Acne is a common skin disorder that affects millions of teen years and adults alike in North America. The exact cause of acne is unknown, but it is believed to be caused by hormones and other chemicals in our environment.
Acne is present almost everywhere in the human body. It most often develops on the face, back, shoulders, chest, and neck. Even if you do not have acne, you will tend to notice white or black pimples when you do have acne. Blackheads generally open up in the middle of the skin, giving them an appearance of dirt or dust because of poor circulation in the air.
Most cases of acne are not serious and disappear on their own after about six months. However, there are many types of acne and many different ways to treat it. Consider some of the following facts:
Reasons For Acne
There are several factors that may cause acne to become severe. Some of these factors include hormones, diet, stress, medications, and clogged pore. Hormonal changes that occur during puberty are one of the main causes of acne for teenagers. This can cause pimple breakouts, to become more severe, which can make them uncomfortable and painful. People who suffer from frequent acne breakouts may develop low self-esteem due to the scars they may leave behind.
Overly severe levels of self-care can also cause the appearance of acne. People who wash their faces too often without cleaning their pores could be causing excess oil to build up and block the pore. This excess oil can then be trapped inside the pore, causing the formation of pimples. This excess oil in the pores will then lead to bacteria building up inside the pore. Bacteria are known to increase in number when there is an accumulation of dead skin cells inside the pore. This bacteria will then trigger the onset of inflammation and pimples.
Many factors can cause acne, including:
- Genetics
- Diet
- Too much stress
- Hormone changes
- Medicine effects
- Acne Severity
This is very important when considering acne breakouts and treatment. Acne severity ranges from mild to severe. Those with mild acne have little or no scarring and don’t usually lead to long-term skin conditions. Those with moderate acne have moderate to severe types of scarring and should be treated using acne scar removal creams. Those with severe types of acne are more likely to have long-term skin conditions and should be treated using acne scar removal creams and other methods for moderate to severe scarring.
Types Of Acne
Blackheads, whiteheads, and pimples are the different types of acne vulgaris. They all are caused by different factors such as hormonal changes, pores that are clogged by dead skin cells, bacteria, and oil. Acne can be inflammatory and non-inflammatory.
Blackheads are tiny white bumps that appear on the skin. They can appear as single white bumps, or they can group into larger groups of blackheads. The size of the whitehead depends on the amount of oil in the skin as well as how much of the hair follicle is blocked. Whiteheads are the least common kind, but there are cases of whiteheads that are blackheads.
Whiteheads are generally not harmful, and they will go away after a few days. However, if it is open and blemished, you should treat it as a blackhead and use appropriate skincare products. The only problem with whiteheads is that it develops over time and does not go away on their own.
Papules-Pimples
Papules-Pimples are small, red, inflamed bumps that are generally associated with acne rosacea. There is no permanent treatment for this type of acne rosacea, but some good treatments are available to reduce inflammation and healing.
Pustules are generally the result of a bacterial infection and pus that have developed under the papules. These pustules can appear as spots of inflamed bumps, which are about two to three millimetres across. The pus-filled pustules will be red and tender to touch and will probably be accompanied by a whitish mottling on the skin’s surface. Papules can turn into pustules and eventually pimples if left untreated.
The bacterium responsible for causing pimples and pustules is called Propionibacterium Acne. This bacterium can penetrate the sebum of the skin in the follicles. The sebum then clogs up the pore, trapping the bacteria inside. The inflammation caused by the presence of the bacteria causes bumps and pus, which will fill the pore.
Both mild and severe forms of acne can be treated with the help of conventional and non-conventional medications. Some medications used to treat these types of acne vulgaris have some side effects. Acne patients who suffer from a mild form of acne should be treated with topical products such as benzoyl peroxide, salicylic acid or sulfur, and azelaic acid, which most dermatologists consider to be the most effective over-the-counter medications.
In more severe forms of acne, the comedones can lead to the formation of scars that can be very painful and very big. The scars from comedones vary in size and are determined by the severity of the acne vulgaris. For more severe forms of acne, patients may need to undergo surgical treatments such as someone reduction. However, most of the time, these treatments are only required for a mild form of acne. Nodules and pustules can sometimes be treated with the help of Tretinoin, an active ingredient present in most popular acne medications.
Whiteheads And Blackheads
Another type of acne is referred to as whiteheads or blackheads. These appear on the nose and chin, though they can appear anywhere along the hair shaft. They do not include clear, skin blemishes, but instead are small lesions that are visible to the naked eye. Whiteheads tend to be removed easily by self-care methods such as washing with soap and water or by picking and squeezing.
Blackheads, on the other hand, are large pimples. They appear like calluses and have a yellowish color to them. They form around the comedones – the clogged pores that cause the buildup of excess oil – and are visible to the naked eye. Pimples can be filled with either white or blackhead debris. Sometimes, someone will pop out so that you can see the blackhead underneath it.
The sebaceous follicle, which is in the middle of a follicle, contains a single blackhead or whitehead. A whitehead appears when the blackhead partially or fully extends outside the pore. A blackhead looks like a regular pimple, but it is deeper in appearance.
When people think of pimples and whiteheads, their first thought is usually that of acne vulgaris. That’s the common medical name for blackheads, but technically they are also classified as comedones, which is why they are known as “comedones”. Your dermatologist should be able to explain further about comedones. Acne can have many different medical names, depending on the severity and location of the pimple, so you don’t need to worry about being familiar with every name.
The technical term for whiteheads is hyperpigmentation. They look like pimples because they contain a whitehead. Blackheads look like black dots on the skin. They contain excess oil and a white head could form.
How To Prevent Acne – Treatments
It has been known for centuries that eating healthy and staying healthy can fight off acne, and with good reason. Our modern-day western diets are packed full of unhealthy ingredients which are feeding the acne beast. This includes refined sugar and processed carbohydrates, which are proving to be one of the most important factors in the formation of pimples. You can try some home remedies to prevent acne.
By removing the excess fat from your diet and replacing it with more healthy foods such as fruits, vegetables, and nuts you can greatly reduce the number of harmful toxins that enter into your body and lead to pimples forming. Another major factor is exposure to the sun which significantly increases the production of free radicals within the body leading to increased skin irritation and outbreaks.
The goal of over-the-counter acne treatments is to reduce the amount of oil that gets trapped in the pore. These products are designed to help your body eliminate toxins and the build-up of bacteria that occurs when there is too much oil in the pore. These products also help keep your pores clear so new hair can grow and the area around the pore remains healthy
There are many Acne Moisturizers and creams are available in the market that you can use. We recommend you first consult a doctor before using them.
Tea Tree Oil: One of the main ingredients of most Acne Treatment at Home recipes and has been used for years to help reduce pimples and blemishes. Tea tree oil has natural properties that are great for reducing inflammation. Inflammation is one of the main factors that lead to pimples. The oil kills bacteria and fungus that cause Acne. So using Tea Tree Oil regularly can reduce Acne and its painful symptoms too.
Vitamin E and Zinc – These two vitamins have anti-inflammatory properties. They are also important because of the Omega-3 fatty acids, which they contain. Omegas 3 fatty acids fight inflammation, which in turn reduces Acne caused by inflammation.
Brewer’s Yeast Extract: This is a popular ingredient in Acne Treatment at Home recipes as well. It contains all the things that Zinc and Tea Tree Oil have, plus many more. Brewer’s Yeast Extract helps to get rid of excess oils that can clog the pores and lead to Acne. It also boosts the immune system and reduces bacteria and fungus that cause pimples.
Chemical Exfoliation: This is one of the more popular chemical acne treatments at home. Chemical Exfoliation involves using a scrub or liquid to remove the top layer of skin cells in the follicles, causing the follicle wall to become thin. This allows the dirt, dead skin cells, bacteria, and fungus to escape and thus causes Acne. You can do this by using commercially available chemical exfoliating scrubs and products.
Before trying any treatment, please consult a doctor first.
That’s all for now. If you want to know more about Acne and its treatments then comment below.
