Health Living Tips

Acne

This factsheet is for people who have acne.

Acne is a skin condition that causes spots. Most people affected by acne are aged between 12 and 25.1 However, men and women in their 30s and 40s can also suffer. There are many treatments available to help deal with the condition.

What is acne?

Acne is a skin condition that typically causes one or more of the following:

* blackheads (comedones)

* whiteheads

* red or yellow spots

* greasy skin

* scars

Acne typically affects the skin of the face, back, neck, chest and arms and the severity of the condition can vary.

Acne affects people of all skin colours. The processes that cause acne are exactly the same in people with black or brown skin but the impact is altered by the skin pigmentation.

Acne is very common and affects about 80 in 100 people aged 11-30 at some time.

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Acne

This factsheet is for people who have acne.

Acne is a skin condition that causes spots. Most people affected by acne are aged between 12 and 25.1 However, men and women in their 30s and 40s can also suffer. There are many treatments available to help deal with the condition.

What is acne?

Acne is a skin condition that typically causes one or more of the following:

* blackheads (comedones) 2,3

* whiteheads2,3

* red or yellow spots2,3

* greasy skin2,3

* scars2,3

Acne typically affects the skin of the face, back, neck, chest and arms and the severity of the condition can vary.1,4

Acne affects people of all skin colours. The processes that cause acne are exactly the same in people with black or brown skin but the impact is altered by the skin pigmentation.

Acne is very common and affects about 80 in 100 people aged 11-30 at some time.4

The skin

The surface of the skin has lots of small sebaceous glands just below the surface. These glands make an oily substance called sebum that keeps the skin smooth and supple.

Tiny pores (holes in the skin) allow the sebum to come to the skin surface. Hairs also grow through these pores.

IIllustration showing the structure of skin

Illustration showing the structure of skin

What causes acne?

Acne is caused by the overactivity of the sebaceous glands that secrete oily substances onto the skin.

The sebaceous glands of people with acne are especially sensitive to normal blood levels of a hormone called testosterone, found naturally in both men and women.

Testosterone in people prone to acne triggers the sebaceous glands to produce an excess of sebum. At the same time, the dead skin cells lining the openings of the hair follicles (the tubes that hold the hair) are not shed properly and clog up the follicles.

These two effects combined cause a build-up of oil in the hair follicles. This causes blackheads and whiteheads to form.

For some people, their acne does not progress beyond this stage.

However in other people, the build-up of oil in the hair follicles creates an ideal environment for a bacterium called Propionibacterium acnes to grow.

These bacteria normally live harmlessly on your skin but when this ideal environment is created, they grow. They feed off the sebum and produce substances that cause a response from your body’s immune system. This inflames the skin and creates the redness associated with spots.

In more severe ‘inflammatory acne’, cysts develop beneath the skin’s surface. These acne cysts can rupture, spreading the infection into nearby skin tissue. This can result in scarring.

What makes acne worse?

There are a number of things that can make your acne worse. These include the following:

* picking and squeezing the spots may cause further inflammation and scarring1

* stress can make acne worse in some people, although it is not clear why1,

* in women, outbreaks may be affected by the hormonal changes that occur during the menstrual cycle1,

* excessive production of male hormones such as testosterone from conditions such as polycystic ovary syndrome may be another cause.5 For more information, please see the separate BUPA factsheet Polycystic ovary syndrome

* some contraceptive pills may make acne worse. This is due to the type of progestogen hormone in some pills whereas some other types of contraceptive pills can improve acne – see Treatments section below. Your GP will advise you which contraceptive pill to take

* some medicines can make acne worse. For example, some medicines taken for epilepsy, and steroid creams and ointments that are used for eczema. Do not stop a prescribed medicine if you suspect it is making your acne worse, but tell your GP. An alternative may be an option

* steroids can cause acne as a side-effect

Treatment

Acne may cause you considerable emotional distress but there is a range of treatment options to help you tackle the problem. No treatment will completely ‘cure’ your acne. The aims of treatment are to prevent new spots forming, to improve those already present, and to prevent scarring.3

Home treatment

It is important to keep spot-prone areas clean, so wash the affected area twice a day with an unperfumed cleanser.1,6 The skin needs a certain amount of oil to maintain its natural condition, so avoid aggressive washing with strong soaps.

There are a number of over-the-counter remedies available from pharmacies to treat mild acne. These usually contain antibacterial agents such as benzoyl peroxide (eg Oxy and Clearasil Max).

As well as its antibacterial effects, benzoyl peroxide can dry out the skin and encourage it to shed the surface layer of dead skin. Together, these effects make it harder for pores to become blocked and for infection to develop.

Benzoyl peroxide can cause redness and peeling, especially to start with. This tends to settle down if you reduce the number of times you use it. You can then build up your use gradually.

No home treatments for acne will work immediately. It can take weeks, if not months, for significant effects to be noticeable. If home treatments have not worked after two months, or you have severe acne, you should visit your GP.

Prescription medicines

Your GP may start your treatment by prescribing a preparation containing benzoyl peroxide. If this does not work, or if you have more severe acne, there are a range of other treatment options that you can either rub onto your skin (topical) or take in tablet form (oral).

Topical treatments

There are several topical treatments you may be prescribed including those listed below:

* azelaic acid (Skinoren) is an alternative to benzoyl peroxide and may not make your skin as sore as benzoyl peroxide

* topical retinoids (eg Adapalene) are medicines based on vitamin A, which are rubbed into the skin once or twice a day.7 They work by encouraging the outer layer of skin to flake off

* a topical antibiotic lotion applied to the skin can be used to control the P. acnes bacteria (eg Dalacin T). Treatment needs to continue for at least six months. Preparations that combine an antibiotic with other acne medication are available (eg Benzamycin which combines an antibiotic with benzoyl peroxide)

Oral treatments

There are several oral treatments you may be prescribed including those listed below:

* oral antibiotics (tablets), such as tetracycline, can be prescribed for inflammatory acne. They should be taken daily for around three months, although it might take four to six months for the benefits to be seen.7 The success of this treatment can be limited
because the strains of bacteria are often resistant to the common antibiotics. Antibiotics do not prevent pores from becoming blocked so treatment to prevent blackheads, such as benzoyl peroxide, is often also prescribed at the same time

* some types of oral contraceptive tablets help women who have acne. A combination of the usual pill hormone called ethinylestradiol with cyproterone acetate (eg Dianette) suppresses male hormone activity so is often used in women with acne

* isotretinoin (eg Roaccutane) is a medicine known as an oral retinoid, which also exists in a topical form (see above). Isotretinoin works by drying up oily secretions. It tends to be prescribed to people with severe forms of acne that have proved resistant to other treatments. There a number of serious side-effects of this drug, such as liver disorders and depresssion. You should not take isotretinoin if you are pregnant, as it is very dangerous to an unborn baby. For safety reasons, isotretinoin is only prescribed under the supervision of dermatology specialists.

Do you hear a click-click-clicking when your pet is trotting down the hallway toward you? If so, your little – or not so little – pet is in serious need of a nail trimming. Many pet owners don’t realize the importance of regular nail trimming to their pet’s health. If you’ve been shaking your head over the television ads for the latest pet-care craze, the Pedi Paws, you might be surprised to learn just how important it is to keep your dog, cat or other pet’s nails carefully trimmed.

Why your dog needs regular nail trims

That clicking you hear when your pup walks across the tile or wood floor could be doing far more damage than you think, and not only to your gorgeous floors. Neglecting your pet’s nails can have some unexpected serious consequences for your dog. The dog injuries that result from untrimmed nails range from torn nails to arthritis.

A dog’s nails curve as they grow out. If they’re not trimmed, they’ll eventually curl under the foot where they can dig into sensitive paw pads and cause pain. Dew claws are even more prone to this kind of curling and growing in. If you’ve ever had an ingrown toenail, you can imagine how painful that is for your poor pup.

Even worse, dogs actually walk on their toes. When their nails dig painfully into their paw pads, they tend to compensate for the difficulty walking by resting their weight further back on the paw. That awkward gait puts stress and strain on all the other muscles and joints. Just as wearing the wrong shoes can result in backaches and sore knees in humans, trying to walk with uncomfortably long nails can cause joint pain and discomfort for your dog. In the worst case scenario, it can contribute to the development of arthritis and other joint problems.

In addition, long nails are more likely to be torn or injured by impact or by catching in carpets, sweaters or upholstery. When that happens, the outer enamel of the nail can tear away and expose the inner tissue, called the quick. The quick is a fleshy bit of nerve and tissue that grows outward from the bone and is surrounded by the keratin that forms the claw and nail. The quick inside is easily injured, and when it’s deprived of its protective keratin, it’s prone to infection that can travel into the dog’s foot and blood. Regular trimming reduces the chance of injury and infection.

Your cat needs regular nail trimming, too

Like dogs, cats have claws that grow in a curve and can curl under their paw pads if they’re left untrimmed. Trimming a cat’s claws offers extra benefits, though. Cats are notorious for destroying furniture by using the upholstery as a scratching post. Scratching is an instinctive behavior, and while most people think the intent is to sharpen the claws, there’s another reason that cats scratch your furniture. They have scent pads in their feet, and scratching is a way to mark their territory.

Because the scratching is so destructive, many owners of indoor cats used to choose to de-claw their kittens. The practice has been falling out of favor in recent years, though, because it leaves the cat defenseless if it happens to get outside. It’s actually illegal in many European countries, and there is a push to make it illegal in the United States.

Trimming your kitten’s claws is one far easier solution to the scratching problem. When you keep your cat’s claws trimmed short, it actually reduces the urge for them to claw furniture. Removing the sharp point also allows the cat to “scratch” without destroying furniture and upholstery. In addition, keeping the claws trimmed reduces the chance that your cat will catch a claw in the screen or upholstery and injure itself trying to get away.

Rabbits, birds and small animals also need nail trimming

Few people think of birds and nail trimming in the same breath, but many birds can be handicapped if their nails are allowed to grow too long. Birds use their claws for perching. When the nails are allowed to grow long and gnarled, it interferes with their ability to perch safely. In addition, long nails can easily catch in carpeting and clothing, with the risk of injuring the nail or the toe when trying to pull away.

Rabbits, guinea pigs and other exotic small pets also need regular mail trimming to prevent injuries both to themselves and their owners.

No matter what kind of pets you own, you have two choices when it comes to trimming their nails. The first is to have it done professionally by your veterinarian or pet groomer. Depending on the part of the country in which you live, that will cost you $8 to $15 every few weeks. Your other choice is to trim your pet’s nails at home. There are a number of tools on the market that can help you trim your pet’s nails easily at home. The newest pet grooming tool on the market is the Pedi Paws pet nail trimmer, which makes trimming pets’ nails easy and painless for both pet and owner.Do you hear a click-click-clicking when your pet is trotting down the hallway toward you? If so, your little – or not so little – pet is in serious need of a nail trimming. Many pet owners don’t realize the importance of regular nail trimming to their pet’s health. If you’ve been shaking your head over the television ads for the latest pet-care craze, the Pedi Paws, you might be surprised to learn just how important it is to keep your dog, cat or other pet’s nails carefully trimmed.

Why your dog needs regular nail trims

That clicking you hear when your pup walks across the tile or wood floor could be doing far more damage than you think, and not only to your gorgeous floors. Neglecting your pet’s nails can have some unexpected serious consequences for your dog. The dog injuries that result from untrimmed nails range from torn nails to arthritis.

A dog’s nails curve as they grow out. If they’re not trimmed, they’ll eventually curl under the foot where they can dig into sensitive paw pads and cause pain. Dew claws are even more prone to this kind of curling and growing in. If you’ve ever had an ingrown toenail, you can imagine how painful that is for your poor pup.

Even worse, dogs actually walk on their toes. When their nails dig painfully into their paw pads, they tend to compensate for the difficulty walking by resting their weight further back on the paw. That awkward gait puts stress and strain on all the other muscles and joints. Just as wearing the wrong shoes can result in backaches and sore knees in humans, trying to walk with uncomfortably long nails can cause joint pain and discomfort for your dog. In the worst case scenario, it can contribute to the development of arthritis and other joint problems.

In addition, long nails are more likely to be torn or injured by impact or by catching in carpets, sweaters or upholstery. When that happens, the outer enamel of the nail can tear away and expose the inner tissue, called the quick. The quick is a fleshy bit of nerve and tissue that grows outward from the bone and is surrounded by the keratin that forms the claw and nail. The quick inside is easily injured, and when it’s deprived of its protective keratin, it’s prone to infection that can travel into the dog’s foot and blood. Regular trimming reduces the chance of injury and infection.

Your cat needs regular nail trimming, too

Like dogs, cats have claws that grow in a curve and can curl under their paw pads if they’re left untrimmed. Trimming a cat’s claws offers extra benefits, though. Cats are notorious for destroying furniture by using the upholstery as a scratching post. Scratching is an instinctive behavior, and while most people think the intent is to sharpen the claws, there’s another reason that cats scratch your furniture. They have scent pads in their feet, and scratching is a way to mark th
eir territory.

Because the scratching is so destructive, many owners of indoor cats used to choose to de-claw their kittens. The practice has been falling out of favor in recent years, though, because it leaves the cat defenseless if it happens to get outside. It’s actually illegal in many European countries, and there is a push to make it illegal in the United States.

Trimming your kitten’s claws is one far easier solution to the scratching problem. When you keep your cat’s claws trimmed short, it actually reduces the urge for them to claw furniture. Removing the sharp point also allows the cat to “scratch” without destroying furniture and upholstery. In addition, keeping the claws trimmed reduces the chance that your cat will catch a claw in the screen or upholstery and injure itself trying to get away.

Rabbits, birds and small animals also need nail trimming

Few people think of birds and nail trimming in the same breath, but many birds can be handicapped if their nails are allowed to grow too long. Birds use their claws for perching. When the nails are allowed to grow long and gnarled, it interferes with their ability to perch safely. In addition, long nails can easily catch in carpeting and clothing, with the risk of injuring the nail or the toe when trying to pull away.

Rabbits, guinea pigs and other exotic small pets also need regular mail trimming to prevent injuries both to themselves and their owners.

No matter what kind of pets you own, you have two choices when it comes to trimming their nails. The first is to have it done professionally by your veterinarian or pet groomer. Depending on the part of the country in which you live, that will cost you $8 to $15 every few weeks. Your other choice is to trim your pet’s nails at home. There are a number of tools on the market that can help you trim your pet’s nails easily at home. The newest pet grooming tool on the market is the Pedi Paws pet nail trimmer, which makes trimming pets’ nails easy and painless for both pet and owner.

If you are like most acne sufferers, you might get obsessed with the whole wash your face regularly and avoid certain foods thing. Although the main cause of your acne is not due to poor hygiene or eating certain foods, in so many instances some factors tend to worsen you acne conditions, leading to more pimples (zits) on your face.

Proper acne skin care helps in reducing the amounts of breakouts on your skin. A number of skin experts and health practitioners are of the opinion that natural acne treatments are the best for reducing the intensity of acne lesions on the skin and tend to recommend the following acne skin care tips.

One factor that could worsen your acne condition is clogged pores, which results in more pimples on your face. Before you go scrubbing your face a million times a day, you should know that you have to be gentle with your face. Wash your face at most thrice a day, and you should use lukewarm water. Avoid soaps that contain chemicals and ingredients that damage your skin. Try using a mild cleanser. Remember to pad your face dry and avoid scrubbing.

I know you can’t help it. But hey!!! Keep your hands by your side, stop touching, squeezing, rubbing or picking your pimples and other lesions. Incase you don’t know, doing that can cause severe acne scarring and more acne flare-ups. So simply put “get your hands off your face”.

If your are a guy, then you should be careful how you shave. Try and find out which razor type is best for your skin. Although I used to use electric razors when I had a lot of pimples on my face, but now I use “twin blades” shaving sticks to shave. Always shave gently to avoid scrapping your acne lesions, which could result in acne scars.

There is a type of acne that is termed “cosmetic acne” which is usually more prevalent in girls. Using certain type of cosmetics can worsen your acne problem or could even be the major cause of your breakouts. Oil-based (comedogenic) cosmetics are the major culprits in worsening your acne condition and you should stay clear of such. Try using water-based (non-comedogenic) cosmetics, which do not clog your pores.

If you are light-skinned (Caucasian), and you regularly sun-bathe, you might feel that a tan would look good on you by giving you a nice complexion and drying out your pimples, but you should try reducing the amount of sun exposure. When you expose your skin to high intensity sunlight, Ultraviolet rays from the sun would dry the outer layers of your skin resulting in it peeling off. Regular exposure to high intensity sunlight makes you prone to having skin cancer.

A very common argument among dermatologist, doctors and health care practitioners is whether diet affects acne or causes acne. Well there is one thing that is certain, a large number of acne sufferers know that there are certain types of foods that increase the amount of pimples (breakouts) on their face. I have noticed that there are some foods that when I take in large quantities I expect breakouts (pimples) in the next 5 to 6 days.

To prevent skin problems such as acne, white and dark spots and pimples, you should consider changing the content of your meals by including more nutritious foods. You can improve your acne condition by eating foods that are rich with antioxidants. These help in keeping you healthy by fighting heart diseases and slowing down cell regeneration. Fruits and leafy vegetables contain enough of these.

Doctors have always recommended that you take at least 10 to 12 glasses of water a day. Your water intake affects your skin’s health. Taking the recommended amount of water a day would make your skin healthier. Try reducing your sugar intake by drinking less sodas, and fruit juices. Instead take fruits; this will definitely prevent age spots and discoloration of your skin.

In addition to the following acne skin care tips that you’ve just read, you should try using an a system, which combats you acne problem from the inside and the outside. An excellent acne skin care product is the clear pores system which consists of a deep cleansing facial and body wash, protection cream and a herbal supplement that is guaranteed to fight acne inside the body.

Another very good product is Revitol’s acnezine system which also consists of a skin anti-Oxidant Capsules and a Moisturizing Crème, all to ensure that your skin is clear of acne. The acnezine system was what made my skin free of pimples. It seems the healthy pores system has so many testimonials to its effectiveness; it is also a wonderful product you can use in ridding your skin of zits.

Most acne sufferers would talk of tales of what acne did to them in terms of their social life and how clearing those little monsters off their skin has made life more enjoyable. If you suffer from adult or teenage acne, it is guaranteed that following these acne skin care tips and using an effective acne skin care product, you would have the smooth and clear skin that you deserve.

For more information on how you can permanently get rid of Adult Acne from your life and look more youthful and beautiful visit adult acne treatment a brand new blog that gives information, tips and advice on how to solve the problem of acne.