Hardly anyone escapes their teen years without having at
least some acne, and some people continue to have breakouts into adulthood.
We’ve all been there: the morning of a big date or important
meeting, you look in the mirror to discover a major breakout. Whether it's just
one pimple or a cluster, acne is one common problem that has several solutions.
What Is Acne?
Acne, or acne vulgaris, occurs when glands in the skin
produce and secrete too much of the skin's natural oil, called sebum. Sebum
clogs pores in the skin, resulting in a pimple — or, worse, several pimples.
Bacteria in the sebum can cause inflammation and worsen the acne.
A pimple or acne breakout can pop up anywhere, but usually
strikes the face. Other common areas for acne breakouts include the neck,
shoulders, chest, and back.
Acne is
a very common problem — actually, it's the most common skin condition affecting
people across the globe. Majority of people live with acne, and most of them
are in their teen or young adult years. Although anyone can get acne — boys,
girls, men, and women — at any age or stage of life, it's most common in teens.
About 85 percent of teenagers will eventually get acne.
Causes of Acne
Acne can be caused or exacerbated by a number of different
things, including:
- Changes
in hormone levels (such as during puberty or menstruation)
- Cosmetics
or hair or skin products
- Having
a family history of acne
- Some
medications
- Something
rubbing on the skin (like a hat or helmet)
- Vigorous
scrubbing of the skin
- Stress
Acne Treatment and Prevention
There are several different acne treatment options, and
which one is best for you depends on how severe your acne is. A good skin care
regimen is often the first line of defence for mild acne or the occasional
pimple — that means washing your face no more than twice a day (but always
after sweating) with a gentle cleanser and lukewarm water.
Sometimes, more treatment is needed to keep skin healthy. To
clear up or prevent an acne breakout, you can try:
- Over-the-counter medicated
cleansers, lotions, creams, gels, face pads, and more Prescription -strength
topical ointments, creams, lotions, and other acne treatments
- Oral
prescription treatments, including antibiotics or oral contraceptives for
women
- Isotretinoin
(Sotret, Claravis, Amnesteem, Accutane, and others), a pill prescribed to
manage very severe acne
- Injections
of a corticosteroid
- Laser
treatments, including blue light therapy, pulsed light and heat energy
therapy and diode laser treatment.
If you have acne, you will probably have to treat it for for
a long period of time — not just during an acne breakout. Work with a
dermatologist to determine the most appropriate treatment for your acne, and
how long you should follow the treatment regimen. It's important not to stop
acne treatment before your doctor says it's okay — otherwise, you run the risk
of having another acne breakout just when your skin starts to clear.
Without treatment, you may experience persistent acne
breakouts and scarring of the skin, as well as anxiety and low self-esteem.
Often, acne will clear up after you're out of the teen years, but even some adults struggle
with acne and problem skin and need treatment for it.
You don't have to deal with persistent acne — nor should
you. Try over-the-counter treatments and healthy habits to help clear up
problem skin, or for more severe acne see a dermatologist for
prescription-strength treatments.
