· Acne often begins in your teenage years, when your skin makes too much oil.

· You are more likely to get pimples on your face, chest and back.

· These areas contain many oil glands (sebaceous glands)

· If your skin has too much oil and your pores become blocked, bacteria (germs) grow more easily.

· The bacteria cause red, swollen pimples.

· Some medications can cause acne. Ask your doctor.

· Dirty skin, foods like chocolate, pizza or soda do not cause pimples.

Some people have very severe acne. This might be because of: ²

 

· Genetic factors (family members have bad acne)

· Hormonal factors (higher androgenic hormones)

· Environmental factors (high humidity, cosmetics, petroleum oils, or pressure from headbands and chin straps)

· Certain medications

About Acne ³

Fact: If you believe this myth and wash your skin hard and frequently, you can actually make your acne worse. Acne is not caused by dirt or by surface skin oils. Although excess oils, dead skin and a day’s accumulation of dust on the skin look unsightly, they should not be removed by hard scrubbing. Vigorous washing and scrubbing will actually irritate the skin and make acne worse. The best approach to hygiene and acne is to gently wash your face twice a day with a mild soap, pat dry, and use an appropriate acne treatment for the acne.

Fact: Extensive scientific studies have not found a connection between diet and acne. In other words, food does not cause acne. Not chocolate. Not French fries. Not pizza. Nonetheless, some people insist that certain foods affect their acne. In that case, avoid those foods. Besides eating a balanced diet always makes sense. If acne is being treated properly, there’s no need to worry about food affecting acne.

Fact: The ordinary stress of day to day living is not an important factor in acne. Severe stress that needs medical attention is sometimes treated with drugs that can cause acne as a side effect. If you think that you might have acne related to a drug prescribed for stress or depression, consult your doctor.

Fact: Yes, acne does affect the way people look and is not otherwise a serious threat to a person’s physical health. However, acne can result in permanent physical scars. Acne itself or the scars can affect the way people feel about themselves, to the point of affecting their lives.

Fact: The truth is, acne can be cleared up. If the acne products you have tried haven’t worked, consider seeing a dermatologist. With the products available today, there is no reason why someone has to endure acne or get acne scars.

How to treat Acne ³

· If your skin is oily, cleanse it as follows: gently massage face with soap for 3-5 minutes. Don’t message the sorest places. Cleanse skin gently, rough scrubbing spreads infection. Rinse soap off for 2-3 minutes. After cleansing, use an astringent, such as alcohol, to remove oil. Use a fresh washcloth each day. Bacteria can grow in damp, wet washcloths.

· Shampoo hair at least twice a week. Don’t let hair hang over the face, even at night. Hair spreads oil and bacteria. Use dandruff shampoo to treat or prevent dandruff. Avoid cream rinses.

· After vigorous exercise, wash sweat and oil off as soon as possible.

· Don’t squeeze, scratch, pick or rub the skin; use a comedone extractor. Acne heals better without damage to the skin. If you must squeeze pimples, blackheads or whiteheads, wash your hands first. Cleanse the area before and after squeezing.

 

· Don’t rest your face on your hands while reading, studying or watching TV.

· Use water-based cosmetics.

 

Non-prescription Products for Acne

· Cleansers: There are many cleansers, soaps, washes advertised for acne. Most special cleansers are unnecessary if the acne is being treated properly. Some may even aggravate acne. Be careful that vigorous scrubbing and washing does not irritate the skin.

 

· Benzoyl peroxide: This works by destroying the bacteria associated with acne. (P. acnes) It usually takes about 2 weeks to work and it must be used continuously to keep acne at bay until you outgrow getting acne. This happens because it does not affect sebum production or the way the skin follicle cells are shed, and when you stop using it, the acne comes back. It is available in a wide range of vehicles; creams, lotions, gel. It often works well for milder cases of acne.

 

· Salycilic acid: On the skin, salicylic acid helps to correct the abnormal shedding of cells. For milder acne, salycilic acid helps unclog pores to resolve and prevent lesions. It does not have any effect on sebum production or P. acnes. It must be used continuously, just like benzoyl peroxide, since its effects stop when you stop using it – pores clog up again and the acne returns. Salycilic acid is available in many acne products, including lotions, creams and gels.

 

Your doctor may prescribe:  

· Antibiotics to fight infection

· Cortisone injections into the lesions

· Skin lotions with drying agents

· Isotretinoin for very severe cystic acne

· 5% or 10% benzyl peroxide