In light of June being Acne Awareness Month, this month's blogs will be a series focused on acne. This is part one of the Acne Awareness Series: Acne Overview.
According to the American Academy of Dermatology, acne is found to be the most common skin condition across the United States. Despite its dominating nature, there remains many misconceptions and unanswered questions surrounding the condition. As we craft various questions pertaining to acne, we wonder: can toothpaste really cure inflamed pimples overnight? Are diets the root causes of acne? Does quality of sleep prompt breakouts?
What is acne?
Acne is a skin condition that can prompt the following:
Blackheads
Whiteheads
Pimples
Acne cysts (deep, painful breakouts)
Acne is an inflammatory disorder of the skin, which has sebaceous (oil) glands that interconnect with the hair follicle. Generally, in healthy skin, the oil glands produce sebum that empties onto the skin's surface through a pore. Keratinocytes, a type of skin cell, then lines the follicle. As skin cells shed, keratinocytes rise to the skin's surface. However, for those with acne, the hair, sebum, and keratinocytes stick to one another inside the pore, disrupting keratinocytes from shedding and preventing sebum from reaching the skin surface. The combination of oil and cells causes bacteria to develop within the clogged follicles, causing inflammation of all sorts - swelling, redness, heat, and pain. In fact, pimples are produced when the wall of the plugged follicle breaks down, releasing the stored bacteria, skin cells, and sebum into surrounding skin cells.
Who gets acne?
Acne is not limited to a particular race or age; all races and ages are susceptible of getting acne. However, acne is more generally found in teenagers and young adults, particularly males in teenage years and females in early adulthood.
Types of acne:
Whiteheads: plugged hair follicles that remain beneath the skin; produces a white bump
Blackheads: plugged follicles that reach the skin surface and opens up; produces a black color
Papules: inflamed lesions that appear as small, pink bumps; tender to touch
Pustules or pimples: papules coated in white/yellow pus-filled lesions; often red at the base
Nodules: large, painful solid lesions that are deeply lodged in the skin
Severe nodules: deep, painful lesions
** Lesions refer to regions in a tissue or organ that has suffered damage
Causes of acne:
High production of oil
Buildup of dead skin cells in pore
Growth of bacteria within pore
Some other contributing factors include:
Hormones: An increase in sex hormones may cause sebaceous glands to enlarge and produce more sebum
Family history: Those with a family history of acne are susceptible of getting acne.
Medications: Some medications, like those that contain hormones, corticosteroids, and lithium, may cause acne.
Age: Teenagers are generally more prone to getting acne, though anyone can get it.
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