Acne is a skin disorder caused as a result of changes in the skin pores and the associated follicles and the secretions. These changes are caused by excess stimulation of the follicles by the hormone androgen. Acne is generally found on face, back and chest regions that are rich in hair follicles. Generally, it is manifested as a mild form but severe cases are associated with soaring, inflammatory pimples. Pimples that are large and red generally leave a scar on the skin even after they are cured damaging the skin appearance and even texture in some cases.

Causes of Acne

No specific reason is attributed to the cause of acne. It could be either due to hereditary reasons or hormonal disturbances that are seen in specific stages of life like the teenage, pregnancy and menopause in women.

Other causes include infestation of the clogged skin pores by the bacterium propionibacterium acne that further aggravates the problem.

Poor hygiene is another reason for acne. People with oily skin have to wash the face with water frequently to avoid dirt and dust sticking to the skin. However, use of soap is not suggested as it may result in other problems like skin dryness and sensitivity due to harsh chemicals in soaps. If the skin is not properly taken care of dead skin cells get accumulated and clog the skin pores thereby increasing the risk of bacterial infestation.

Certain medication containing lithium, androgens or barbiturates stimulate acne.

Diet is another culprit for acne. Foods rich in saturated fats cow milk and carbohydrate rich foods are considered to cause acne.

Stress that is more common in the current busy daily routine increases the risk for acne. Stress increases the secretion of adrenal glands which are found to cause acne.

Available Treatments

There are many products that promise the cure of acne. They are either in the form of cream or oral drugs. Select the ones that best suit your requirements, with milder side effects and under the supervision of the physician. Some of the available drugs for treatment of acne include oral antibiotics, antibiotic creams, topical bactericidal agents, and hormonal treatment options like use of oral contraceptives and oral corticosteroids. Hormonal therapies aim at controlling the balance between female sex hormones and androgens. Reducing the level of androgens gives effective results.

Precautions and preventive measures to be taken

You can prevent the onset of acne by maintaining good hygiene, use of mild soaps and taking good care of the diet. It is suggested to have a balanced diet. Even in unavoidable cases like genetic related conditions and hormonal imbalances seen in various stages of life like teenage, it can be controlled by maintaining good hygiene and taking appropriate measures at the early stage. Pimples should not be ruptured in a haste to get rid of them. It will leave scars on the skin that take a very long time to fade off or may even settle permanently. In some cases rupturing of pimples causes irreversible damage to skin texture.

Jonathan Pitts

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