How To Find The Cause Of Acne

Overview

Acne | Cleveland Clinic — Typical teenager with facial acne

What is acne?

Acne is a mutual skin condition where the pores of your pare get blocked by pilus, sebum (an oily substance), bacteria and expressionless peel cells. Those blockages produce blackheads, whiteheads, nodules and other types of pimples. If you accept acne, know you're non lone. It's the most mutual skin condition that people feel. It's estimated that 80% of people ages 11 to 30 will have at to the lowest degree a mild form of acne, and most people are affected by information technology at some point in their lives.

Who does acne touch on?

Though it mainly affects teenagers and young adults undergoing hormonal changes, many people go along struggling with acne into their 20s, 30s and across. Some even develop acne for the offset time as adults.

Where does acne nearly commonly occur?

The most mutual spots where you might have acne are your face, forehead, chest, shoulders and upper back. Oil glands are all over your body, just those are the places where there are the most. The all-time style to treat acne depends on how severe information technology is. Acne can be mild (a few occasional pimples) moderate (inflammatory papules) or severe (nodules and cysts).

What are the different types of acne?

Acne tin can have several forms. They include:

Blackheads : Open bumps on the skin that fill with excess oil and expressionless skin. They await as if clay has deposited in the bump, but the dark spots are actually caused by an irregular light reflection off the clogged follicle.
Whiteheads : Bumps that remain closed by oil and dead skin.
Papules: Small ruddy or pinkish bumps that go inflamed.
Pustules: Pimples containing pus. They expect like whiteheads surrounded by red rings. They can crusade scarring if picked or scratched.
Fungal acne (pityrosporum folliculitis): This blazon occurs when an excess of yeast develops in the hair follicles. They can become itchy and inflamed.
Nodules: Solid pimples that are deep in your peel. They are large and painful.
Cysts: Pus-filled pimples. These can cause scars.

All of these forms of acne can affect your cocky-esteem. It's best to seek aid from your healthcare provider early and then they can help make up one's mind the best treatment pick(south) for you.

Symptoms and Causes

What causes acne?

Acne is largely a hormonal condition that's driven by androgen hormones, which typically become agile during the teenage and young adult years. Sensitivity to these hormones — combined with surface bacteria on the skin and fatty acids within oil glands — can outcome in acne.

Certain things can crusade acne and/or make it worse:

Fluctuating hormone levels around the time of a woman's period.
Picking at acne sores.
Wearable and headgear, similar hats and sports helmets.
Air pollution and certain weather condition weather, especially high humidity.
Using oily or greasy personal care products (like heavy lotions, creams or pilus pomades and waxes) or working in an area where you routinely come in contact with grease (such every bit working at a restaurant where at that place are greasy food surfaces and frying oil).
Stress, which increases the hormone cortisol, can also cause acne to flare.
Some medications.
Genetics.

Does chocolate cause acne?

Some studies accept linked detail foods and diets to acne. Skim milk, whey protein and diets loftier in sugar may contribute to acne flares. Chocolate has not been directly linked to acne.

Why do then many teenagers go acne?

I of the causes of acne is a surge in hormones chosen androgens (specifically testosterone), which both women and men produce. Those hormones tend to be at their peak during the teen years.

Do certain foods cause acne?

For the almost function, hormonal changes in the body drive acne. There is some evidence that skim milk, whey poly peptide and diets high in sugar may crusade acne breakouts, although this remains controversial.

Eating a balanced, nutritious diet with plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables, especially those rich with vitamin C and beta carotene, helps reduce inflammation. In that location is also some show that eating fish can help.

Can acne cause scars?

Acne does sometimes outcome in scarring. It happens when the acne penetrates the skin and damages the deeper layers. Inflammation makes the acne pores slap-up and breakdown occurs in the wall of the pore. Scarring can, of course, be a source of feet, which is normal. But before it can be treated, your healthcare provider will determine what blazon of acne caused the scars.

At that place are several available treatment options. Chemical peels, dermabrasion, laser resurfacing, microneedling and surgery tin can all be used to treat acne scars.

Diagnosis and Tests

How is acne diagnosed?

Your healthcare provider can diagnose acne during a skin exam. They may also ask if you lot're undergoing significant stress or if y'all have a family history of acne, all of which are run a risk factors. Teenage girls and women may also be asked most their menstrual cycles, as breakouts are sometimes related. Sudden, severe acne outbreaks in older people tin can sometimes signal some other underlying disease that requires medical attention.

How astringent tin can acne become?

Dermatologists rank acne by severity:

Class ane (balmy): by and large whiteheads and blackheads, with a few papules and pustules.
Course 2 (moderate, or pustular acne): multiple papules and pustules, mostly on your face up.
Class iii (moderately severe, or nodulocystic acne): numerous papules and pustules, along with occasionally inflamed nodules. Your back and chest may also be affected.
Grade 4 (severe nodulocystic acne): numerous large, painful and inflamed pustules and nodules.

Management and Treatment

How is acne treated?

Your healthcare provider may suggest some non-prescription medications for your condition. Depending on the condition's severity, your age, the type of acne you have and how constructive the over-the-counter remedies have been, you may need stronger prescription medications.

The utilise of certain contraceptives can sometimes help a woman's acne go away. The Nutrient and Drug Administration has approved three types of nascency control pills for treating acne. All four contain a combination of estrogen (the master female sex hormone) and progesterone (a natural form of steroid that helps regulate menstruation).

Various medications and therapies have proven to be effective. They target the underlying factors that contribute to acne. Yous might require at least one or multiple, depending on the severity of your status.

Medications applied topically:

Benzoyl peroxide is available as an over-the-counter product (such as Clearasil®, Stridex®, PanOxyl®) every bit a leave-on gel or launder. It targets surface bacteria, which often aggravates acne. Lower concentrations and wash formulations are less irritating to your skin. Irritation (dryness) is a common side effect.
Salicylic acid is available over-the-counter for acne, as a cleanser or lotion. Information technology helps remove the top layer of damaged skin. Salicylic acid dissolves dead skin cells to forbid your hair follicles from clogging.
Azelaic acrid is a natural acrid constitute in various grains such as barley, wheat and rye. It kills microorganisms on the skin and reduces swelling.
Retinoids (vitamin A derivatives) such as Retin-A®, Tazorac®, and Differin® (which is at present available without a prescription) pause up blackheads and whiteheads and assistance to prevent clogged pores, the start signs of acne. Most patients are candidates for retinoid therapy. These medications are not spot treatments and must be used on the unabridged area of skin afflicted by acne to prevent the germination of new pimples. The almost common side consequence is irritation, which normally improves with moisturization and time on the medication.
Antibiotics (topical types include clindamycin and erythromycin) control surface leaner that aggravate and often encourage the swelling of acne. Antibiotics are more constructive when combined with benzoyl peroxide.
Dapzone (Aczone®) is a topical gel, which also has antibacterial properties, can exist used for inflamed acne. Information technology's applied to the skin twice a day.

Medications taken orally (by oral fissure):

Antibiotics, particularly tetracycline antibiotics such equally minocycline and doxycycline, are usually used to treat moderate to severe acne.
Oral contraceptives can help with breakouts associated with menstrual cycles. 3 classes of medications have been approved by the FDA for acne patients. Some make names include Estrostep®, Beyaz®, Ortho Tri-Cyclen® and Yaz ®.
Isotretinoin (Amnesteem®, Claravis®, Sotret®), an oral retinoid, is an especially constructive drug used merely for the most severe cases of acne. Isotretinoin shrinks the size of oil glands, which contributes to acne formation. The most mutual side effect is dryness, but can likewise cause birth defects. Some evidence suggests a possible increased risk of ulcerative colitis and depression. Considering of these risks, anyone using the drug must take part in a Nutrient and Drug Administration-approved risk management program known equally iPledge.

Other therapies:

Depending on your condition, your healthcare provider might suggest one of these specialized therapies, perchance combined with medication.

Steroids. Rarely, steroids can be used to care for severe acne or injected into large nodules to reduce inflammation.
Lasers. Currently, lasers are primarily used to treat acne scars. A light amplification by stimulated emission of radiation delivers oestrus to the scarred collagen under the peel, this relies on the trunk's wound healing response to create new, healthy collagen. This encourages the growth of new peel to supervene upon information technology. There are dissimilar types of laser resurfacing—ablative and non-ablative. Your dermatologist will determine which type is all-time for your skin type and nature of acne scars.
Chemic Peels. This treatment uses special chemicals to remove the peak layer of old skin. Typically whenever the top layer is removed, the new skin that grows in is smoother and can lessen acne scars.

Practice I need to see a specialist?

Your acne can be managed past your general healthcare provider. Withal, when acne does not amend or is astringent you should see a lath certified dermatologist.

What should I practice while waiting to run across a dermatologist?

Continue washing your face at least daily with lukewarm water and a mild facial cleanser that you can purchase over the counter. Products containing benzoyl peroxide and salicylic acid are constructive. Yous tin can also now purchase the topical retinoid, Differin®, over the counter and use as directed.

Prevention

Tin can acne be prevented?

Preventing acne is difficult if non impossible during normal hormonal changes. But some things tin can help:

Wash your face daily with warm h2o and a mild facial cleanser.
Routinely use moisturizer.
You don't have to cease using makeup, but attempt to use "non-comedogenic" products and remove makeup at the stop of each solar day.
Continue your easily away from your face.

Outlook / Prognosis

What can I expect if I've been diagnosed with acne?

Acne oft goes abroad in early machismo, though some people volition continue to experience acne throughout adulthood. Your healthcare provider or board certified dermatologist tin can help manage this difficult condition.

Are there any special concerns for women of childbearing age with acne?

Many topical and oral acne treatments are contraindicated during pregnancy. If you lot're a woman in your childbearing years, information technology's important to discuss acne treatments with your healthcare provider and alert them if you become pregnant. Isotretinoin is known to crusade astringent nascence defects and therefore, ii methods of nascence command are required while on this medication.

Hormone therapy is helpful for some women with acne, especially for those that flare-up with menstruum or those with signs and symptoms (irregular periods) of excess androgen (male hormone). Hormone therapy consists of depression-dose estrogen and progesterone (nascence control pills) or a medication called spironolactone that blocks the result of male hormones at the level of the hair follicles and oil glands.

Living With

When should I see my healthcare provider about my acne?

See your healthcare provider as soon every bit you notice the pimples and then that you can commencement treatment immediately, before scarring occurs.

What questions should I ask my healthcare provider about acne?

What blazon of acne do I have?
How astringent is my acne?
Practice I need to see a dermatologist?
Do I demand a referral?
What over-the-counter medications exercise you recommend?
What prescription medications practise you recommend?

A annotation from Cleveland Dispensary:

Acne is the most common of all skin conditions and can have a profound psychosocial impact.