Acne
From AssaraWiki
Acne vulgaris (commonly called acne) is an extremely common skin condition, caused by changes in skin structures consisting of a hair follicle and its associated sebaceous gland, via androgen stimulation.
It is characterized by noninflammatory follicular papules or comedones and by inflammatory papules, pustules, and nodules in its more severe forms. Acne vulgaris affects the areas of skin with the densest population of sebaceous follicles; these areas include the face, the upper part of the chest, and the back. Severe acne is inflammatory, but acne can also manifest in noninflammatory forms. Acne lesions are commonly referred to as pimples, blemishes, spots, zits, or simply acne.
Acne occurs most commonly during adolescence, affecting more than 89% of teenagers, and frequently continues into adulthood. In adolescence, acne is usually caused by an increase in male sex hormones, which people of both genders accrue during puberty. For most people, acne diminishes over time and tends to disappear—or at the very least decrease—after one reaches one's early twenties. There is, however, no way to predict how long it will take to disappear entirely, and some individuals will carry this condition well into their thirties, forties and beyond.
The face and upper neck are the most commonly affected, but the chest, back and shoulders may have acne as well. The upper arms can also have acne, but lesions found there are often keratosis pilaris, not acne.
Typical acne lesions are comedones, inflammatory papules, pustules and nodules. Some of the large nodules were previously called "cysts" and the term nodulocystic has been used to describe severe cases of inflammatory acne
Aside from scarring, its main effects are psychological, such as reduced self-esteem. Acne usually appears during adolescence, when people already tend to be most socially insecure. Early and aggressive treatment is therefore advocated by some to lessen the overall impact to individuals.
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Causes of acne
Acne develops as a result of blockages in follicles. Hyperkeratinization and formation of a plug of keratin andsebum (a microcomedo) is the earliest change. Enlargement of sebaceous glands and an increase in sebum production occur with increased androgen production at. The microcomedo may enlarge to form an open comedone (blackhead) or closed comedone (whitehead). Whiteheads are the direct result of skinpores becoming clogged with sebum, a naturally occurring oil, and dead skin cells. In these conditions the naturally occurring largely commensal bacteria can cause inflammation, leading to inflammatory lesions (papules, infected pustules, or nodules) in the skin around the microcomedo or comedone, which results in redness and may result in scarring or hyperpigmentation.
Primary causes
Acne is known to be partly hereditary. Several factors are known to be linked to acne:
Family/Genetic history. The tendency to develop acne runs in families. For example, school-age boys with acne often have other members in their family with acne as well. A family history of acne is associated with an earlier occurrence of acne and an increased number of retentional acne lesions.
Hormonal activity, such as menstrual cycles and puberty. During puberty, an increase in male sex hormones called androgens cause the sebaceous glands to grow larger and make more sebum.
Inflammation, skin irritation or scratching of any sort will activate inflammation.
Stress. While the connection between acne and stress has been debated, scientific research indicates that increased acne severity is significantly associated with increased stress levels.
Hyperactive sebaceous glands, secondary to the three hormone sources above.
Bacteria in the pores.
Use of anabolic steroids.
Exposure to certain chemical compounds.
Chronic use of amphetamines or other similar drugs.
Hygiene
Acne is not caused by dirt. This misconception probably comes from the fact that blackheads look like dirt stuck in the openings of pores. The black color is not dirt but simply oxidized keratin. In fact, the blockages of keratin that cause acne occur deep within the narrow follicle channel, where it is impossible to wash them away. These plugs are formed by the failure of the cells lining the duct to separate and flow to the surface in the sebum created there by the body. Built-up oil of the skin can block the passages of these pores, so standard washing of the face could wash off old oil and help unblock the pores.
Acne scars
Acne often leaves small scars where the skin gets a "volcanic" shape. Physical acne scars are often referred to as "Icepick" scars. This is because the scars tend to cause an indentation in the skin's surface. There are a range of treatments available, including laser skin rejuvenation and microdermabrasion.
One of the limitations of microdermabrasion is actually related to the convenience and comfort of the technique. Because it is a simple procedure that does not intend to work deep within your skin, it may not be able to completely reduce deep scars, such as ice pick scars. Instead, the greatest improvements will be with scars that are raised above the skin, at the skin’s level, or just below by a tiny bit.
Pigmentation
Pigmented scars is a slightly misleading term as it suggests a change in the skin's pigmentation and that they are true scars; however, neither is true. Pigmented scars are usually the result of nodular or cystic acne (the painful 'bumps' lying under the skin). They often leave behind an inflamed red mark. Often, the pigmentation scars can be avoided simply by avoiding aggravation of the nodule or cyst. When sufferers try to 'pop' cysts or nodules, pigmentation scarring becomes significantly worse, and may even bruise the affected area. Pigmentation scars nearly always fade with time taking between three months to two years to do so, although rarely can persist.
On the other hand, some people—particularly those with naturally tanned skin—do develop brown hyperpigmentation scars due to increased production of the pigment melanin. These too typically fade over time.
See Also
Below, we provide helpful links to related topics published in Your Guide to Hair Grooming, Beautiful Skin and Lasers, and the Assara Beauty Blog.
Related Chapters in Your Guide
Chapter 7 - What's Happening to My Young Radiant Skin?
Chapter 9 - Common Skin Problems
Chapter 10 - Microdermabrasion
Chapter 11 - The Benefits of Laser Facials
Related blog articles
Smooth And Vibrant Skin with a Laser Facial
Scientific Study Proves Microdermabrasion is Totally Awesome
