acne focuses on reducing oil production, speeding up skin cell turnover and fighting bacterial infection. The treatment usually takes weeks before results are noted and the skin may appear worse before it gets better. Topical treatments that contain benzoyl peroxide, sulfur, resorcinol, salicylic acid or lactic acid as the active ingredients, are usually found over the counter. Prescription topical treatments include Tretinoin (Retin-A) or adapalene (Differin) which are derived from Vitamin A. These agents promote cell turnover and prevent plugging of the hair follicles. Topical antibiotics are also available and kill excess bacteria. Combining these products helps achieve optimal results.
Oral antibiotics are used for moderate to severe acne. Isotretinoin or Accutane is useful to treat deep cysts when oral antibiotics have failed. However, there are several serious side effects associated with Accutane. Severe birth defects may occur in females taking Accutane. Cholesterol, triglycerides and liver enzymes in the body may become elevated, so baseline blood testing and follow-up labs should be done routinely when Accutane is prescribed for acne treatment. Oral contraceptives have also been shown to improve acne but are associated with other side effects. Finally, cosmetic procedures, including microdermabrasion, chemical peels, IPL (intense pulse light) therapy or laser resurfacing, are options to diminish scarring caused by acne and enhance your complexion.
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2 comments:
Nice post, kind of drawn out though. Really good subject matter though.
Nice post, kind of drawn out though. Really good subject matter though.
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