Acne: Overview
85% of individuals included in the age group of 12 to 24 are liable to suffer from any forms acne. Others may experience sporadic and severe forms well up to their forties. However, this skin ailment is neither blood related or transmittable. Markedly, acne is a worldwide skin disease which manifests in all genders, ages and races.
This skin disorder is the resultant of over-induced sebaceous glands (or the skin’s oil glands) and blocked pilosebaceous units imbedded deep beneath the skin and blocked skin pores. Primarily, acne develops from blocked pilosebaceous canals. If these canals are hindered by hardened sebum and dead cells, the mixture of which may build up and block the discharge of dirt and body wastes; thus providing breeding grounds for Propionibacterium acnes or the P. acnes in the follicle walls or hair pores. These acne-infecting bacteria will be a magnet for white blood cells. The area then gets inflamed due to the result of the body to the activities ultimately leading to the development of acne.
This skin disorder comes in numerous forms. It is mainly categorized into three:
• Whiteheads and blackheads or closed and open clogs respectively.
• Mild inflammatory acne which includes papules and pustules.
• Cystic acnes or nodules.
Moreover, acne may come in numerous types, each possessing their individual characteristics. Some types may be inter-related and some have their independent beginning.
• Comedo- or microcomedo, the least type of lesion)
• Pustules- are pus-filled, typically yellowish in colour.
• Nodules- are the same with pustules only varying in magnitude and the extent of swelling.
• Papules- are typically red-looking pimples.
• Cysts- are pus filled and have sac-like configuration. This is the most harsh form of acne.
There are additional forms of acne like:
• Acne vulgaris-the most common form which comprise of blackheads and whiteheads. Normally found in the region of the shoulder, the surface of the face and the forehead.
• Infantile acne- which occurs to infants or new born babies.
• Acne rosacea- acne growing on the skin exterior of adults, in particular middle-aged women.
• Scalp folliculitis- or acne that manifest on the scalp and around the hairline.
• Perioral dermatitis- which is more common in women, characterized by minute pustules and papules.
• Acne conglobata- or acne vulgaris in its sever variety.
• Acne fulminans- typically characterized with systematic symptoms.
Acne is a disease that cannot be completely cured. Nevertheless, there had been developed treatments to diminish the skin’s susceptibility to acne infection. These may composed by the following forms of treatments:
• Homeophatic treatments or those that can be prepared at home and are typically available over the counter (soap and water, salicylic acid, benzoyl peroxide and alcohol)
• Topical treatments or those that are applied on the outer layers of the skin.
• Oral drugs or drugs that can be taken systematically, these are regularly composed of antibiotics (like spironolactone, minocycline and doxycycline treatments).
There had not been any substantial causes of acne for most forms. Nevertheless, a number of studies were made as to establish some of the causes which may set off the production of acne. These consist of the following:
• Propionibacterium acnes or P. acnes (the acne-infecting bacteria)
• Psychological tension (also, emotional stress)
• Unhealthy diet (basically, the basis may be the diet followed in the West which are fat-enriched)
• Improperly working digestive system
• Hormonal imbalances and changes ( which may be the product of the digestive structure reacting to some food matter)
• Cosmetics (in particular those that are oil-based)
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