What is Acne

Acne is a common skin condition among all people, but it affects primarily teenagers going through hormonal changes. It is mainly characterized by pimples and other abnormalities on the face and upper torso and appears as a result of increased production of sebum from the sebaceous glands.

This excess oil leaves the skin’s pores clogged and increases the proliferation of bacteria, resulting in comedones, which have the popular name of clove.

These conditions are classified into five grades: blackheads; papule-pustular acne; nodule-cystic acne; acne conglobata and acne fulminant.

The highest incidence is in adolescence, more specifically at puberty - a stage in which young people go through a major hormonal transformation.

This association may be temporary or long lasting, and the latter is called adult acne. Regardless of the type of skin, anyone can present these lesions at certain periods, such as in the premenstrual period, stressful moments and periods of a poor diet.

Acne History

Rabban Tabari (770-850) was the first to present a description of the sebaceous glands. Ibn Sina (980-1037), also known as Avicena, presented in his text the etiopathogenesis and clinical presentation of acne.

Ibn Hubl (1122-1213) described in his treatise the clinical presentation and causes of acne. Abu Al Hassan Al Jurjani (1200) described the etiology of the eruptions that affected the surface of the skin.

In 1783, Willan and Bateman divided acne into 3 types, according to sebum production, the presence of comedones and the type of injury. In the following decades, new question arose in relation to the primary acne lesions; if there was necessarily any presence of pustule or papules; whether "pustular" conditions should be characterized as acne; if it was necessary that any injury had a red halo should be qualified as acne, and so on.

In 1840, Fuchs used the term "acne vulgaris" for the first time by dividing acne into acne vulgaris, acne "mentagra" (which would be actual folliculitis) and acne rosacea. In addition, in 1842, Erasmus Wilson more effectively diffirentiated acne vulgaris from acne rosacea.

Also in 1842, Baumes P. had writings that based acne on factors such as: lifestyle, use of cosmetics, changes in the alimentary tract and menstrual anomalies. 

In 1950, tetracycline was prescribed for the first time for the treatment of acne, as it was noticed that bacteria caused acne.

In 1980, isotretinoin was started, which was particularly effective in acne, but it had many side effects such as cerebral vascular tumors (CVA), seizures, heart attack and hair loss. At the time, it was recommended for women patients the use of contraceptives for up to 6 months after stopping treatment with isotretinoin.

In 1990, the treatment of acne with laser therapy was developed, and later inserted in the treatment of acne scars as well. To facilitate laser treatment, the association of phototherapy with blue/red lights was developed in the year 2000.

Acne causes

Many factors can cause acne, but the main and most common - especially in oily skin - is the excess of oil in the area. At puberty, sebaceous secretion, which depends on male sex hormones and female sex hormones, increases, influencing the oily state of the skin.

Increasing androgen hormones during puberty causes the sebaceous glands to produce more sebum than the skin needs, and because of this, juvenile acne is caused by hormonal imbalances.

In addition, it has a strong hereditary incidence, so if the parents had acne, the child has a high likelihood of also developing it.

The appearance of acne is favored by the combination of the following factors:

● Follicular hyper keratinization: This is a thickening of the outer layer of the skin. Irregular desquamation of dead skin cells clogs the duct of the sebaceous glands and alters or disrupts sebum secretion. This obstruction can cause the follicle wall to swell and produce a closed (white) carnation or, if it is close to the surface, an open (black) carnation.

● Colonization of bacteria: The bacteria that normally live on the skin Propionibacterium acnes accumulate and colonize the clogged follicles, causing acne.

● Immune and inflammatory response: in this case, the contamination of bacteria leads to the release of inflammatory mediators and the result is a reddish and inflamed skin.

● Greasy food and excess sweets: These foods stimulate the production of sebaceous glands, which lead to the increase of oiliness of the skin.

●  Stress: Stress provides a hormonal imbalance, which aggravates or motivates the increase of oiliness and the aggravation of blackheads and pimples.

Acne symptoms

Some of the main symptoms of acne include:

• Itching, irritation, redness and discomfort in the affected region are the primary symptoms. Afterwards, scars can be left on the face.
• Carnations: black spots that mark the early stage or the milder type of acne.
• Spines: white, rounded spots with a reddish area around them.
• Pustules: In a more advanced stage of the disease, pustules appear with pus.
• Abscess: more severe complication of pimples and pustules.

Acne diagnosis

The diagnosis of acne is done by a physical exam. The doctor can use a magnifying glasses or magnifying lenses to check the extent and depth of acne.

The history of the patient is also important and the doctor can question the cases of acne in the family, exposure of oily or abrasive products and exposure to the sun.

Moreover, in the consultation, the dermatologist can evaluate the risk of acne related to other diseases, such as polycystic ovary syndrome. This is crucial in the medical investigation, because in these situations the treatment has to be very differentiated.

Natural Treatments for Acne

Click on natural treatments for acne to find all the natural solutions to treat and prevent acne, including various natural therapies, diet programs, alternative medicine, vitamins, supplements, herbal medicine, and home remedies.

You can also go to www.aposbook.com to find all natural treatments for any medical condition IN ONE CLICK.

Medical treatment for Acne

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Acne Prevention

Visit the Acne Prevention Center to check all the information on how to prevent acne or reduce its symptoms, including the different lifestyle changes to make, recommendations to follow, and things to avoid.