Acne Information

Acne Vulgaris, also known as seborrhea or seborrheic dermatitis is an inflammatory disease of the skin, caused by changes in the pilosebaceous units (skin structures consisting of a hair follicle and its associated sebaceous gland). Acne lesions are commonly referred to as pimples, spots, or zits.

Acne itself develops due to impairments in the functioning of skin glands (dermis and epidermis), notably due blocked hair follicles and obstructed sebaceous glands. nder normal conditions the sebaceous glands release oil that comes up through your pores onto the skin surface. This release keeps your skin moist and lubricated for protection from the environment. But if these become blocked or plugged the oil that they exude becomes trapped. This is toxic to the nearby cells and results in a growth or pimple that start to increase in size as more toxic oil tries to reach the surface of your skin.

As bacteria grow within the infected glands this induces swelling which causes itching and discomfort. Many sufferers attempt to alleviate this discomfort by scratching or crushing the acne with their fingers. This results in the damage of underlying layers of skin which destroys the integrity of the dermis and creates a weak zone to be attacked by bacteria. This results in an immune response resulting in more acne draining into the surrounding sebaceous glands. Bruising of the surrounding tissue can also result in scar formation and the deformation of the fine structures of the dermis so that its function is impaired which can create long-term havens for bacteria, exacerbating the problem. This can result in some sebaceous glands growing without any kind of channel through to the surface of the skin.

Most commonly, acne occurs in in adolescence, affecting more than 85% of adolescents, but it can continue into adulthood though it tends to diminish over time and becomes less of a problem from the mid 20s onwards. There is, however, no way to predict how long it will take for it to disappear entirely, and some individuals will continue to suffer from acne decades later, into their thirties and forties and even beyond.

Treatments are many and varied, but the most effective treatments include:

• Exfoliation
• Topical Bacterioidals
• Topical antibiotics
• Oral antibiotics
• Hormonal treatments
• Topical retinoids
• Phototherapy

For further informaton go to the Celtnet Acne Informaton Site: Celtnet Medicine Acne Information

This is a part of the Celtnet Medicine site