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What Is
Acne?
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Acne is a disorder of the skin's oil
glands (sebaceous glands) that results in plugged pores and
outbreaks of lesions commonly called pimples or zits. Acne
lesions usually occur on the face, neck, back, chest, and
shoulders. Nearly 17 million people in the United States have
acne, making it the most common skin disease. Although acne is
not a serious health threat, severe acne can lead to
disfiguring, permanent scarring, which can be upsetting for
people who suffer from the disorder
Pimples (acne) are the result of over
activity of the oil glands, which are located at the base of
the hair follicles, especially on the face, back, chest, and
shoulders.
When these oil glands become plugged up,
the overactive oil glands become red and inflamed. There are
many theories about acne, many of which are myths! Scientific
research seems to indicate that there are four key factors
involved in the acne process:
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Natural
hormones that are produced by the body throughout life undergo
a drastic increase during the teen years. These hormones carry
out many healthy jobs in the body of a rapidly developing
teen. However, they also cause the oil glands to become
overactive.
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| Family
background or heredity plays a very important role as well. If
many members of a teenager's family had or now have acne, it
is likely that the problem of oily skin has been inherited and
the teen's skin will be more sensitive than most people's to
the effects of the hormones generated by the body
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| Cells that
line the oil glands or pores are present in unusually large
numbers, they tend to stick together, clogging the openings to
the pores. These "plugs" can be plain white (whiteheads) or if
they contain mixtures of skin cells plus skin pigment, they
can be darker in color (blackheads).
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| Infection of
the oil glands. Bacteria thrive on this oil, growing readily
beneath the skin cells and leading to infection. This produces
redness and pus formation (the classic "pimple"), or in more
serious cases, the infection spreads into deeper skin layers
and causes cysts. Cystic acne is a deeper infection of the
skin and is more likely to lead to permanent
scarring
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| Treatments |
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currently available very effective over-the-counter
medications previously available only by
prescription |
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| Benzoyl Peroxides |
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| Benzoylperoxide is a common anti-acne treatment which
helps to shed off skin and decrease the oiliness and bacteriea
on the skin.
It is found in products
such as PanOxyl
Aqueous 5% Gel
The gel form, in the lower 5%
strength is generally recommended for initial use. The gel is
applied to all affected areas, (including those problem areas
which may be forgotten, such as the chest, shoulders, and
back!) once daily. Covering the entire area where pimples
occur and not limiting application to existing pimples is
advised. Frequency of use can be increased to twice a day
after a week or so if the skin is not too red or dry. It
should be noted that some peeling and dryness is supposed to
occur with use of the benzoyl peroxides. |
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| Topical antibiotics such as Topical
clindamycin which is marketed as Dalacin-T or
Cleocin-T |
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| Dalacin-T
or Cleocin-T |
| This form of
antibiotics should be applied to the affected area twice a day
after the skin is thoroughly washed with warm water and soap
and patted dry. Acne lesions of the face, neck, shoulder,
chest, and back may be treated in this manner. However, be
careful to keep the antibiotics from the eyes, nose, mouth,
and other mucous membranes. |
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| Tretinoin (Retin-A) |
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| Retin-A |
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Retin-A
became available in the United States in 1972. It helps open
pores, and its ability to loosen and remove comedones remains
unsurpassed.
The preparation is usually reserved for
severe acne and may be too drying for mild cases. The quantity of tretinoin applied may be
gradually increased as tolerated, and ultimately twice-daily
applications may be appropriate. During the initial 4 to 6
weeks of therapy, it is not uncommon to see redness and
scaliness of the skin. Stay away from sunlight when using
Tretinoin. |
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| Azelaic acid which is also known as
Skinoren or Azelex |
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| Azelaic
Acid |
| This
compound functions as an antibacterial agent; it also
normalizes the keratinization process and may be
anti-inflammatory. Studies suggest that this well-tolerated
preparation is as effective as tretinoin, benzoyl peroxide,
oral tetracycline, and topical clindamycin. The manufacturer
recommends that the 20% cream be applied twice daily.
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| Adapalene
which is marketed as Differin 0.1% Gel |
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| Differin |
| Adapalene a synthetic retinoid analogue.
And is available in a 0.1% concentrated gel formulation, it
functions in a manner similar to that of tretinoin but
demonstrates greater effectiveness.
Adapalene may show quicker improvement
in reducing the number and severity of acne lesions, however,
as much as 40% of patients could experience various degrees of
skin irritation, including erythema, scaling, dryness and
burning. |
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