According to research, 95 percent of people will experience some form of acne during their lifetime. The condition starts to develop most rapidly at the onset of puberty, but adults can also develop acne later in life due to hormonal or climactic changes. Although not uncommon, acne can be a socially debilitating condition and is often painful to boot.
Acne differs from person to person
The severity of acne differs from individual to individual: for some, acne will develop as a few pimples on the face, but for others the condition can manifest as breakouts over the entire face, neck and can sometimes include the back, chest and upper arms. In severe cases, cysts and pustules will leave deep scars, especially if the condition is left untreated.
Luckily there are numerous treatments available for acne (link here to website and to further articles about treatment later). Before seeking help, however, it might be useful to explore what acne actually is and identify which type of acne you may have.
Acne is defined by the dictionary as “a disorder of the skin caused by inflammation of the skin glands and hair follicles;” but how does the disorder develop?
The body is covered in tiny holes called pores which allow sweat to escape the body and also allow hair to grow and appear on the outside of the skin. The sebaceous glands sit under the skin and generate oil, called sebum, which travels out of the skin pores via the hair follicle in order to help keep your hair and skin smooth. If there is too much sebum present or the pores become filled with dead skin, the pores can clog and bacterium may develop, leading to skin irregularities – like acne.
Acne can take many forms and is usually a combination of pimples, papules, pustules, whiteheads, blackheads and cysts. Whiteheads form when the follicle wall becomes distended, while pimples, papules and pustules form when the pore becomes infected and inflamed. In severe cases, a hair follicle may become deeply infected and a cyst may form underneath the skin, resulting in pain and often scarring.
Acne affects individuals at different stages at life, but most people will experience some form of acne as teenagers as the hormones excreted during this period cause the sebaceous glands to generate more oil than normal, leading to blockages especially when in contact with dead skin cells.
Other causes of acne may include: hormonal changes in pre menstrual or menopausal women; interactions with some medications; a genetic history of acne; or an excess of greasy or oily substances, like make up, being applied too liberally to the skin
The severity of acne differs from individual to individual. Some may have an outbreak of one or two pimples per month and others may have debilitating and painful outbreaks that affect much of their upper body and face.
When classifying different types of acne, most doctors focus on the severity of symptoms.
This stage is characterized by a small number of pimples, blackheads or whiteheads caused by trapped oil and inflammation beneath the skin. Mild acne most often only shows up on the face and forehead.
Moderate acne shows up as a greater number of pimples and blackheads – some of which will be larger than those that characterize mild acne. Acne may also be visible on the shoulders and chest, chin and jawline and the outbreak areas will show pimples in various different stages at the same time – from fresh outbreaks to areas that are healed.
Severe acne is characterized by a greater degree of inflammation. Cysts and red, angry sores will appear not only on the face but also on the neck, back, shoulders and arms in large numbers. The risk of scarring is great as the sores reach through greater layers of skin at this stage. Severe acne requires immediate treatment (link to blog)
Cystic acne is the most severe type of acne and is characterized by widespread breakouts that can cover the entire face, back, arms, legs and arms. Severe acne is always accompanied by severe cysts, pustules (link to these). Scarring is almost inevitable and treatment is required.
There are numerous treatments for acne ranging from over- the-counter remedies to alcohol swabs to dietary and lifestyle treatments. Visit acne.ae for more information on how to treat your specific type of acne.
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