Acne: Causes and Treatments

Often associated with teenagers, it can affect people of all ages. Some adult women may experience acne due to hormonal changes associated with pregnancy, menstrual cycles or starting or stopping birth control pills.

Not seen as a serious medical condition, acne causes mostly emotional distress because of its appearance. It can lead to scarring of the skin, but with the right treatment, this can be kept under control.

Causes

Acne tends to run in families. Having parents with severe acne will increase your chance of developing the same. Most people get acne during the teen years. Hormones change after puberty making the skin oilier.

Contrary to what some people think, acne is not caused by eating chocolate or greasy foods. And it is not caused by dirt. But using oily skin products that clog your pores can make your skin worse.

Three factors contribute to the formation of acne: overproduction of oil, irregular shedding of dead skin cells resulting in irritation of the hair follicles of your skin and buildup of bacteria.

Normally, the body only releases enough oil from the pores to protect the skin and keep it moist. Acne begins when oil mixes with dead cells and clogs the skin's pores. The cause of the increased production of oil that leads to acne is not known. What is known is that there are a number of factors - including hormones, bacteria, certain medications and heredity - play a role.

Treatments

Acne treatments should reduce oil production, speed up skin cell turnover, fight bacterial infection or do all three. In most cases, results will be seen four to eight weeks after treatment, and your skin may get worse before it gets better.

The simplest and easiest routine to try is keeping your skin clean while avoiding skin products that clog your pores. Use products that say "noncomedogenic" on the label.

Depending on whether you have mild, moderate or severe acne, your dermatologist may recommend one or more of the following treatments:

Topical treatments. Over-the-counter lotions are helpful for very mild acne. These lotions contain benzoyl peroxide, sulfur, resorcinol, salicylic acid or lactic acid as their active ingredient. They may dry up the oil, kill bacteria and promote sloughing of dead skin cells. See your dermatologist if your mild acne does not respond to these treatments. You may be prescribed a stronger prescription lotion - Tretinoin (Avita, Retin-A, Renova) and adapalene (Differin) which are products derived from vitamin A.

Antibiotics. Oral antibiotics may be needed for moderate to severe acne. This will reduce bacteria and fight inflammation. You may have to use them in combination with topical products.

Isotretinoin. This medicine is reserved for the most severe forms of acne. A powerful medication that is available for scarring cystic acne or acne that does not respond to other treatments. It is very effective but has the possibility of severe side effects. It cannot be taken by pregnant women or women who may become pregnant because of its association with severe birth defects. This drug carries such serious potential side effects that women of reproductive age must participate in an FDA-approved monitoring program to receive a prescription.

Oral contraceptives. Birth control pills have been shown to improve acne in women. There may be other side effects that you will want to discuss with your doctor.

Cosmetic surgery. Cosmetic surgery may be used to diminish scars left by acne. Procedures include: peeling away damaged skin with chemicals or by freezing it, dermabrasion, intense light therapy and laser resurfacing. If your skin tends to form scar tissue, these procedures can make your complexion worse.

If you are having a problem with your skin, please talk to your doctor.

Sources: http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/acne/DS00169/DSECTION=6