If you’ve been reading Hollywood Health Letter.com recently, you know we’ve been writing about acne.
Acne problems vary with people, hormone fluctuations, stress, nutrition and just the time in a person’s life. Some people never have an acne problem at all! Others are not so lucky.
Doctors estimate that 4 out 5 people between the ages of 12 and 24 will get acne at least once in their lives. Acne problems also happen to people who are in their 20s, 30s and 40s, although less frequently than in those who are teens. (1)
While a definitive cause has not been found for acne problems, there are identifiable triggers. In adult women, acne can be triggered by the increased hormone levels of pregnancy, birth control pills and her menstrual cycle. Others find their triggers involve their diet – high in fats, chocolate or junk food. Men also suffer from acne when hormone levels surge during their teen years. (2)
Acne problems happen when the oil secreted by the oil glands in our skin get stopped-up on the way to the surface. Oil production is a natural process and it happens around the time of puberty. Irregular shedding of dead skin, over production of oil, build up of bacteria, an unhealthy diet, hormonal changes and stress are all triggers that cause acne.
Acne has several different forms and several different symptoms. You can see whiteheads or pustules when the oil is stopped up near the surface of the skin. If the oil is stuck a bit deeper the pimple hurts when you press on it. But if the oil gets stuck deep in the skin, it produces cystic acne.
People may also see blackheads on their skin. This is caused when the oil breaks through the skin and is oxidized by the air.
Acne problems are rarely a serious medical condition but they are often a serious emotional and psychological condition. Our faces are how the people around us ‘see’ us. Many people don’t see past skin deep and when the skin is red with pustules and whiteheads the impression isn’t positive. (3,4)
Some risk factors that can increase your risk of developing acne problems are medications like cortisone, exposure to greasy makeup, a family history, friction or pressure from items like cell phones, helmets or tight collars.
Acne problems take several forms. Acne vulgaris can be a mild, moderate or severe form of acne. In acne vulgaris you experience whiteheads, blackheads, pustules, papules, nodules and cysts depending upon the severity of the condition.
Acne Rosacea looks similar to severe acne vulgaris. Doctors can sometime confuse these two which is a problem since the treatments are significantly different. Acne rosacea usually affects people over 30 and is characterized by a red rash over the cheeks, nose, forehead and chin. In acne rosacea you don’t usually suffer from blackheads. The condition is more prevalent in women than men, but when it happens to men it is more severe. (5)
There are other more severe forms of acne that are rare but create great emotional hardship for the sufferer. Acne Conglobata is severe and causes irreparable damage to the skin. It is more common in men and can show up on the face, chest, back, upper arms and thighs. (6)
Acne Fulminans is actually an abrupt onset of Conglobata with nodules and cysts that are ulcerating and disfiguring. However it also includes fever and aching joints. Acne problems may also include gram negative folliculitis which is very rare but treatable happens with acne vulgaris.
Another severe form of acne is Pyoderma Faciale. This condition happens only in females from 20 to 40 years old. Women suffer from large painful pustules, sores and scarring. The condition is usually confined to the face. It begins abruptly and doesn’t last longer than one year.
Acne problems can cause severe emotional and psychological distress to the sufferer. Thankfully, the most severe cases are very rare. And the majority of cases can be treated successfully with over -the-counter medications, decreased stress, improved hygiene and a nutritionally solid diet.
(1) KidsHealth.org: Acne http://kidshealth.org/kid/health_problems/skin/acne.html
(2) National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases: What is Acne? http://www.niams.nih.gov/health_info/acne/acne_ff.asp
(3) Journal of Ayub Medical College: Prevelance of Mental Health Problems in Acne Patients http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11873431
(4) PsychCentral.com: For Teens, Acne Problems May be More than Skin Deep http://psychcentral.com/news/2011/03/16/for-teens-acne-problems-may-be-more-than-skin-deep/24452.html
(5) U.S. National Library of medicine: Rosacea http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0001882/
(6) Proceedings of the Royal Society of Medicine: Acne Conglobata http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2184445/
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