Acne - Get the Facts

Did you know that 85% of the population between the ages of of 12 to 24 are likely to suffer from some form of acne? Some folks may undergo benign or even serious forms well up until their forties. But worry not! Acne is a skin disorder that is neither ancestral or contagious. Notably, it's a universal skin disorder that manifests itself in all genders, ages and races.

Acne is the result of over-induced sebaceous glands (or the skin’s oil glands), obstructed pilosebaceous units imbedded deep beneath the skin, and jammed up skin pores. Primarily, it develops from blocked pilosebaceous canals. If these canals are obstructed by hardened sebum and dead cells, which incidentally block the ejection of dirt and body wastes, then this promotes ripe breeding grounds for Propionibacterium acne (the P. acnes) in the follicle walls or hair pores. These acne-infecting bacteria will then attract white blood cells. The area then gets inflamed due to the body's reaction to this activity. This, of course, leads to acne.

Acne comes in a number of forms, however it can be classified into just 3. They are:

Whiteheads and blackheads (blocked and unblocked clogs respectively).
Mild inflammatory acne which includes papules and pustules.
Cystic acnes or nodules.

In addition, acne might come in different types, each with their own characteristics. Some kinds are interrelated and others have independent origins.

Cysts - are pus filled and have sac-like formation. This is the most severe.A
Papules - are typically inflamed pimples.
Comedo - or microcomedo, the smallest type of lesion.
Pustules - are pus-filled and commonly yellowish in colour.
Nodules - almost the same as pustules, but they differ in size and degree of inflammation

There are other forms of acne like:

Acne vulgaris - this is the most common form which comprise of blackheads and whiteheads. They ordinarily appear about the shoulder, the surface of the face and forehead.
Infantile acne - which occurs to infants or new born babies.
Acne rosacea - acne growing on the skin surface of adults, particularly middle-aged women.
Scalp folliculitis - or acne that manifest on the scalp and around the hairline.
Perioral dermatitis - this is more prevalent in women and is characterized by tiny pustules and papules.
Acne fulminans - normally characterized with systematic symptoms.

What exactly causes acne is a topic of much debate. Nonetheless, studies have been made to determine some of the causes which may provoke the production of acne. These include the following:

1) Propionibacterium acnes or P. acnes (the acne-infecting bacteria)
2) Psychological stress (also, emotional stress)
3) An Unhealthy diet
4) Ineffective functioning digestive system
5) Hormonal imbalances and changes (which may be the product of the digestive system reacting to certain foods)
6) Cosmetic products (specifically oil-based products)

Though many believe acne cannot be cured fully, there are treatments to minimize the skin’s vulnerability to acne infection. These might composed by the following kinds of treatments:

1) Topical acne treatments or those that may be applied on the external layers of the skin.
2) Oral drugs or drugs that can be taken systematically, these are usually composed of anti-biotics like spironolactone, minocycline and doxycycline treatments.
3) Homeophatic acne treatments or those that can be prepared at home and are normally bought over the couter (soap, water, salicylic acid, benzoyl peroxide and alcohol)