subject: Acne Info – Your All-In-One Reference [print this page] Acne Info Your All-In-One Reference Acne Info Your All-In-One Reference
What Are The Symptoms Of Acne?
As long as humans have existed, so has acne, it's very common. To help sufferers identify the physical symptoms which accompany acne, here's the most important acne info. Not only can acne's symptoms cause great personal distress, they also tend to be more severe where there is a family history of acne.
Acne is a dermatological condition, meaning that the main physical symptoms all occur in the skin. They include blackheads, whiteheads and pimples. Scaly red skin may also arise. The skin becomes inflamed and damaged, and this is what gives rise to the permanent acne scarring that the condition is famous for.
Everyone's skin has millions of sebaceous follicles. These are tiny openings in the skin and they are connected to the sebaceous glands which produce sebum, a natural oil to keep the skin in good condition. This is why acne tends to affect the areas of skin which have large follicle populations. Essentially, this is likely to be the patient's face, neck, and upper torso.
The symptoms of acne arise from changes in the sebaceous follicles and associated glands. Medical research has confirmed the acne info regarding the process and it is now widely accepted. When sebaceous follicles become blocked with the natural sebum oil along with dead skin cells, they become infected. The body's response to bacterial infection is to produce inflammation with soreness and redness. Damage to the skin tissue is the inevitable result, leading to permanent scarring. If early treatment is sought and the acne is well-managed then the extent of the damage and subsequent scarring can be reduced.
Who Suffers From Acne?
Acne info shows statistically that adolescents and young adults suffer from acne more often than any other distinct group. Acne results from hormone changes in the body. It is male sex hormones (androgens) which are responsible for the disease. These arise naturally during puberty in girls too, so the misery of acne is not confined to males. The condition generally eases off and self-limits over time. The trouble is that some sufferers may be affected for many years.
Hormones And Acne
The follicular glands are directly affected by hormonal changes in the body and this drives the development of acne. During puberty there are extensive hormonal changes occurring in the body. This gives rise to the prevalence of the disease during the adolescent years. Throughout their adult lives, females experience hormonal changes. As a consequence acne is sometimes seen in women during menstruation, pregnancy and later during menopause.
Acne Treatments
Many very effective acne treatments have been developed over the years. These can contribute greatly to symptoms relief and reduce the long-term effects of acne. Treatments applied directly to the skin are called topical treatments. They are based on substances such as benzoyl peroxide and salicylic acid. They should be used as early as possible in the outbreak, and they are of proven benefit.
Hormone therapy may be effective for girls and women suffering from acne. They have the effect of countering the male hormones which cause acne. Treatments based on retinoids have been shown to improve the condition. Anti-inflammatory medications may also be suggested.
Are There Long-Term Effects?
There are two categories of long-term effects, physical and psychological. Long-term effects are those which remain after the initial phase of the outbreak has resolved. The principal physical long term effect is of course acne's characteristic scarring. The underlying process which leads to scarring is well understood now. Collagen over-production during the healing process results from inflammation and damage within the skin. Skin thickening results, with permanent localised distortion of the skin. Indented acne scars exhibit the characteristic depressed areas.
It's only quite recently that the long-term psychological effects of acne have been taken seriously and attention has focussed on non-physical damage. As pointed out, acne tends to afflict young people more than any other group so it makes its effects felt just when the sufferers want to look good and feel attractive. The perceived disfiguring may be very distressing. Social activity may be curtailed and self-conscious individuals may feel that their condition singles them out for unwelcome attention. The long-term psychological damage can be severe, with some studies even claiming that there is an increased incidence of depression and suicide in subjects that have endured severe acne.
