Acne

Definition

Acne is defined as a skin disorder resulting from the blockage of hair follicles in the skin. Excess cells produced in the follicle combine with sebum, an oily substances secreted by gland connected to the follicle. When a plus forms in the follicles and it is infected with bacteria then a pimple erupts. The bacteria then secret various chemicals than prompt an inflammatory response from the immune system.

Acne commonly associated with teenagers even it can occur in children, adult and women on the time of menopause. It is mostly appear on the parts of the body with the largest number of hair follicles such as face, chest, upper back and upper arms. Some of acne are mild while others are severe.The less severe from consist of comedones, which are hair follicles blocked by plugs of sebum.

Based on the data from the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (NIAMS), about 80 percent of United States people develop acne at between the ages of eleven and thirty. Boys are more likely than girls to develop acne during adolescence while among adult, women are more likely than men. Some older women are troubled by acne during menopause.

Cause and Symptoms

• Acne is resulted from the interaction of four factors that are most common in adolescence even they can occur in adult as well. They are:
• Androgens, hormones produced by the adrenal gland present in women and men.
• Propionibacterium acnes, normally live on the skin to grow inside the follicle.
• Chemicals produce by the bacteria that trigger an inflammatory response.
• White blood cells.

Risk Factors:

1. Heredity
2. Changes in the body's hormonal levels such as in pregnant women, early menopause, teenagers, and on menstrual period.
3. Exposure to greasy or oily substances.
4. Clothing or athletic equipment such as backpacks, shoulder straps, helmets, headsets, etc.
5. Climate, especially in humidity or high level of air pollution.

Diagnosis
The diagnose is based on the appearance of the skin.

Treatment

There are one or more of four way for acne treatment:

1. Lowering production of sebum
2. Speeding up the removal of dead skin cells
3. Fighting bacterial infection
4. Reducing skin's inflammatory response to infection

Some medications are topical, applied to the skin, while others are taken by mouth. Some can be purchased over the counter but others require a prescription from medical doctor. The treatments are depend on the severity of the acne, the extend of scarring and the possibility of side effects for specific patients.