Acne is a disorder of the hair follicles or pores. The common acne, Acne Vulgaris, is best described as a chronic inflammatory disease of the skin.
Acne is a common skin disorder characterized by skin blemishes, pimples, blackheads and whiteheads which are usually found in the face, neck, chest, upper arms and back. Very rarely is acne found in other parts of the body and it varies from the very mild to the acute development stage.
Who gets Acne?
At one time in our teen years we have, for sure, suffered, encountered and experienced having acne. Acne usually affects teens and preteens or right before or during puberty when the hormonal changes become apparent for both boys and girls. Both sexes are affected with the boys having longer and more severe encounters with acne.
Although there are people who carry on their acne problems to adulthood while others who have acne breakouts when they are already adults. Acne can also occur in children, toddlers and even babies.
How is Acne developed?
Acne is a plug within the skin pores which is made of oil and dead skin cells that are caught in the hair follicles. This plug is called a comedone or an acne blemish. There are several types of comedones that we should be aware of:
-Blackheads are open comedones because the hair follicle is open
-Whiteheads are closed or almost closed comedones, both are non-inflamed comedones
-Microcomedones or acne pustules that are so small that they are invisible to the naked eye
-Solar comedone affects only the elderly and are either black or blends with the color of the skin but are slightly protruded but not inflamed as a result of prolonged exposure to the sun
-Whiteheads are closed or almost closed comedones, both are non-inflamed comedones
-Microcomedones or acne pustules that are so small that they are invisible to the naked eye
-Solar comedone affects only the elderly and are either black or blends with the color of the skin but are slightly protruded but not inflamed as a result of prolonged exposure to the sun
Inflamed acne develops when bacteria come in and the follicle wall ruptures within the dermis, the layer of skin beneath the epidermis, and creates inflammation and redness.
The inflamed blemishes or acne can be very mild or severe depending on the amount of infection and the severity of the damage to the follicle wall. Some cases of acne may become deep wounds or cysts causing scarring of the skin.
How do we get Acne?
What really causes acne is still debatable as there are a lot of factors that may combine that will develop acne. People with oily skin are more prone to acne breakouts than those with average or normal skin because the excess oil in the skin can be trapped within the pore.
Acne prone skin usually have more dead skin cells than the normal and combine with an oily skin creates the plugs or condomes which when attacked by bacteria that is always present in the skin creates acne.
There are old beliefs that excessive eating of nuts or peanuts causes our skin to become oily and produce acne. Although this has not been scientifically proven a lot of old tales revolve around this premise such that during our teen years we are instructed by our grandmothers to stay away from nuts if we want to have clear skin.
Proper care of the skin is also necessary so as not to cause acne. Although some skin products should first be tested on your skin before using it because it may add to the skin's irritation rather than protecting it. There are also drugs and medications that may cause pimples such as steroids and estrogen.
Heredity is also one cause of acne. It is usual that if your parents were prone to acne then it would follow that you will also be prone to acne outbreaks during your teens or adult life.
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