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Acne Basics

August 14, 2007


One of the first questions that pops in people's minds when first faced with acne is, "What is this stuff and why is this happening to me"? Having a basic understanding of what acne is and how it forms is one of the first steps to fighting this all-too-common skin condition.

Acne is actually a result of hormones in the oil-producing sebaceous glands found throughout the skin. Overproduction of oil in the skin (the technical term for it is sebum) can cause the pores to be blocked which leads to the typical acne outbreak consisting of lesions (pimples, zits, etc). These lesions typically show up on the face but can also appear on the neck, back, chest or just about any other area of the skin.

Believe it or not, acne is the most common skin disease and nearly 90% or people around the world have it or have dealt with it in the past. It's common knowledge that acne is most active during our teenage years. However, many people don't realize that acne can occur in any stage of life, so there are even such conditions as "baby acne" and "adult acne".

It's also important to mention that acne can take many different forms. These include showing up as whiteheads, pimples, nodules, papules, blackheads or cysts (which cause acne scarring).

For most people, with the right treatment, acne is definitely a curable condition. However, since most of us react differently to different medications, it might take a bit of trial and error to find the right treatment (or combination of treatments) that work best for you.

Written by AcneCure · Filed Under Acne Basics 

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  1. Body Acne – The Causes and Cures « Skin Talk on October 6th, 2009 4:45 am

    [...] Acne affects 90% of people worldwide. Why are some people able to stop acne dead in its tracks while others continue to suffer? Discover other acne treatments and finally [...]

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Teens

Teen Acne

Acne is one of the great misfortunes of teenagers. It is a common, chronic skin disorder that is caused by the inflammation of oil-producing sebaceous glands. Acne usually occurs on the face, neck, back and chest and usually begins between the ages of ten and thirteen and then continues for five to ten years.

Teenagers, both men and women, obtain acne in equal numbers and there are numerous causes. It is worth noting that younger males are generally more prone to acute and long-term acne, while many younger women suffer from hormonal acne, due to the hormonal changes that are associated to their menstrual cycle. To some degree, acne causes personal anguish for most teenagers. It can definitely lower the person’s self esteem. So, if you (or a loved one) are currently feeling depressed and embarrassed because of unsightly acne, don’t despair. Several acne treatments for teenagers are out there.

Acne treatments for teens generally vary according to the method of application and their purpose. Most of these acne treatments have promised to help prevent acne formation, but some of them failed to fulfill such promise. Below are a few of the acne treatments typically used for teenage acne.

Over-the-Counter Products

A number of non-prescription acne treatments are now available in most local drug stores. The typical treatments of this form include various acne cleansers, astringents, moisturizers, as well as pimple creams. Some of them help to unplug the whiteheads and blackheads, while the others help skin shedding. It terms of the application of these acne treatments for teenagers, some experts typically suggest giving such over-the-counter products around six to eight weeks to work before expecting huge results. However, if there is no improvement in the condition during that time, there are some other options for treating teenage acne that should be considered.

Oral and Topical Antibiotics

Most of the oral and topical antibiotics are samples of “prescription only” treatments for acne. The topical antibiotics, in particular, are deemed effective acne treatments for teenagers since they can help fight acne by killing off the bacteria that infect the pores. On the other hand, oral antibiotics are acne treatments that affect the entire body, therefore they can cause serious and unfavorable side effects. Both of these forms of acne treatments for teens are now commonly recommended, even taking into account some of the side effects.

Vitamin A Derivatives

Vitamin A derivatives are great teen acne treatments since they prevent skin cells from clumping together and encourage the skin to shed. These acne treatments for teenagers are usually applied once a day, but just like some of the other acne treatments for teens mentioned earlier, they too have certain side effects such as dryness, redness, and irritation, even birth defects.

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