Acne
From Wikipedia, a free encyclopedia written in simple English for easy reading.
Acne is an infection of the skin, caused by changes in the sebaceous glands. The most common form of acne is called acne vulgaris, which means common acne. The redness comes from the inflammation of the skin in response to the infection.
Oils from the glands combine with dead skin cells to block hair follicles. Under the blocked pore, oil builds up. Skin bacteria can then grow very quickly. This infection makes the skin become swollen and red, which becomes visible.
The face, chest, back, and upper arms are most common places for acne to happen.
Acne is common during puberty, when a person is turning from a child into an adult, because of high levels of hormones. Acne becomes less as people reach adulthood.
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[edit] Effects of acne
- Acne can cause scars
- Acne can make the skin much more sensitive and painful to physical contact.
- Acne can cause reduced self-esteem, which can cause depression. Acne often affects teenagers. Teenagers are easily affected by self-esteem problems.
[edit] Causes of acne
Exactly why some people get acne and some do not is not completely known. These can cause acne, or make it worse:
- Hormonal fluctuation
- Hyperactive sebaceous glands
- Stress
- Many dead skin cells staying on the skin
- Bacteria** in the pores
- Skin irritation or scratching of any sort
- Chlorine
[edit] Acne myths
There are many incorrect ideas about the causes for acne. Many people believe these false ideas:
- Diet. It is possible that eating different foods can help clear acne for some people. But the relationship between food and acne has not been proven. Chocolate, chips, sugar, milk, seafood and other food do not cause acne. The effect of diet varies from person to person, no scientific evidence has been brought forth to prove or disprove that diet has any effect on acne.
- Sex. Some people think that both celibacy (no sex) and masturbation are causes for acne. This is not true. Although sexual activity produces hormonal changes in our bodies, these are completely normal and should have no effect on acne.
[edit] Treatments
Many things are sold to treat acne, the most popular being benzoyl peroxide. Many of these things have not been scientifically proven to help acne. However, a mix of commercial and homemade treatments can help with acne for various reasons.
- Killing the bacteria that are grow in the blocked follicles. This can be done by ingesting antibiotic medication, or by putting antibiotics on the skin. Antibiotics act quickly and are a powerful way of temporarily getting rid of acne. When the body develops a resistance to the antibiotics, the bacteria returns stronger than before.
- Removing oil on the skin can be done by taking drugs that contain Vitamin A. Accutane is the name of the most famous treatment using massive quantities of Vitamin A.
- Removing dead skin cells can be done by treatment with salicylic acid. This encourages the skin to peel away the top layer of cells.
Popping a pimple should not be done by anyone but a qualified dermatologist. Pimple popping irritates skin, can make the bacteria spread, and can cause scars. If you must pop a pimple yourself, it is advised to apply warm water to the area before popping it. This will open up the pores and reduce the damage because it will require less force to pop it.
[edit] Acne scars
Bad acne often leads to bad scars where the skin has the shape of a volcano. It is difficult and expensive to treat acne scars.
These are some ways acne scars can be treated:
- Dermabrasion. The top layer of the skin is taken away to make the scar look less deep. It makes the scar less visible but does not remove it completely. Many treatments may be needed.
- Laser resurfacing. A laser is used to burn off the top layer of the skin.
- Punch excision. The scar is raised with a punch tool and the edges are smoothed together.
- Chemical peels. Different types of acid are put on the skin so that a smoother layer can form.
- Subcision. A hole is made between the scar and the skin under the scar. Blood can pool under the scar, and raise it to the surface of the skin.
