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Acne

Acne is a skin condition that causes spots and pimples, especially on the face, shoulders, back, neck, chest, and upper arms. It occurs when oil and dead skin block hair follicles, causing inflammation.

Acne: Causes, Treatment, And Tips

It commonly occurs during puberty, when the sebaceous glands activate, but it can occur at any age. It is not dangerous, but it can leave skin scars.

Diet: It is unclear what role diet plays in worsening acne. Scientists have found that people who consume a diet that offers a good supply of vitamins A and E and of zinc

That polyphenols from tea, including green tea, applied in a topical preparation, may be beneficial in reducing sebum production and treating acne. However, the compounds in this case were extracted from tea, rather than using tea directly.

Everything You Need To Know About Hormonal Acne

, especially in people who are using acne treatment such as isotretinoin, say researchers. Moisturizers containing aloe vera at a concentration of at least 10 percent or witch hazel can have a soothing and possibly anti-inflammatory effect.

Human skin has pores that connect to oil glands under the skin. Follicles connect the glands to the pores. Follicles are small sacs that produce and secrete liquid.

Called sebum. Sebum carries dead skin cells through the follicles to the surface of the skin. A small hair grows through the follicle out of the skin.

Acne Treatment Guide

Skin cells, sebum, and hair can clump together into a plug. This plug gets infected with bacteria, and swelling results. A pimple starts to develop when the plug begins to break down.

That the severity and frequency of acne depend on the strain of bacteria. Not all acne bacteria trigger pimples. One strain helps to keep the skin pimple-free.

Rising androgen levels cause the oil glands under the skin to grow. The enlarged gland produces more sebum. Excessive sebum can break down cellular walls in the pores, causing bacteria to grow.

Got Acne Scars? Here's How To Get Rid Of Them For Good

Mild acne can be treated with over-the-counter (OTC) medications, such as gels, soaps, pads, creams, and lotions, that are applied to the skin.

It is advisable to start with the lowest strengths, as some preparations can cause skin irritation, redness, or burning on first use.

Can become resistant to the antibiotic in time, and another antibiotic is needed. Acne is more likely to become resistant to topical rather than oral antibiotics.

How To Get Rid Of Cystic Acne

This is a strong, oral retinoid, used for the treatment of severe cystic acne and severe acne that has not responded to other medications and treatments.

It is a strictly controlled medication with potentially serious side effects. The patient must sign a consent form to say that they understand the risks.

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Acne:

What Is Nodular Acne?

“Acneis common, so it seems like it should be easy to treat, ” says dermatologistAmy Kassouf, MD, “but so many factors play into it, including genetics, hormones and the natural flora, or y bacteria, of your skin.”

A zit or two here and there may be coincidental or genetic. But if you continually haveacneon the same parts of your face, your breakouts may be linked to a deeper issue. This is sometimes known as acne face mapping.

“Where on your face you have acne can help determine how to treat it, ” Dr. Kassouf says.“Most dermatologists don’t physically ‘map’ people, but we do recognize various zones of the face to help us figure out what’s going to work best for our patients.”

The People's Pharmacy

Keep reading to learn more about common places for facial acne and what they mean — plus, how you can keep future breakouts at bay.

If you’ve ever read a beauty blog or magazine, you know about the T-zone, the T-shaped area across your forehead and down your nose. It’s a prime locale for classic blackheads and whiteheads because this area tends to havebigger poresand sebaceous glands than other parts of your face.

This type of acne is called comedonal acne. “Blackheads are open comedones, where the air can get to the sebum and dead skin cells in the pores, which oxidizes and turns them black, ” Dr. Kassouf explains. “With whiteheads, the pore is still sealed, and the dead skin cells and the sebum don’t see the air, so they stay naturally white.”

Cystic Acne Treatment, Symptoms And Causes

Treating your T-zone acne is all about unclogging those pores. “When it comes to comedones, we turn to medicines that help those skin cells come out of the pores and turn over, ” Dr. Kassouf says.

Teens assigned male at birth (AMAB) often get acne along the jawline during growth spurts, while people assigned female at birth (AFAB) of all ages may see their chins erupt during their menstrual cycles as hormones ebb and flow.

Acne

Hormonal acnecan be tricky to treat because, well, hormones themselves often present a complex puzzle. But Dr. Kassouf says medications and topical treatments can tackle the hormonal component of acne and help clear things up.

Reasons For Your Face Breaking Out

Unlike breakouts on your chin or T-zone, spots on your cheeks don’t reveal much about the underlying cause. “Cheeks don’t tell us much, ” Dr. Kassouf admits.

Acne here could be genetic, or it could be a fluke. It could also be caused by contact with bacteria: Thinkdirty makeup brushes, a germ-ridden cell phone or unwashed pillowcases.

“The skin on your cheeks tends to get dry and irritated more easily than the skin on the rest of your face, so don’t go overboard with acne treatments, ” Dr. Kassouf cautions.

Acne (face) Images

You can treat cheeks with the same products you use elsewhere, including salicylic acid, benzoyl peroxide andretinoids. But instead of applying it daily, go for every other day on your cheeks. You’ll still get the benefits without the irritation.

To try to prevent cheek acne, keep things clean, from your hair to your bedding to, yes, that cell phone you probably never think to clean. Did you know that your cell phone canharbor more germsthan a toilet seat?

If you’re only seeing pimples along your hairline, you may not be experiencing standard T-zone acne. These zits can actuallybe caused by hair products, like mousse ordry shampoo. “Hair products tend to be very waxy and can build up at the hairline and cause flare-ups, ” Dr. Kassouf explains.

Cystic Acne: What Is It, Symptoms, Causes And Treatment

If you suspect your favorite hair product is to blame, focus it on the ends of your tresses and steer clear of your scalp. Or try switching to a different product to see if fares better for your face.

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Always try to resist the temptation to pop a pimple, which can damage your skin if it’s done incorrectly. If you have a zit that has come to a head and started to weep on its own, you can put apimple patchatop it to try to speed up its healing.

But how can you keep breakouts from happening to begin with? Dr. Kassouf shares general skin care tips that can help fend them off going forward.

Hormonal Acne: What It Is And Why It Happens

We all have to take our lumps sometimes. But if you can read the clues in your breakouts, hopefully, those lumps will be few and far between.

If your breakouts always appear in the same spots, your skin may be trying to tell you something. Learn about common places for facial acne and what they mean — plus, how to keep future breakouts at bay.People with cystic acne develop pus-filled acne cysts (pimples) deep under the skin. The acne cysts are often painful and can be large. A dermatologist should treat cystic acne to reduce the risk of scarring and infection. Antibiotics and prescription-strength topical (skin) creams can help clear up your skin.

Cystic acne is a type of inflammatory acne that causes painful, pus-filled pimples to form deep under the skin. Acne occurs when oil and dead skin cells clog skin pores.

Here's Why Back And Chest Acne Is So Common & How To Treat It

With cystic acne, bacteria also gets into the pores, causing swelling or inflammation. Cystic acne is the most severe type of acne. Acne cysts are often painful and more likely to cause scarring.

Nodular acne and cystic acne are very similar. Both cause deep, painful bumps under the skin. And both can scar. Differences include:

Pores in the skin can clog with excess oil and dead skin cells, causing pimples. Bacteria can enter the skin pores and get trapped along with the oil and skin cells. The skin reaction causes swelling deep in the skin’s middle layer (the dermis). This infected, red, swollen lump is an acne cyst.

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How To Get Rid Of Acne Scars & Fade Hyperpigmentation

A cystic acne breakout may cover a