Acne is the term for plugged pores (blackheads andwhiteheads), pimples, and even deeper lumps (cysts or nodules) that occur onthe face, neck, chest, back, shoulders and even the upper arms. Acne is a skincondition that occurs due to the overproduction of oil by the oil glands of theskin.Acne is a skin condition thatcauses spots. Acne affects most teenagers to some extent.However, the disease is not restricted to anyage group; adults in their 20s - even into their 40s - can get acne.While not a life threatening condition, acnecan be upsetting and disfiguring.Whensevere, acne can lead to serious and permanent scarring.
About80 percent of teenagers are affected by acne between the ages of 13 and 17.However, about five percent of women and one percent of men aged 25 to 40continue to get or develop acne (late-onset acne). Rarely, new-born infantsdevelop acne from three to 24 months of age. . The oil that normally lubricatesthe skin gets trapped in blocked oil ducts and results in what we know aspimples, blackheads, and whiteheads on the surface of skin. Sometimes it alsoincludes deeper skin lesions that are called cysts The processes that causeacne are exactly the same in people with all skin colours but the impact ofacne can be worse if you have darker skin.
Symptomsof acne:
Acne typically causes one or moreof the following:
•Greasyskin
•Blackheads(open comedones)
•Whiteheads(closed comedones)
•Redor yellow spots (pustules)
•Deepinflamed lesions (nodules and cysts)
•Scars
There are a number of things thatcan make your acne worse. These include the following.
ØIf you pick and squeeze the spots, it maycause further inflammation and scarring.
ØExcessive production of male hormones maycause acne.
ØSome contraceptive pills may make acneworse. This is due to the type of progestogen hormone in some pills. However,some other types of contraceptive pills can improve acne.
ØSome cosmetic products such asmoisturisers can make acne worse if they are greasy.
ØSome medicines can make acne worse. Theseinclude some epilepsy medicines and steroid creams and ointments that are usedfor eczema.
ØSteroids can cause acne as a side-effect.
Types of acne:
The major twotypes of acne are
ØNon-inflammatoryacne
ØInflammatory acne
Following aretypes of acne which comes under those major two types.
ØLesion
ØComedo
ØPapule
ØPustule
ØMacule
ØNodule
ØCyst
ØMilia
ØWhitehead
ØBlackhead
Normal Follicle:
A normal follicle looks like this:
Forreasons no one completely understands, follicles, often called pores, sometimesget blocked. Sebum (oil) which normally drains to the surface gets blocked andbacteria begins to grow. Both whiteheads and blackheads start out as amicrocomedone.
Lesion
A physical changein body tissue caused by disease or injury. A lesion may be external (e.g.,acne, skin cancer, psoriatic plaque, knife cut), or internal (e.g., lungcancer, atherosclerosis in a blood vessel, cirrhosis of the liver).
Comedo
A comedo is asebaceous follicle plugged with sebum, dead cells from inside the sebaceousfollicle, tiny hairs, and sometimes bacteria. When a comedo is open, it iscommonly called a blackhead because the surface of the plug in the follicle hasa blackish appearance. A closed comedo is commonly called a whitehead; itsappearance is that of a skin-colored or slightly inflamed "bump" inthe skin.
Papule
A papule isdefined as a small (5 millimeters or less), solid lesion slightly elevatedabove the surface of the skin. A group of very small papules and microcomedonesmay be almost invisible but have a "sandpaper" feel to the touch.
Pustule
A dome-shaped, fragile lesion containing pus thattypically consists of a mixture of white blood cells, dead skin cells, andbacteria. A pustule that forms over a sebaceous follicle usually has a hair inthe center. Acne pustules that heal without progressing to cystic form usuallyleave no scars
Macule
A macule is the temporary red spot left by a healed acnelesion. It is flat, usually red or red-pink, with a well defined border. Amacule may persist for days to weeks before disappearing.
Whitehead
When the trapped sebum and bacteria stay below the skinsurface, a whitehead is formed. Whiteheads may show up as tiny white spots, orthey may be so small that they are invisible to the naked eye.
Blackhead
A blackhead occurs when the pore opens to the surface,and the sebum, which contains the skin pigment melanin, oxidizes and turns abrown/black color. It is not dirt and can not be washed away. Blackheads canlast for a long time because the contents very slowly drain to the surface.
A blackhead or whitehead can release its contents to thesurface and heal. Or, the follicle wall can rupture and inflammatory acne canensue (see below). This rupture can be caused by random occurrence or bypicking or touching the skin. This is why it is important to leave acne proneskin relatively untouched.
Nodule
When a follicle breaks along the bottom, total collapsecan occur, causing a large, inflamed bump that can be sore to the touch.
Cyst
A cyst is a sac-like lesion containing liquid orsemi-liquid material consisting of white blood cells, dead cells, and bacteria.It is larger than a pustule, may be severely inflamed, extends into deeperlayers of the skin, may be very painful, and can result in scarring. Cysts andnodules often occur together in a severe form of acne called nodulocystic.Systemic therapy with isotretinoin is sometimes the only effective treatmentfor nodulocystic acne. Some acne investigators believe that true cysts rarelyoccur in acne, and that (1) the lesions called cysts are usually severelyinflamed nodules, and (2) the term nodulocystic should be abandoned. Regardlessof terminology, this is a severe form of acne that is often resistant totreatment and likely to leave scars after healing.
Milia
Milia are tiny white bumps that occur when normallysloughed skin cells get trapped in small pockets on the surface of the skin.They are common in newborns across the nose and upper cheeks and can also beseen on adult skin. The bumps disappear as the surface is worn away and thedead skin is sloughed. In newborns, the bumps usually disappear within thefirst few weeks of life. However, for adults milia may persist indefinitely.
