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Acne has the frustrating propensity for appearing at an age when appearances are so important. Every young person, and also many adults, long for the perfect, flawless skin shown all over magazine covers. Acne can be an obnoxious and even painful skin ailment, and despite all of the products out there, some people's faces just don't get clear despite multitudes of effort.
It might be better to start with reasons that are known NOT to cause acne. There are a few myths that seem to live on including:
- Chocolate
- Greasy foods
- Poor general hygiene
The good news is that these things are generally not causes of acne. There may be exceptions to this, and you will know if that's the case. For example, if you always break out after eating chocolate, it could be affecting you in some way.
If you know something makes your acne act up, you need to avoid it. As a general rule, however, none of these things lead to acne for everyone.
The cause of acne is not fully known. There are factors that can lead to it that are known, however.
Harmonal changes that typically occur during the teen years are often responsible for acne formation. When puberty starts, your body starts producing androgens. These are a male hormone that show up in both girls and boys. Boys have higher levels of androgens, which is thought to be the reason that acne tends to be more of a problem for them.
Additionally, teens generally produce more sebum than adults, resulting in an increased incidence of acne. Other substances including oil-based cosmetics may contribute to a build up of fatty sebum in the skin, producing an environment that is more acne prone. Even excess humidity and moisture on the skin can contribute to acne.
For anyone who has suffered from acne or is experiencing it now, chances are that the emotional impact far outweighs the physical ones. According to the American Academy of Dermatology, acne affects 85 percent of all
teens - that's more than 20 million kids who get up every morning praying
they'll look into the bathroom mirror and see clear skin. As some cases are less severe than others, teens may be able to conceal their skin condition with makeup, tinted skin treatments or by using their hair or clothing to conceal affected areas. There are many different treatments for acne. The treatment method you select will depend in part on the severity of your condition and the type of acne you have. It is important that you work with your medical care provider to select a treatment method that is most likely to be effective. Most doctors will start with medications that cause the fewest side effects. Treatment duration is usually for two to three months.
Some teenagers have more serious acne problems, though. More serious cases of acne can continue into adulthood and may even lead to permanent scarring.
The whitehead or blackhead pimple (comedo) is the easiest to treat. It is the least severe type of acne. Retinoid topical medications are applied directly to the skin in the form of a cream, gel or lotion. Retinoid medications slow the growth of keratin and thus decrease pimple formation as well as prevent the blockage of hair follicles which also can lead to new pimples. If you have oily skin you will be given a retinoid jell, which has a drying effect. For dry skin you will be given a retinoid cream or lotion that has a moisturizing action. The topical treatments are usually applied twice a day. If you can not tolerate the Retinoid topical medications other topical treatments are available such as Salicylic acid, Glycolic acid and an antibiotic preparation.
The more severe forms of the whitehead or blackhead pimple may require mechanical removal; this is referred to as comedo extraction. This procedure is performed by a dermatologist. The dermatologist will use an anesthetic cream to numb the area, then open the top of the pimple and remove the inner plug. Follow up treatment with a cream is generally recommended.
Mild to moderate acne associated with inflammation (redness and soreness) are usually treated with a combination of different types of topical medication. The treatment combination includes topical retinoids or topical antibiotics, and benzoyl peroxide. The treatment of choice is usually topical retinoid and benzoyl peroxide. Bensozyl peroxide works both as an antibiotic and prevents pimple formation.
Acne associated with severe inflammation and pain may require oral antibiotics (tetracycline or erythromycin) or oral retinoid known as isotretinoin (Roaccutane/Accutane). Oral antibiotics are rapid and effective in inhibiting the growth of the bacteria that causes acne. Oral isotretinoin is potent treatment of severe acne. It blocks sebum secretion, inflammation, and the overgrowth of keratin that leads to pimples.
There are lots of acne myths. Despite the wide spread notion that vigorous washing will clean away the oils that produce pimples, this is not true. Too much washing may make the inflammation around pimples worse and no amount of cleaning will reduce the amount of sebum in the glands that leads to acne. Popping a pimple is always a bad idea as it will lead to an acne scar. The common notion that fat from junk foods may lodge in the skin and cause acne is not true. There is no evidence that the oils contained in fatty food increase acne.
Call now to schedule your complimentary consultation with Dr. Jeffrey Rapaport for acne free, healthy, younger-looking skin. Tel: (201) 227-1555. You can also ask questions by clicking on Ask Questions
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