Acne is one of the major health related conditions, which is common in teenagers and youngsters. Acne brings huge problems to teenagers. Teenagers who have acne feel isolated, ugly, and insecure. Who wouldn’t when everywhere you look, only clear faced (skinned) people are put on the pedestal.

Acne is an inflammatory disease involving the sebaceous glands of the skin; characterized by papules or pustules or comedones. Acne is the term for plugged pores (blackheads and whiteheads), pimples, and even deeper lumps (cysts or nodules) that occur on the face, neck, chest, back, shoulders and even the upper arms. Acne can simply be defined as a group of skin rashes which appear basically at the teenage. But it can occur at any age and can happen to anybody.
When people think of acne, usually the figure of a person comes up with an occurrence of red, inflamed pores on his or her face. Though this is the most common form, but is not the only type of acne which people experience. There are various types of acne which people may experience and there are numerous causes reported for acne.

Types of acne:

• Acne Vulgaris – most commonly experienced around puberty, typically of the face and shoulders/chest

• Acne rosacea – a red rash predominantly on the face

• Acne keloidalis nuchae (Pseudofolliculitis nuchae) – a rash caused by shaving

• Acne conglobata (Hidradenitis suppurativa) – chronic abscesses or boils of sweat glands and hair follicles; in the underarms, groin and buttocks, and under the breasts in women

• Acne cosmetica – acne caused by cosmetics

• Acne fulminans – an extreme form of acne conglobata

• Acne medicamentosa – acne caused by starting or stopping a medicine

• Baby acne – a rash seen on the cheeks, chin, and forehead of infants

• Chloracne – an acne rash caused by exposure to chlorinated hydrocarbons such as dioxins or PCBs.

These are the several types of acne but the common type which occurs usually is acne Vulgaris. Acne Vulgaris occurs at the time of puberty. It is most common in the teenagers.

Causes of acne:

As stated earlier, acne can be caused due to numerous reasons. But generally there are four major factors responsible for causing acne. They are:

• Overactive oil glands

• Blockage of the skin pores

• Activity of normal skin bacteria

• Inflammation

They act together to cause the characteristic pimples, whiteheads and blackheads associated with acne.

Treatment:

The treatment procedure of acne started many years ago. Since then the treatment procedure gradually developed into better form. Acne treatments are also of considerable antiquity:

• Ancient Rome: bathing in hot, and often sulfurous, mineral water was one of the few available acne treatments. One of the earliest texts to mention skin problems is De Medicina by the Roman writer Celsus.

• 1800s: Nineteenth century dermatologists used sulphur in the treatment of acne. It was believed to dry the skin.

• 1920s: Benzoyl Peroxide is used

• 1930s: Laxatives were used as a cure for what were known as ‘chastity pimples’

• 1950s: When antibiotics became available, it was discovered that they had beneficial effects on acne. They were taken orally to begin with. Much of the benefit was not from killing bacteria but from the anti-inflammatory effects of tetracycline and its relatives. Topical antibiotics became available later.

• 1960s: Tretinoin (original Trade Name Retin A) was found effective for acne. This preceeded the development of oral isotretinoin (sold as Accutane and Roaccutane) since the early 1980s.

• 1980s: Accutane is introduced in America

• 1990s: Laser treatment introduced

• 2000s: Blue/red light therapy

Some old treatments, like laxatives, have fallen into disuse but others, like spas, are recovering their popularity. Acne responds well to treatment, particularly if treated early, at the onset of the condition. Treatment is offered to:

• Prevent possible scarring

• Deal with inflamed and painful areas

• Limit the formation of new blackheads and whiteheads

• Lessen any stress or embarrassment associated with the acne

Mild acne can be treated with over-the-counter medications. More serious acne requires treatment by a dermatologist.

Mild acne is managed well by over-the-counter preparations such as benzoyl peroxide, Resorcinol, Salicylic acid, Sulfur, etc. Nowadays acne is also treated with Natural Acne Treatment. Natural acne treatment doesn’t have any side affects and it also totally affective in treating acne. Now acne no longer remains a big problem for the teenagers and the youngsters.

Acne

This factsheet is for people who have acne.

Acne is a skin condition that causes spots. Most people affected by acne are aged between 12 and 25.1 However, men and women in their 30s and 40s can also suffer. There are many treatments available to help deal with the condition.

What is acne?

Acne is a skin condition that typically causes one or more of the following:

* blackheads (comedones)

* whiteheads

* red or yellow spots

* greasy skin

* scars

Acne typically affects the skin of the face, back, neck, chest and arms and the severity of the condition can vary.

Acne affects people of all skin colours. The processes that cause acne are exactly the same in people with black or brown skin but the impact is altered by the skin pigmentation.

Acne is very common and affects about 80 in 100 people aged 11-30 at some time.

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Acne

This factsheet is for people who have acne.

Acne is a skin condition that causes spots. Most people affected by acne are aged between 12 and 25.1 However, men and women in their 30s and 40s can also suffer. There are many treatments available to help deal with the condition.

What is acne?

Acne is a skin condition that typically causes one or more of the following:

* blackheads (comedones) 2,3

* whiteheads2,3

* red or yellow spots2,3

* greasy skin2,3

* scars2,3

Acne typically affects the skin of the face, back, neck, chest and arms and the severity of the condition can vary.1,4

Acne affects people of all skin colours. The processes that cause acne are exactly the same in people with black or brown skin but the impact is altered by the skin pigmentation.

Acne is very common and affects about 80 in 100 people aged 11-30 at some time.4

The skin

The surface of the skin has lots of small sebaceous glands just below the surface. These glands make an oily substance called sebum that keeps the skin smooth and supple.

Tiny pores (holes in the skin) allow the sebum to come to the skin surface. Hairs also grow through these pores.

IIllustration showing the structure of skin

Illustration showing the structure of skin
What causes acne?

Acne is caused by the overactivity of the sebaceous glands that secrete oily substances onto the skin.

The sebaceous glands of people with acne are especially sensitive to normal blood levels of a hormone called testosterone, found naturally in both men and women.

Testosterone in people prone to acne triggers the sebaceous glands to produce an excess of sebum. At the same time, the dead skin cells lining the openings of the hair follicles (the tubes that hold the hair) are not shed properly and clog up the follicles.

These two effects combined cause a build-up of oil in the hair follicles. This causes blackheads and whiteheads to form.

For some people, their acne does not progress beyond this stage.

However in other people, the build-up of oil in the hair follicles creates an ideal environment for a bacterium called Propionibacterium acnes to grow.

These bacteria normally live harmlessly on your skin but when this ideal environment is created, they grow. They feed off the sebum and produce substances that cause a response from your body’s immune system. This inflames the skin and creates the redness associated with spots.

In more severe ‘inflammatory acne’, cysts develop beneath the skin’s surface. These acne cysts can rupture, spreading the infection into nearby skin tissue. This can result in scarring.

What makes acne worse?

There are a number of things that can make your acne worse. These include the following:

* picking and squeezing the spots may cause further inflammation and scarring1

* stress can make acne worse in some people, although it is not clear why1,

* in women, outbreaks may be affected by the hormonal changes that occur during the menstrual cycle1,

* excessive production of male hormones such as testosterone from conditions such as polycystic ovary syndrome may be another cause.5 For more information, please see the separate BUPA factsheet Polycystic ovary syndrome

* some contraceptive pills may make acne worse. This is due to the type of progestogen hormone in some pills whereas some other types of contraceptive pills can improve acne – see Treatments section below. Your GP will advise you which contraceptive pill to take

* some medicines can make acne worse. For example, some medicines taken for epilepsy, and steroid creams and ointments that are used for eczema. Do not stop a prescribed medicine if you suspect it is making your acne worse, but tell your GP. An alternative may be an option

* steroids can cause acne as a side-effect

Treatment

Acne may cause you considerable emotional distress but there is a range of treatment options to help you tackle the problem. No treatment will completely ‘cure’ your acne. The aims of treatment are to prevent new spots forming, to improve those already present, and to prevent scarring.3

Home treatment

It is important to keep spot-prone areas clean, so wash the affected area twice a day with an unperfumed cleanser.1,6 The skin needs a certain amount of oil to maintain its natural condition, so avoid aggressive washing with strong soaps.

There are a number of over-the-counter remedies available from pharmacies to treat mild acne. These usually contain antibacterial agents such as benzoyl peroxide (eg Oxy and Clearasil Max).

As well as its antibacterial effects, benzoyl peroxide can dry out the skin and encourage it to shed the surface layer of dead skin. Together, these effects make it harder for pores to become blocked and for infection to develop.

Benzoyl peroxide can cause redness and peeling, especially to start with. This tends to settle down if you reduce the number of times you use it. You can then build up your use gradually.

No home treatments for acne will work immediately. It can take weeks, if not months, for significant effects to be noticeable. If home treatments have not worked after two months, or you have severe acne, you should visit your GP.

Prescription medicines

Your GP may start your treatment by prescribing a preparation containing benzoyl peroxide. If this does not work, or if you have more severe acne, there are a range of other treatment options that you can either rub onto your skin (topical) or take in tablet form (oral).

Topical treatments

There are several topical treatments you may be prescribed including those listed below:

* azelaic acid (Skinoren) is an alternative to benzoyl peroxide and may not make your skin as sore as benzoyl peroxide

* topical retinoids (eg Adapalene) are medicines based on vitamin A, which are rubbed into the skin once or twice a day.7 They work by encouraging the outer layer of skin to flake off

* a topical antibiotic lotion applied to the skin can be used to control the P. acnes bacteria (eg Dalacin T). Treatment needs to continue for at least six months. Preparations that combine an antibiotic with other acne medication are available (eg Benzamycin which combines an antibiotic with benzoyl peroxide)

Oral treatments

There are several oral treatments you may be prescribed including those listed below:

* oral antibiotics (tablets), such as tetracycline, can be prescribed for inflammatory acne. They should be taken daily for around three months, although it might take four to six months for the benefits to be seen.7 The success of this treatment can be limited because the strains of bacteria are often resistant to the common antibiotics. Antibiotics do not prevent pores from becoming blocked so treatment to prevent blackheads, such as benzoyl peroxide, is often also prescribed at the same time

* some types of oral contraceptive tablets help women who have acne. A combination of the usual pill hormone called ethinylestradiol with cyproterone acetate (eg Dianette) suppresses male hormone activity so is often used in women with acne

* isotretinoin (eg Roaccutane) is a medicine known as an oral retinoid, which also exists in a topical form (see above). Isotretinoin works by drying up oily secretions. It tends to be prescribed to people with severe forms of acne that have proved resistant to other treatments. There a number of serious side-effects of this drug, such as liver disorders and depresssion. You should not take isotretinoin if you are pregnant, as it is very dangerous to an unborn baby. For safety reasons, isotretinoin is only prescribed under the supervision of dermatology specialists.

Do you suffer from acne? Is acne depriving you of your confidence?Acne can cause tremendous physical and emotional pain. It makes us look ugly!

I desperately tried various over the counter acne products and dermatologist prescribed acne cure treatments with limited success. Why? Because these topical creams & antibiotic treatments do not treat the ROOT cause of Acne problem! As a result, ugly acne kept coming back.
I have discovered that to effectively treat acne, you have to treat the root of the problem. Acne is not only a skin problem, but an internal problem as well.

So now, I will share with you 3 acne killer secrets that I have learned that have given me clear, healthy, and radiant skin.

The Causes of Acne

Your acne is caused when pores in your skin get clogged by dead skin cells and excessive sebum content. Sebum is an oily substance produced by the sebaceous gland.

The clogged pore is the perfect environment for the acne bacteria. This bacteria in the plugged follicle leads to inflammation of the skin. This leads to pimples or acnes. Acne can be either mild, moderate or severe. For severe cases of acne, you should go visit a doctor.

Thus, the contributors of acne are clogging of the pores by oil and dead skin cells and the presence of bacteria. To effectively fight acne, one must address it from both the outside of the body and inside of the body.

Acne Killer Secret #1 – Preventing acne by taking care of your skin

The basic things you can do to prevent acne is to follow basic hygiene and skin care regimen. Your basic skin care regimen should include cleansing of the skin, applying an alcohol-free toner, and finish with a moisturizer + sunscreen. Toning your skin restores skin pH back to it’s normal range and it closes the pores to your skin to prevent dust and the air borne particles from settling in your pores.

You should clean your skin with a gentle cleanser at least twice a day to remove your skin from oil, dead skin cells, dry skin – substances that can clog the pores. It is imperative for the pores of your skin to remain bacteria free. The presence of bacteria is something which contributes substantially to the growth of pimples. If you have overall cleanliness of the skin, you can lessen the chance of pimples.

Look for cleansing products that contain salicylic acid. Salicylic Acid is a naturally occurring organic acid and a gentle, effective exfoliator. It is very effective for acne and oily skin and helps to unclog pores by removing dead skin cells, loosen and remove blackheads and whiteheads, and prevent future outbreaks. Products should contain 1-2% concentration of salicylic acid in order for it to be effective. For sensitive skin types, a 1% concentration would be suitable and for stubborn acne, 2% concentration is recommended.

Note that Salicylic Acid also makes skin sensitive to the sun. Sunscreen should therefore be used while applying Salicylic Acid. Sunscreen also guard your skin from harmful rays of the sun and helps slow down aging of the skin. If you have oily skin, you should use an oil-free sunscreen product.

Acne Killer Secret #2- Fighting Acne from the inside

The main cause of acne is the concentration of toxins inside the body. The body expels toxins through excretion, sweating, or through the skin. If the body is not efficient in expelling the toxins through excretion or through sweating, some of the toxins go out through the skin. This causes inflammation of the skin and increases the bacteria level on the surface of the skin, leading to acne problem.

To effectively fight acne and achieve radiant, youthful, and healthy skin, one must take good care of the body by practicing the following healthy habits:

(1)Reduce Stress – Stress causes the body’s level of cortisol (stress hormone) to go up. This leads to increase of your blood sugar and produces more oil on the skin, which can lead to skin aging and acne prone skin. Stress can be controlled by getting adequate sleep and rest and doing meditation and practicing deep breathing. Deep breathing also helps to remove the toxins in the body.

(2)Get on an exercise program – Exercise reduces stress and helps improve blood circulation to the skin, making the skin more healthy and radiant. Also, the sweating from exercise also removes the toxins in the body.

(3)Eat plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables each day – colorful fruits and vegetables, garlic, and onions are essential for clear, healthy skin. The more colors, the more they contain antioxidants and vitamins that help to nourish the skin. Carrots, tomatoes, romaine lettuces, spinachs, cantaloupes, berries, beets, cabbages, broccolis, and kales are excellent sources.

“Water intake also plays a big role in keeping your skin healthy and beautiful. It helps to keep the skin hydrated and get rids of toxins in the body. It is recommended to take at least 8-10 glasses of water a day.

(4)Consume these healthy fats – Omega-3 fatty acids and Omega-6 fatty acids are essential fats that the body cannot produce. They must be consumed through diet. These essential fats are responsible for reducing skin inflammation and improving blood circulation, giving you a clear, glowing skin and helping you to prevent premature aging. Food that are rich in these healthy fats include salmon, sardines, mackerels, nuts (walnuts, almonds), seeds (pumpkins, sunflower), and flaxseed and olive oil., especially wild salmon. You can also take fish oil supplements.

Acne Killer Secrets #3 – Use an acne treatment system that fights acne from inside and outside the body

By following the above steps, it goes a long way in preventing and controlling your acne problems. However, for some of us unfortunate acne victims, our acne problems are more serious. Therefore, tougher measures must be taken. In addition to following the above recommendations, it is recommended to use an acne curing system that fights acne bacteria both from inside the body as well as outside the body. Most over the counter acne products in the market such as Clearsil, Oxy-10, ProActiv only address acne problems at the skin level and that is not enough to effectively fight acne.