What are Acnes?
Acne is not just a problem for teenagers. It does affect persons from as young as 10 years to those that fall within and beyond 40. It is not uncommon for girls to break up in pimples by mid-20s. Just the period they are most conscious of their bodies and beauty. Acnes can present in such forms as blackheads, pustules (pus sacks), large pimples (cysts and hardboils). These skin blemishes occur in areas of the skin where there is plenty of oil (sebaceous glands), mostly on the face, chest and back. Hardly do they occur on the limbs.
Causes of Acne
They are usually factors working together to cause acne. Mostly, acne occurs at puberty when the oil in the sebaceous glands gets stimulated and grows under the influence of the male hormone, testosterone (secreted by both boys and girls). Skin oil is normally produced to lubricate and protect the skin but under certain circumstances, cells close to the surface can block the openings of these glands thereby resulting in a build up of oil underneath the skin. The oil is a good medium for multiplication of those bacteria normally present on the skin, especially staphylococci. The resultant infection is the basis of pain and redness of the blocked pores. When such inflammation is near the surface, you get a pustule; if it is deeper you get a pimple. When this oil breaks to the surface, it results in white “head”. When such oil gets oxidized by the oxygen in the air, such “white head” becomes “black head”.
What’s Factors Determine Acne Presentation?
These factors though not directing causing pimples can further aggravate this conditions.
1) Heredity: Sometimes, certain families are just likely to have pimples possibly because their grandparents or parents had it. There might be genes responsible for this.
2) Food: Oily foods such as fast foods, pizzas, chocolate, fried foods may worsen acne.
3) Dirt: Some persons have “oily” skin and are predisposed to pimples, sweat, however, do not cause pimples. Surprisingly, excessive washing can dry skin and irritate it.
4) Stress: This may play indirect role on pimple eruption. Many girls are likely to develop pimples during examinations.
5) Hormones: Many women break out in pimples during their menstrual cycle. It has also been suggested, though not proven, that oral contraceptive pills encourage pimples formation.
6) Cosmetics: Certain cosmetics and facials may just not be right for you. A close attention to association between the cosmetic application and development of pimples is usually revealing.
Other factors may include certain drugs, localized pressure on the skin, certain occupation especially those working in poorly ventilated rooms.
How to Cure Acne
This brings us to the main issue of this lucid article. Everyone develops pimples at one time or other. There is no “correct” time to treat. However, when such pimples break out frequently or they occur before an important even in your life, then it is time to treat.
1) Lifestyle medication: Sleep 8 hours a day, eat three good meals, drink 8 glasses of water per day, and most pimples will run away, tough order. However, you may apply hot compress to pimples. Do not pick pimples.
2) Cleansing and skin care: Wash once or twice daily with a mild cleansing bar liquid such as Dore, Neutrogen, or Basin.
3) Exfoliating cleanses and masques: Such products contain fine granules of salicylic acid in a concentration that makes it a very mild peeling agent. They remove the outer layer of the skin and thus open the blocked pores.
4) Retinol: These products contain vitamin A which promotes skin peeling.
5) Pore strips: These strips may be available in pharmacy shops. They are put on the face to dry oil from the pore.
6) Cleanse your skin twice daily with 5% benzyl peroxide wash or 2% salicylic acid wash. Consult your pharmacist for these products.
7) Apply a cream or gel containing 5% benzyl peroxide. An alternative is sulphur or resorcinol.
8) At night, apply a spot cream containing sulphur to the affected areas.
9) Use a light skin moisturizer and oil-free makeup.
Medical Acne Treatments
1) Tropic Antibodies: These contain drugs such as erythromyan, elindamyan, sulfacetumid.
2) Retinoid: They help in unclogging pores
3) Oral antibodies: It usually contains a tetracycline, amoxillin or sulpha drugs.
Oral contraceptives: Oestrogen containing contraceptives have been shown to have some efficacy in treating pimples.
4) Cortisone injections: These help to flatten large pimples.
5) Laser: This is being increasingly used when other remedies have failed.
6) Isoretinoin: These drugs have helped millions of sufferers since it was introduced in 1982. The original branded name was Accutane. These drugs are prescribed by dermatologist under very close monitoring because of their possible side-effects. The drug is usually prescribed for 5-6 months. Blood tests are carried out monthly. It should not be taken by pregnant women because of the possibility of birth defects in the baby.
