Acne Vulgaris, commonly referred to as pimples, is an inflammatory disease of the skin. This condition is very typical in puberty. As one reaches their initially twenties, it either disappears or decreases. Acne arises because of the comedo, an enlarged hair follicle plugged with oil and bacteria. The comedo is invisible to the naked eye and is present beneath the surface of the skin. When it gets the right condition, it grows into an inflamed lesion. The oil produced from the skin helps bacteria to flourish within the swollen follicle.
Non-inflammatory acre are of two types – Closed comedo or white head, and Open comedo or black head. There are 4 types of inflammatory acne -
· Papule – It is the mildest form that appears on the skin as a small, firm pink bump.
· Pustule – They are small round lesions containing visible pus. They possibly could appear red at the base and yellowish or whitish at the center.
· Nodule or Cyst – Large and painful, they are pus-filled lesions lodged deep within the skin. The nodules possibly could stay for weeks or months with the contents hardening into a deep cyst. Both nodules and cysts often leave deep scars.
· Acne Conglobata – This severe bacterial infection develops mostly on the back, buttocks and chest.
The chief causes of acne are hormones like androgen, production of extra sebum, follicle fallout, bacteria and inflammation. For controlling acne, you can carry out the following steps -
· Avoid excessive washing of your skin. It can leave the healthy skin dry, thus irritating the acne prone areas. Over-washing may also stimulate extra oil production.
· Avoid alcohol products to tone your skin. Alcohol is a strong astringent that strips the top layer of the skin causing sebaceous glands to produce more oil.
· Do not squeeze or pick the acne with fingernails, pins or any other thing. It forces the bacteria deeper into the skin and often leaves a permanent acne scar.
· A wash is required after exercise. The heat and moisture trapped against the skin creates an ideal breeding ground for the spread of bacteria.
· Consume food rich in Vitamin A, Vitamin B-2, Vitamin B-3, Vitamin E and Zinc like eggs, nuts, liver, milk, fish and leafy green vegetables.
· Proper sleep and a life without stress and emotional anxiety can reduce acne.
· Wear little make-up while exercising. Avoid garments that are made exclusively with nylon.
Laser surgery is often used to reduce the scars left behind by acne. Treating acne with azelaic acid, salicylic acid, tropical retinoids and benzoyl peroxide is also typical. A large number of people started trying herbal acne scar treatments over the historical medications by using teas, oils and herbal creams.
Acne is a menace. However, it’s not something that cannot be stewarded. There are loads of acne skin care products around. We can classify acne skin care products into 3 broad categories –
1. Preventive or general acne skin care products
2. Over-the-differing, specialised acne skin care products
3. On-prescription acne skin care products.
The general acne skin care products are the ones that are used as acne-prevention measure. These include cleansers, make-up removers and similar products that help divert acne. In the real sense, these acne skin care products are just those that should anyway be part of your daily normal. However, some of these are more oriented to act like an acne skin care product.
These acne skin care products act against the causes of acne e.g. limiting the production of sebum/oil and preventing clogging of skin pores. Basically, these acne skin care products deflect the oil from getting trapped in pores and hence hamper the development of bacteria that lead to acne. The general acne skin care products also include exfoliation products like skin peels. These work towards removing dead skin cells, hence reducing the possibility of pore-clogging and bacteria development.
Then there are specialised acne skin care products that are available over-the-contrasting i.e. without the have got to have of a prescription. These include products like vanishing creams which extract the extra oil from the skin. Most of these acne skin care products are based on benzoyl peroxide and salicylic acid, both of which are the enemies of bacteria (and hence acne).
You should start with a product that has lower concentration of benzoyl peroxide (e.g. 5%) and see in what manner your skin responds to it. Alpha-hydroxy-acid based moisturizers are also popular as acne skin care products. You might have to try a few, prior to you zero-in on the acne skin care product that is effective for you. If nothing seems to work, you should contact a dermatologist.
On-prescription acne skin care products are the ones that are prescribed by a dermatologist. This can include ointments that can be applied on the affected situation or oral antibiotics or just any topical treatment. Dermatologist could also suggest a minor surgical cleverness to remove the contents of pustules.
However, never try to squeeze or do this by yourself, it can lead to permanent damage of your skin. Your doctor could also prescribe a hormone-based treatment (since hormonal changes are also known to cause acne). Such acne skin care products are known to be very effective in some cases.
So, with all those acne skin care products, tackling acne is not that difficult.