Acne is a skin problem that usually begins in the young teenage years and can last until the early 20s or even later. It consists of mild to severe outbreaks of pimples and cysts - mainly on the face, but also on the back, arms and chest. Cysts are lumps under the skin that have pus and other tissue in them, but do not come to a head like pimples do. These can sometimes cause scarring and blotchy, uneven skin colour. Unfortunately, acne hits people at a time when they most want to look their best. Acne can make teenagers feel embarrassed and bad about themselves. There are treatments that can help if acne is causing distress. If you are concerned about skin problems or skin care, you should talk to your doctor or chemist for information about possible treatments.

Hormones and genetics
At the start of puberty, a whole lot of hormones are released into the body. One of these hormones is androgen. Both boys and girls have androgen, but boys have more of it. Androgen affects oil glands in the skin of the face, neck, back, shoulders and chest. It makes the glands grow bigger and produce more oil (sebum). Bacteria on the skin make this oil thicken so that the pores become blocked, resulting in blackheads, pimples and cysts. A teenager is more likely to get acne if one of their parents had it during adolescence. But even in the same family, some people may get worse acne than others. Girls tend to get it at a younger age than boys and it can worsen or ‘break out’ at certain times of a girl’s menstrual cycle, such as just before a period. Boys often have more outbreaks than girls, and they often seem to get worse pimples and more cysts.

Self-help strategies
Suggestions for managing acne include:

* Washing - cleaning the skin can help, but even people with very clean skin can have problems with acne. Try washing the affected areas two to three times per day. Don’t overdo it. Too much washing can cause other skin problems, such as dryness or skin irritations. Try to keep hair clean and off the face and neck, since oil from the hair can make acne worse.
* Make-up - choose water-based, oil free products. Make-up worn during the day should be thoroughly removed at night.
* Don’t squeeze - do not pick or squeeze pimples. This can get germs into the skin around the pimple and make things a lot worse. It can lead to scarring of the skin too.
* Stress - Stress can trigger an outbreak of pimples. Stress causes the release of chemicals into the brain that can make oil glands release more oil onto the skin. This is why pimples seem to magically appear on stressful days, such as at the time of an exam or special date. Usually it is difficult to control things like tests or special events, but it’s important to know that the stress has brought on the outbreak. The outbreak is not a sign that the treatments do not work.
* Diet - many people think that lollies or chocolate cause pimples. Research has not been able to prove any such link, but some people find that it works this way for them. It is possible that a person eats chocolate when they are under a lot of stress, and that it is actually the stress that causes the pimples. However, healthy eating may help.

Acne treatment from your pharmacy
Some acne treatments can be bought over the counter at chemists or supermarkets. These work by cleaning the skin and drying up excess oil. If you are using any form of treatment and your skin becomes very dry or irritated, stop using it straight away. It is a good idea to talk to the chemist before you buy a product to find out which treatments are the most useful. Don’t rely on advertisements or the advice of friends.

Medical treatment
If the acne is bad, your doctor may prescribe medication or arrange a referral to a dermatologist. Medications can lead to huge improvements in how the skin looks and can reduce the number of new pimples. Medical treatment can include:

* Antibiotics to kill the germs, which are part of the cause
* Medications to reduce the amount of oil being produced
* Medications to reduce the amount of androgen in the body.

Where to get help

* Your doctor
* Your local chemist
* Dermatologist.

Things to remember

* Acne is a skin problem consisting of mild to severe outbreaks of blackheads, pimples and cysts.
* The triggers of acne include some of the hormones associated with puberty and stress.
* Self-help strategies include washing the affected areas regularly, using water-based make-up and resisting the urge to squeeze or pick at spots.
* See your doctor or chemist for information about possible treatments.

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Acne is a common skin condition that can have many forms. Generally, acne refers to the medical term Acne Vulgaris and is caused by bacteria called Propion. This is the most common form of Acne and it is an inflammatory disease, which affect the hair follicles and oil producing glands of the human skin.

Acne is nearly always the product of blood impurities. Rising hormones levels during puberty, in both male and females, and will cause your oil glands, which open into pores on the surface of your skin to expand by producing more oil called sebum. If the oil produced in those glands, 2,000 of them per square inch on your forehead alone, mixes with skin cells and bacteria just under the surface of your skin, a blackhead develops. And if the top of the oil gland isn’t wide enough, a whitehead develops, builds and erupts into a pimple.

In severe acne cases, large red bumps called cysts form. The cysts can be very painful and may cause permanent scaring. These physical scars can cause extreme emotional distress that can last a lifetime through anxiety, loss of self-esteem and depression.

To avoid these emotional and physical scars, Dermatologists recommend starting treatment as soon as symptoms appear and continue appropriate treatment for as long as necessary to prevent the acne from recurring.

Acne usually appears on the face but can also appear on the neck, chest, back, shoulders and upper arms.

Whey acne being in boys and girls between the ages of 8 and 11, it usually results in a very severe case of acne as a teenager.

25 percent of adult men and 50 percent of adult women suffer from occasional occurrences of acne. Acne in adults is thought to be caused by, heredity or genetic factors, vitamin deficiency, stress, poor hygiene and other factors associated with adult life styles choices.

Vitamin A Vitamin B Vitamin E
Zinc Amino Acid Aloe Vera
Tea Tree Oil Beta Carotene Benzoyl Peroxide
Resorcinol Sulfur Salicylic Acid

Vitamin A, B and E are all essential for the proper health and maintenance of the skin tissue. Vitamin A will help unplug the existing cysts and pimples allowing other topical medication to enter the follicles.

Isotretinoin, a Vitamin A derivative, is an oral drug that is usually taken once or twice a day with food for 4 to 6 months. Isotretinoin has been shown to be very effective in treating severe acne and can either improve or clear over 80% of patients studied.

Isotretinoin has a much longer effect than anti-bacterial treatments and will often cure acne for good. It reduces the size of oil glands and much less oil is produced and as a result the growth of propion bacteria is reduced.

Vitamin A is stored in the fat cells of the human body and can reach toxic levels. DO NOT take more than the recommended dosage of Vitamin A.

Zinc is needed for healing and maintaining healthy tissues. Amino Acids are the building blocks of protein and are the vital components of skin, hair, muscle tissue, the body’s organs, blood cells, various enzymes and hormones.

Aloe Vera will help rejuvenate and tone skin all over. A naturally cooling gel, the Aloe Vera botanical ingredients work together to stimulate the blood circulation and naturally soften the skin.

Tea Tree Oil has natural anti-inflammatory properties and helps sooth and treat problem skin. It is used to help tighten pores and firm skin for a more youthful, healthy appearance.

Symptoms of Beta Carotene deficiency include ache, dry dull hair, dry skin and thickened scaly skin on the palms and soles of the feet.

Some over the over the counter topical treatments prescribed by Dermatologists include the following.

Benzoyl peroxide which kills the Propion bacteria and may reduce the production of excess oil.

Resorcinol, Sulfur, which can help breakdown blackheads and whiteheads.

Salicylic Acid also helps breakdown blackheads and whiteheads. It also helps cut down the shedding of cells lining the hair follicles clogging the pores of the skin. Salicylic acid is used as a mild abrasive to chemically exfoliate the skin to encourage the peeling of the top layer and to prevent a build-up of dead skin cells which combine with the oil to block pores.

Always consult your doctor before using this information.

This Article is nutritional in nature and not to be construed as medical advice.

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My daughter wants to try a new acne treatment (proactive and everything from the drug store) Do not work for her.

She has super sensitive skin and its acne proan. I have heard great things about skinID and murad and was wondering what one would be best for her again her skin is super sensitivite and acne proan

Please don’t say try this or that we have tryed everything except for skinID and murad.

Best answer will be chosen.

SkinID will most likely suit your daughter's young skin better than Murad. Murad is known for causing 'purging' which basically means the skin will breakout a ton before it actually starts to prevent it. She wouldn't want that since she'll be going to school. Skin ID is also great because it can be personalized for each individuals skin and conditions.

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I have always had trouble with my acne. As far as i know scars are changes in the skin itself, pits and such. So im guessing these discolorations are not scars and removable. How do i get rid of these? Easy home remedies are what im looking for. Im also looking for a cure so after so and so weeks/months the blemishes will be gone permanently and i wont need to plaster stuff on my face. Thanks

It is called hyperpigmentation. Natural remedies will take about 6 months to a year to completely clear them up. I work for some dermatologists and ended up going on prescription (topical meds) and it still took a little while (2-3 months) for the scars to completely clear up. The most important thing is to makesure you don’t get anymore blemishes because your skin coloring and type (just like mine) will be prone to this discoloration. That’s why it’s great to work for dermatologists and get a discount on good products LOL! Let me know if you would like any suggestions!

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