Acne Questions and Answers

This page answers pertinent questions about acne including what it is, what causes it and what can be done about it.

What is it? A common skin disorder, acne appears in the form of pimples, whiteheads, blackheads, and occasionally nodules and cysts. Most commonly, acne breaks out on the face, but can occur on the neck, arms, chest, back and shoulders as well. It normally starts in the teen years and can persist into the 20's, or longer. For a small percentage of people, acne is a lifelong problem.

What is its cause? No one is certain but it appears that heredity, hormones and oil ducts are responsible in some way. You may have an inherited tendency towards acne if other members of your family have had it.

There are hormones called androgens (male sex hormones) that increase for boys and girls during puberty. They can cause the sebaceous (oil) glands on some parts of the body to produce more sebum. As the oil ducts produce more oil, it gets trapped below the skin surface, which can lead to pimples.

What doesn't cause it? While it's important to keep a clean face, dirt does not cause acne. The plug in blackheads isn't dirt but the pigment of the cells the plug is made of. Also, stress doesn't cause acne. And food is also not a cause of acne: neither greasy foods, nor chocolate, nor soft drinks are to blame for pimples.

Who gets it? Mostly adolescents because of the elevated hormonal levels that happen during puberty. Acne is common for people of all races who are between the ages of 12 to 30. For most it goes away by the thirties.

How do you treat acne? For some, over-the counter medications may be all that's required. For others, a dermatologist may need to be consulted and a prescription medication prescribed. It may take a while (4 to 8 weeks) for any treatment to show improvement so advertisements that promise immediate results probably won't deliver on that promise. Treatments are usually applied directly to the affected areas. In some cases, side effects such as burning, dryness, redness, scaling and peeling may occur. These symptoms may go away or lessen after the medicine is used for some period of time. If not, consult your physician.

In addition to these treatments, oral antibiotics are sometimes prescribed in order to reduce inflammation and the bacteria that can cause acne. The important thing to realize is that it's possible to successfully treat acne. It may require persistence and it may take a while to find the treatment that works, but few cases of acne are beyond the ability of today's therapies to treat.

How should acne sufferers care for their skin? The face (and hair) should be kept clean, but avoid the use of strong soaps which can aggravate the condition. Gently wash the face twice daily (more if it gets dirty or sweaty during the day) and rinse thoroughly. Also, don't rub or handle acne. Breaking or picking pimples, blackheads and whiteheads can lead to scarring and in some cases, severe infections. And guys who shave must be careful when shaving those areas with blemishes. Slicing pimples with a razor can cause the same problems that squeezing them does.

What sort of things can aggravate acne? · Anything that causes friction or pressure on the skin such as tight clothes and hats, helmets, backpacks, or leaning and rubbing on something for long periods. · Squeezing, picking, vigorous scrubbing or rubbing affected areas or blemishes. · The pre-menstrual period experienced by some women and girls. · Pollution · Greasy cosmetics

When should someone with acne see a doctor? If your acne doesn't respond to OTC medications, if you have severe acne, or if it's affecting you emotionally or psychologically, you probably should visit your doctor. Also, if you're already taking prescription medicine and you think it's causing or aggravating your acne. Your family doctor is probably the first person you should see, and he or she can refer you to a specialist if needed.

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