Subject: acne treatment
Description: acne treatment with retinol for scar removal and pimple treatment
Category: acne treatment

A detailed and comprehensive discussion of acne scars starts with causes of scarring, prevention of scarring, types of scars, and treatments for scars.

Before talking about scars, a word about spots that may look like scars but are not scars in the sense that a permanent change has occurred.

Even though they are not true scars and disappear in time, they are visible and can cause embarrassment.

Macules or pseudo-scars are flat, red or reddish spots that are the final stage of most inflamed acne lesions.

After an inflamed acne lesion flattens, a macule may remain to mark the spot for up to 6 months.

When the macule eventually disappears, no trace of it will remain—unlike a scar.

Post-inflammatory pigmentation is discoloration of the skin at the site of a healed or healing inflamed acne lesion.

It occurs more frequently in darker-skinned people, but occasionally is seen in people with white skin.

Early treatment by a dermatologist may minimize the development of post-inflammatory pigmentation.

Some post-inflammatory pigmentation may persist for up to 18 months, especially with excessive sun exposure.

Chemical peeling may hasten the disappearance of post-inflammatory pigmentation.

Causes of Acne Scars

In the simplest terms, scars form at the site of an injury to tissue.

They are the visible reminders of injury and tissue repair.

In the case of acne, the injury is caused by the body’s inflammatory response to sebum, bacteria and dead cells in the plugged sebaceous follicle.

Two types of true scars exist, as discussed later: (1) depressed areas such as ice-pick scars, and (2) raised thickened tissue such as keloids.

When tissue suffers an injury, the body rushes its repair kit to the injury site.

Among the elements of the repair kit are white blood cells and an array of inflammatory molecules that have the task of repairing tissue and fighting infection.

However, when their job is done they may leave a somewhat messy repair site in the form of fibrous scar tissue, or eroded tissue.

White blood cells and inflammatory molecules may remain at the site of an active acne lesion for days or even weeks.

In people who are susceptible to scarring, the result may be an acne scar.

The occurrence and incidence of scarring is still not well understood, however.

There is considerable variation in scarring between one person and another, indicating that some people are more prone to scarring than others.

Scarring frequently results from severe inflammatory nodulocystic acne that occurs deep in the skin.

But, scarring also may arise from more superficial inflamed lesions.

Nodulocystic acne that is most likely to result in scars is seen in these photos:

[Photos used with permission of the American Academy of Dermatology National Library of Dermatologic Teaching Slides, and the Sulzberger Institute for Dermatologic Education]

The life history of scars also is not well understood.

Some people bear their acne scars for a lifetime with little change in the scars, but in other people the skin undergoes some degree of remodeling and acne scars diminish in size.

People also have differing feelings about acne scars.

Scars of more or less the same size that may be psychologically distressing to one person may be accepted by another person as not too bad.

The person who is distressed by scars is more likely to seek treatment to moderate or remove the scars.

Prevention of Acne Scars

As discussed in the previous section on Causes of Acne Scars, the occurrence of scarring is different in different people.

It is difficult to predict who will scar, how extensive or deep scars will be, and how long scars will persist.

It is also difficult to predict how successfully scars can be prevented by effective acne treatment.

Nevertheless, the only sure method of preventing or limiting the extent of scars is to treat acne early in its course, and as long as necessary.

The more that inflammation can be prevented or moderated, the more likely it is that scars can be prevented.

(Click on Acne treatments for more information about treatment of mild, moderate and severe acne) .

Any person with acne who has a known tendency to scar should be under the care of a dermatologist.

(Click on Find a Dermatologist to locate a dermatologist in your geographic area) .

(Link to American Society for Dermatologic Surgery for more information on scar correction) .

Types of Acne Scars

There are two general types of acne scars, defined by tissue response to inflammation: (1) scars caused by increased tissue formation, and (2) scars caused by loss of tissue.

Welcome to the online website for acne information.

Acne often clears up after several years even without treatment, but you need not wait to outgrow it.

Untreated acne can leave scars, which can be treated by your dermatologist as well.

While not a life threatening condition, acne can be upsetting and disfiguring.

Acne can also lead to serious and permanent scarring.

How Acne Forms

Male hormones found in both males and females rise during adolescence (puberty) and stimulate and enlarge the oil (sebaceous) glands of the skin.

These glands are found in areas where acne is common (the face, upper back, and chest) .

Rarely, acne can be due to a hormonal imbalance.

The oil glands are connected to a hair-containing canal called a follicle.

The sebaceous glands make an oily substance called sebum which reaches the skin surface by emptying through the skin surface opening of the follicle.

The hair follicle opening is sometimes called the pore.

The oil (sebum) causes the cells from the follicular lining to shed more rapidly and stick together, forming a plug at the hair follicle opening.

Bacteria grow in the mixture of oil and cells in the follicle.

These bacteria make chemicals that stimulate inflammation and cause the wall of the follicle to break.

The sebum, bacteria, and shed skin cells spill into the skin causing redness, swelling, and pus - a pimple.

Cleansing

The black in a blackhead is dried oil and shed skin cells in the openings of the hair follicles, not dirt.

For the normal care of your skin, wash your face with soap and warm water twice a day.

Acne is not caused by dirt.

Washing too often or too vigorously may actually make your acne worse.

Regular shampooing is also recommended.

If your hair is oily, you may want to wash it more often.

Your dermatologist can recommend the best face and hair washing routine.

Men with acne who shave should try both an electric and a safety razor to see which is more comfortable.

If you use a safety razor, soften your beard thoroughly with soap and warm water before applying shaving cream.

To avoid nicking pimples, shave as lightly as possible.

Shave only when necessary and always use a sharp blade.

Diet

Acne is not caused by the foods you eat.

Dermatologists have differing opinions on the importance of your diet in the management of This subject.

One thing is certain; a strict diet by itself will not clear your skin.

On the other hand, if certain foods seem to make your This subject worse, then try to avoid them.

But be careful about jumping to conclusions, This subject may get better or worse on its own.

It is always important to eat a well balanced diet.

Sunlight

A tan can mask your This subject, but the benefits are temporary.

Since sunlight ages the skin and can cause skin cancer, you should not sunburn, bake in the sun, or use sunlamps.

Choose a sunscreen that is oil-free, such as a gel or light lotion.

Cosmetics

If you wear a liquid foundation or use a moisturizer, look for ones that are oil-free and not just water-based.

Choose products that are non-comedogenic (should not cause whiteheads or blackheads) or non-This subjectgenic (should not cause This subject) .

Remove your cosmetics every night with soap and water.

A flesh-tinted This subject lotion containing benzoyl peroxide, salicylic acid or sulfur can safely hide blemishes.

Loose powder mixed with oil-free product is also good for cover-up.

Shield your face when applying hairsprays and gels.

Treatment

Control of This subject is an ongoing process.

All This subject treatments work by preventing new This subject.

Existing blemishes must heal on their own.

Improvement takes time.

If your This subject has not improved after 6 to 8 weeks, you may need a change in your treatment.

The treatment your dermatologist recommends will vary according to your type of This subject.

Occasionally, an This subject-like rash can be due to another cause - such as from makeup, lotions, or from an oral medication.

It's important to help your dermatologist by providing a history of what you are using on your skin or taking internally.

Many non-prescription This subject lotions and creams help milder cases of This subject.

However, many will also make your skin dry if used too often.

If you use these products, follow instructions carefully.

Your dermatologist may prescribe topical creams, gels or lotions with vitamin A acid or benzoyl peroxide to help unblock the pores and reduce bacteria.

These products may cause some drying and peeling.

Your dermatologist will advise you on the correct use and how to handle side effects.

There are also antibiotics that are applied to the skin.

These are used in less severe cases of This subject.

When large red bumps (cysts) are present, the dermatologist may inject cortisone directly into the bumps to help them go away.

Your physician may open pimples or remove blackheads and whiteheads.

Acne is a condition of the skin that shows up as various types of bumps including whiteheads, blackheads, pimples, and cysts.

Most teens get the type of This subject called This subject vulgaris, which shows up on the face, neck, shoulders, back, and chest.

The pores of your skin contain oil glands, which lubricates your hair and skin.

Sometimes a pore may become 'clogged' with too much oil, dead skin cells, and even bacteria, causing This subject.

See below.

If a pore becomes clogged, closes, and then bulges out, you have a whitehead.

If a pore becomes clogged but stays open, the top may darken and you're left with a blackhead.

Sometimes when the walls of the pore become damaged it allows bacteria and dead skin to work their way under the live skin.

This leaves you with a red, but small infection called a pimple.

Clogged pores that are open deep in the skin cause cysts which are generally infections larger than pimples.

See below.

What causes This subject?

An important idea to remember as you study the condition of This subject is that everyone is different, therefore, what may cause This subject on you, may not on someone else.

As I mentioned earlier, This subject is generally caused by the build up of oil and dead skin in a pore; but what causes this build up of oil and dead skin?

Natural hormones

Hormones are constantly produced by your body throughout your entire life, however, during the teenage years they tend to be the most active and most rapidly changing.

Plugged skin

If a large number of skin cells exist on a regular basis they can close the oil glands or pores, creating blackheads or whiteheads, as discussed earlier.

Bacteria

When bacteria is present on the skin it can easily infect the oil glands and pores.

Bacteria thrives on the oil and can grow rapidly beneath plugged skin creating bad infections.

This can create your 'classic' pimple or cyst; cysts are deeper, worse than a pimple and more likely to cause scaring.

Family background

If a parent had This subject as a teenager, he/she can bet their kids will also have sensitive skin, especially during the adolescent years.

Family background can tie into the other three causes listed above.

e.g.

Hormones and extra skin can be a character trait passed down.

What not to do!

Now that you have gained the knowledge of the trouble that filth, oil, and extra skin can cause to you, your first initiative will probably be to go and scrub your skin with muscle and hot water.

Don't do that! Excessive scrubbing just irritates the skin leading to more dead skin cells which leads to more clogged pores.

In fact, straps, helmets, hats, hair, and hands can irritate the skin very easily as well.

Pay attention to where you put your hands when bored in class (e.g.

don't rest your head in your hands) .

Remember: This subject is not caused by a skin's filthy surface.

The 'pore clogging' takes place below the surface of the skin.

From here, I recommend you further investigate by looking

at ways to treat your This subject and also by checking out several This subject myths.

Keloid scars tend to run in families-that is, abnormal growth of scar tissue is more likely to occur in susceptible people, who often are people with relatives who have similar types of scars.

Hypertrophic and keloid scars persist for years, but may diminish in size over time.

Scars Caused by Loss of Tissue

Acne scars associated with loss of tissue-similar to scars that result from chicken pox-are more common than keloids and hypertrophic scars.

Scars associated with loss of tissue are:

Ice-pick scars usually occur on the cheek.

They are usually small, with a somewhat jagged edge and steep sides-like wounds from an ice pick.

Ice-pick scars may be shallow or deep, and may be hard or soft to the touch.

Soft scars can be improved by stretching the skin; hard ice-pick scars cannot be stretched out.

Depressed fibrotic scars are usually quite large, with sharp edges and steep sides.

The base of these scars is firm to the touch.

Ice-pick scars may evolve into depressed fibrotic scars over time.

Soft scars, superficial or deep are soft to the touch.

They have gently sloping rolled edges that merge with normal skin.

They are usually small, and either circular or linear in shape.

Atrophic macules are usually fairly small when they occur on the face, but may be a centimeter or larger on the body.

They are soft, often with a slightly wrinkled base, and may be bluish in appearance due to blood vessels lying just under the scar.

Over time, these scars change from bluish to ivory white in color in white-skinned people, and become much less obvious.

Follicular macular atrophy is more likely to occur on the chest or back of a person with This subject.

These are small, white, soft lesions, often barely raised above the surface of the skin-somewhat like whiteheads that didn't fully develop.

This condition is sometimes also called perifollicular elastolysis.

The lesions may persist for months to years.

Treatments for Acne Scars

A number of treatments are available for This subject scars through dermatologic surgery.

The type of treatment selected should be the one that is best for you in terms of your type of skin, the cost, what you want the treatment to accomplish, and the possibility that some types of treatment may result in more scarring if you are very susceptible to scar formation.

A decision to seek dermatologic surgical treatment for This subject scars also depends on:

The way you feel about scars.

Do This subject scars psychologically or emotionally affect your life? Are you willing to live with your scars and wait for them to fade over time? These are personal decisions only you can make.

The severity of your scars.

Is scarring substantially disfiguring, even by objective assessment?

A dermatologist's expert opinion as to whether scar treatment is justified in your particular case, and what scar treatment will be most effective for you.

Before committing to treatment of This subject scars, you should have a frank discussion with your dermatologist regarding those questions, and any others you feel are important.

You need to tell the dermatologist how you feel about your scars.

The dermatologist needs to conduct a full examination and determine whether treatment can, or should, be undertaken.

The objective of scar treatment is to give the skin a more acceptable physical appearance.

Total restoration of the skin, to the way it looked before you had This subject, is often not possible, but scar treatment does usually improve the appearance of your skin.

The scar treatments that are currently available include:

Collagen injection.

Collagen, a normal substance of the body, is injected under the skin to stretch and fill out certain types of superficial and deep soft scars.

Collagen treatment usually does not work as well for ice-pick scars and keloids.

Collagen derived from cows or other non-human sources cannot be used in people with autoimmune diseases.

Human collagen or fascia is helpful for those allergic to cow-derived collagen.

Cosmetic benefit from collagen injection usually lasts 3 to 6 months.

Additional collagen injections to maintain the cosmetic benefit are done at additional cost.

For millions of women, it happens like clockwork every month: the bloating, irritability, fatigue and This subject outbreaks associated with menstruation.

Studies have shown that This subject has an underlying hormonal basis, however, there has never been any evidence to determine the ways in which the different stages of the menstrual cycle affect This subject in women.

For those women who believe that they alone experience an increase in This subject during their monthly cycle, the latest study proves that nearly half of all women experience premenstrual flares of their This subject.

Acne has often been associated with hormones and a woman’s monthly cycle, stated dermatologist Alan R.

Shalita, MD, co-author of The Effect of the Menstrual Cycle on Acne, published in the December 2001 issue of the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology.

This study confirms that many women do, indeed, have a premenstrual flare of their This subject.

While it is likely that this is due to hormonal changes in the menstrual cycle, further study needs to be conducted to confirm this.

In the study, a group of 400 women ages 12 to 52 were surveyed as to whether their This subject got worse before, during or after their menstrual period as well as whether their This subject appeared to be related to their menstrual period.

The women were grouped into categories according to age, severity of This subject, ethnicity and whether or not they took oral contraceptives.

Overall, 177 of 400 women (44 percent) reported premenstrual This subject.

While the study found that severity of This subject, ethnicity and oral contraceptive use did not affect the premenstrual flare rates, age did play a factor.

The study found that 53 percent of women over age 33 experienced a higher rate of premenstrual This subject than women under age 20 – who only reported a 39 percent increase in premenstrual This subject.

Hormonal This subject is most often influenced by androgens in the body.

Androgens are hormones that stimulate the sebaceous glands and hair follicles in the skin.

When the sebaceous glands are over-stimulated by androgens, for example around the time of menstruation, women, both young and old, tend to have This subject flare-ups.

In fact, previous studies have shown that the oil duct opening on the skin was smallest in days 15 to 20 of a 28-day cycle, increased in days 21 to 26, and decreased again in the two days before menstruation.

On average, premenstrual This subject flares were found to be the worst on day 22 of the average 28-day cycle.

Acne that worsens during a women’s monthly cycle isn’t something that women will grow out of as they get older, stated Dr.

Shalita, of the Department of Dermatology, State University of New York.

Seeing your dermatologist to determine the best treatment plan for This subject flare-ups is recommended for the most successful result.

Over 17 million Americans have This subject, and 7 out of 10 teenagers.

Unfortunately, there is no safe, guaranteed cure of This subject but it shouldn't keep you from living a full, physically active lifestyle! Just because you have This subject doesn't mean you can't exist! Keep in mind that you are not alone.

The mental effects of This subject may prevent you from living your life and from self-respect.

If you become very depressed, do not be afraid to find help from a teacher, minister, professional counselor, or just a friend.

Here are some important reminders:

A lot of the people who tease you about your This subject know nothing This subject.

They probably think This subject is cured by a trip down to Wal-Mart's pharmacy.

Just ignore their stupidity because they known nothing about your situation.

Avoid not existing.

The people that make fun of you, that's what they probably want you to do.

You have friends so get out there and live! Acne is not contagious and can not prevent you from living a full, rich lifestyle.

You can do anything you want to do.

I would rather you never come back to the Acne-Site than to remain cooped up inside watching TV or surfing the web.

Over 17 million Americans have This subject, and 7 out of 10 teenagers.

Unfortunately, there is no safe, guaranteed cure of This subject but it shouldn't keep you from living a full, physically active lifestyle! Just because you have This subject doesn't mean you can't exist! Keep in mind that you are not alone.

The mental effects of This subject may prevent you from living your life and from self-respect.

If you become very depressed, do not be afraid to find help from a teacher, minister, professional counselor, or just a friend.

Here are some important reminders:

A lot of the people who tease you about your This subject know nothing This subject.

They probably think This subject is cured by a trip down to Wal-Mart's pharmacy.

Just ignore their stupidity because they known nothing about your situation.

Avoid not existing.

The people that make fun of you, that's what they probably want you to do.

You have friends so get out there and live! Acne is not contagious and can not prevent you from living a full, rich lifestyle.

You can do anything you want to do.

I would rather you never come back to the Acne-Site than to remain cooped up inside watching TV or surfing the web.

For millions of women, it happens like clockwork every month: the bloating, irritability, fatigue and This subject outbreaks associated with menstruation.

Studies have shown that This subject has an underlying hormonal basis, however, there has never been any evidence to determine the ways in which the different stages of the menstrual cycle affect This subject in women.

For those women who believe that they alone experience an increase in This subject during their monthly cycle, the latest study proves that nearly half of all women experience premenstrual flares of their This subject.

Acne has often been associated with hormones and a woman’s monthly cycle, stated dermatologist Alan R.

Shalita, MD, co-author of The Effect of the Menstrual Cycle on Acne, published in the December 2001 issue of the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology.

This study confirms that many women do, indeed, have a premenstrual flare of their This subject.

While it is likely that this is due to hormonal changes in the menstrual cycle, further study needs to be conducted to confirm this.

In the study, a group of 400 women ages 12 to 52 were surveyed as to whether their This subject got worse before, during or after their menstrual period as well as whether their This subject appeared to be related to their menstrual period.

The women were grouped into categories according to age, severity of This subject, ethnicity and whether or not they took oral contraceptives.

Overall, 177 of 400 women (44 percent) reported premenstrual This subject.

While the study found that severity of This subject, ethnicity and oral contraceptive use did not affect the premenstrual flare rates, age did play a factor.

The study found that 53 percent of women over age 33 experienced a higher rate of premenstrual This subject than women under age 20 – who only reported a 39 percent increase in premenstrual This subject.

Hormonal This subject is most often influenced by androgens in the body.

Androgens are hormones that stimulate the sebaceous glands and hair follicles in the skin.

When the sebaceous glands are over-stimulated by androgens, for example around the time of menstruation, women, both young and old, tend to have This subject flare-ups.

In fact, previous studies have shown that the oil duct opening on the skin was smallest in days 15 to 20 of a 28-day cycle, increased in days 21 to 26, and decreased again in the two days before menstruation.

On average, premenstrual This subject flares were found to be the worst on day 22 of the average 28-day cycle.

Acne that worsens during a women’s monthly cycle isn’t something that women will grow out of as they get older, stated Dr.

Shalita, of the Department of Dermatology, State University of New York.

Seeing your dermatologist to determine the best treatment plan for This subject flare-ups is recommended for the most successful result.

Acne is a common medical condition that affects up to 80 percent of people between 11 and 30 years of age.

Even after the unsightly whiteheads, blackheads and pustules have been successfully treated, many people are left with disfiguring This subject scars that serve as a cruel reminder of this difficult condition.

Oftentimes, the scars can be just as devastating as the This subject they replaced.

Speaking today at Academy 2001, the American Academy of Dermatology’s summer scientific meeting in Anaheim, Calif., dermatologist Mitchel Goldman, MD, Associate Clinical Professor, Department of Medicine, Division of Dermatology, University of California at San Diego, discussed results of his study on patients treated with a new laser surgery option for This subject scarring, as well as other common treatments.

A new device known as the 1320 nm Nd: YAG laser with dynamic epidermal cooling shows promising results in treating This subject scarring.

The only infrared laser systems cleared by the Food and Drug Administration for treating wrinkles, this non-invasive laser technology works by stimulating collagen formation in the dermis – or deepest layer of the skin – which raises the This subject scar.

In a study conducted by Drs.

Goldman, Elizabeth Roston and Richard Fitzpatrick, 14 patients with depressed This subject scars were treated with a 1320 nm Nd: YAG laser over four separate treatments spaced three weeks apart.

By the end of the last treatment, seven patients experienced a 50 percent improvement in the appearance of their This subject scars.

Improvement was defined as how much the depressed This subject scars were elevated following treatment.

All patients showed an average 40 percent improvement in the appearance of their This subject scars.

The 1320 nm Nd: YAG laser is an excellent new method for treating This subject scars because it works for all skin types – from very dark to very light – and with no downtime, explained Dr.

Goldman.

Until now, many of the other This subject scar treatments produced a wound that may have required weeks to heal.

Since this new laser therapy is non-invasive, the patient does not require anesthesia and the procedure is not a painful one.

Other lasers, such as the pulse dye laser and intense pulse light, also work in elevating depressed This subject scars by penetrating the dermis and producing new dermal collagen to elevate the depression.

The pulse dye laser produces a bruise that can last one to two weeks.

In addition, the Erbium:YAG laser allows for very precise sculpting of This subject scars.

With this laser, recovery times are faster – usually three to five days – with a shorter period of post-surgery redness than with the CO2 laser for This subject scar correction.

Dermabrasion is another effective method to treat This subject scars that involves the mechanical sanding of the upper layers of the scar.

With this procedure, a new layer of skin replaces the abraded skin during healing, resulting in a smoother appearance.

Although dermabrasion is an invasive procedure that requires anesthesia, most patients heal within one to two weeks.

For severely depressed scars, more invasive techniques are required.

Subcision is a procedure that uses a surgical probe to lift up the skin that pulls away from the depressed scar tissue below.

After the scar is released, the patient’s own fat or another substance like collagen can be used to elevate the scar.

Acne scars that require surgical excision are usually followed by laser resurfacing or dermabrasion to erase the surgical excision line, added Dr.

Goldman.

Another type of This subject scarring is elevated scars, which are usually red in appearance.

Lasers, such as the pulse dye laser and intense pulse light, work by eliminating the excessive blood vessels that give elevated scars their appearance.

Acne is the term for plugged pores (blackheads and whiteheads) , pimples, and even deeper lumps (cysts or nodules) that occur on the face, neck, chest, back, shoulders and even the upper arms.

Acne affects most teenagers to some extent.

However, the disease is not restricted to any age group; adults in their 20s - even into their 40s - can get This subject.

While not a life threatening condition, This subject can be upsetting and disfiguring.

When severe, This subject can lead to serious and permanent scarring.

Even less severe cases can lead to scarring.

Types of Acne

When you read about This subject or other skin diseases, you encounter words or phrases that may be confusing.

For example, the words used to describe the lesions of This subject—comedo, papule, pustule, nodule and cyst—are understandable only if you know each word’s definition.

It also is helpful to have a photo that is characteristic for each type of lesion.

Here is a brief summary of definitions of words used to describe This subject, with accompanying photos.

Let’s begin, though, with the definition of lesion, an all-purpose word:

Lesion—a physical change in body tissue caused by disease or injury.

A lesion may be external (e.g., This subject, skin cancer, psoriatic plaque, knife cut) , or internal (e.g., lung cancer, atherosclerosis in a blood vessel, cirrhosis of the liver) .

Thus, when you read about This subject lesions you understand what is meant—a physical change in the skin caused by a disease process in the sebaceous follicle.

Acne lesions range in severity from comedones (blackheads and whiteheads) to nodules and cysts.

Here is a brief definition of This subject lesions:

Comedo (plural comedones) —A comedo is a sebaceous follicle plugged with sebum, dead cells from inside the sebaceous follicle, tiny hairs, and sometimes bacteria.

When a comedo is open, it is commonly called a blackhead because the surface of the plug in the follicle has a blackish appearance.

A closed comedo is commonly called a whitehead; its appearance is that of a skin-colored or slightly inflamed bump in the skin.

The whitehead differs in color from the blackhead because the opening of the plugged sebaceous follicle to the skin’s surface is closed or very narrow, in contrast to the distended follicular opening of the blackhead.

Neither blackheads nor whiteheads should be squeezed or picked open, unless extracted by a dermatologist under sterile conditions.

Tissue injured by squeezing or picking can become infected by staphylococci, streptococci and other skin bacteria.

The following photos are characteristic of This subject with comedones:

(Photos used with permission of the American Academy of Dermatology National Library of Dermatologic Teaching Slides and the Sulzberger Institute for Dermatologic Education)

Papule—A papule is defined as a small (5 millimeters or less) , solid lesion slightly elevated above the surface of the skin.

A group of very small papules and microcomedones may be almost invisible but have a sandpaper feel to the touch.

A papule is caused by localized cellular reaction to the process of This subject.

This photo shows papules and comedones on the face of an This subject patient:

(Photos used with permission of the American Academy of Dermatology National Library of Dermatologic Teaching Slides and the Sulzberger Institute for Dermatologic Education)

Pustule—A dome-shaped, fragile lesion containing pus that typically consists of a mixture of white blood cells, dead skin cells, and bacteria.

A pustule that forms over a sebaceous follicle usually has a hair in the center.

Acne pustules that heal without progressing to cystic form usually leave no scars.

This photo shows pustules, papules and comedones on the face of an This subject patient:

(Photos used with permission of the American Academy of Dermatology National Library of Dermatologic Teaching Slides and the Sulzberger Institute for Dermatologic Education)

Macule—A macule is the temporary red spot left by a healed This subject lesion.

It is flat, usually red or red-pink, with a well defined border.

A macule may persist for days to weeks before disappearing.

When a number of macules are present at one time they can contribute to the inflamed face appearance of This subject.

This photo shows the red face appearance of This subject with macules:

Welcome to the online website for This subject information.

Acne often clears up after several years even without treatment, but you need not wait to outgrow it.

Untreated This subject can leave scars, which can be treated by your dermatologist as well.

While not a life threatening condition, This subject can be upsetting and disfiguring.

Acne can also lead to serious and permanent scarring.

How Acne Forms

Male hormones found in both males and females rise during adolescence (puberty) and stimulate and enlarge the oil (sebaceous) glands of the skin.

These glands are found in areas where This subject is common (the face, upper back, and chest) .

Rarely, This subject can be due to a hormonal imbalance.

The oil glands are connected to a hair-containing canal called a follicle.

The sebaceous glands make an oily substance called sebum which reaches the skin surface by emptying through the skin surface opening of the follicle.

The hair follicle opening is sometimes called the pore.

The oil (sebum) causes the cells from the follicular lining to shed more rapidly and stick together, forming a plug at the hair follicle opening.

Bacteria grow in the mixture of oil and cells in the follicle.

These bacteria make chemicals that stimulate inflammation and cause the wall of the follicle to break.

The sebum, bacteria, and shed skin cells spill into the skin causing redness, swelling, and pus - a pimple.

Cleansing

The black in a blackhead is dried oil and shed skin cells in the openings of the hair follicles, not dirt.

For the normal care of your skin, wash your face with soap and warm water twice a day.

Acne is not caused by dirt.

Washing too often or too vigorously may actually make your This subject worse.

Regular shampooing is also recommended.

If your hair is oily, you may want to wash it more often.

Your dermatologist can recommend the best face and hair washing routine.

Men with This subject who shave should try both an electric and a safety razor to see which is more comfortable.

If you use a safety razor, soften your beard thoroughly with soap and warm water before applying shaving cream.

To avoid nicking pimples, shave as lightly as possible.

Shave only when necessary and always use a sharp blade.

Diet

Acne is not caused by the foods you eat.

Dermatologists have differing opinions on the importance of your diet in the management of This subject.

One thing is certain; a strict diet by itself will not clear your skin.

On the other hand, if certain foods seem to make your This subject worse, then try to avoid them.

But be careful about jumping to conclusions, This subject may get better or worse on its own.

It is always important to eat a well balanced diet.

Sunlight

A tan can mask your This subject, but the benefits are temporary.

Since sunlight ages the skin and can cause skin cancer, you should not sunburn, bake in the sun, or use sunlamps.

Choose a sunscreen that is oil-free, such as a gel or light lotion.

Cosmetics

If you wear a liquid foundation or use a moisturizer, look for ones that are oil-free and not just water-based.

Choose products that are non-comedogenic (should not cause whiteheads or blackheads) or non-This subjectgenic (should not cause This subject) .

Remove your cosmetics every night with soap and water.

A flesh-tinted This subject lotion containing benzoyl peroxide, salicylic acid or sulfur can safely hide blemishes.

Loose powder mixed with oil-free product is also good for cover-up.

Shield your face when applying hairsprays and gels.

Treatment

Control of This subject is an ongoing process.

All This subject treatments work by preventing new This subject.

Existing blemishes must heal on their own.

Improvement takes time.

If your This subject has not improved after 6 to 8 weeks, you may need a change in your treatment.

The treatment your dermatologist recommends will vary according to your type of This subject.

Occasionally, an This subject-like rash can be due to another cause - such as from makeup, lotions, or from an oral medication.

It's important to help your dermatologist by providing a history of what you are using on your skin or taking internally.

Many non-prescription This subject lotions and creams help milder cases of This subject.

However, many will also make your skin dry if used too often.

If you use these products, follow instructions carefully.

Your dermatologist may prescribe topical creams, gels or lotions with vitamin A acid or benzoyl peroxide to help unblock the pores and reduce bacteria.

These products may cause some drying and peeling.

Your dermatologist will advise you on the correct use and how to handle side effects.

There are also antibiotics that are applied to the skin.

These are used in less severe cases of This subject.

When large red bumps (cysts) are present, the dermatologist may inject cortisone directly into the bumps to help them go away.

Your physician may open pimples or remove blackheads and whiteheads.

For millions of women, it happens like clockwork every month: the bloating, irritability, fatigue and This subject outbreaks associated with menstruation.

Studies have shown that This subject has an underlying hormonal basis, however, there has never been any evidence to determine the ways in which the different stages of the menstrual cycle affect This subject in women.

For those women who believe that they alone experience an increase in This subject during their monthly cycle, the latest study proves that nearly half of all women experience premenstrual flares of their This subject.

Acne has often been associated with hormones and a woman’s monthly cycle, stated dermatologist Alan R.

Shalita, MD, co-author of The Effect of the Menstrual Cycle on Acne, published in the December 2001 issue of the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology.

This study confirms that many women do, indeed, have a premenstrual flare of their This subject.

While it is likely that this is due to hormonal changes in the menstrual cycle, further study needs to be conducted to confirm this.

In the study, a group of 400 women ages 12 to 52 were surveyed as to whether their This subject got worse before, during or after their menstrual period as well as whether their This subject appeared to be related to their menstrual period.

The women were grouped into categories according to age, severity of This subject, ethnicity and whether or not they took oral contraceptives.

Overall, 177 of 400 women (44 percent) reported premenstrual This subject.

While the study found that severity of This subject, ethnicity and oral contraceptive use did not affect the premenstrual flare rates, age did play a factor.

The study found that 53 percent of women over age 33 experienced a higher rate of premenstrual This subject than women under age 20 – who only reported a 39 percent increase in premenstrual This subject.

Hormonal This subject is most often influenced by androgens in the body.

Androgens are hormones that stimulate the sebaceous glands and hair follicles in the skin.

When the sebaceous glands are over-stimulated by androgens, for example around the time of menstruation, women, both young and old, tend to have This subject flare-ups.

In fact, previous studies have shown that the oil duct opening on the skin was smallest in days 15 to 20 of a 28-day cycle, increased in days 21 to 26, and decreased again in the two days before menstruation.

On average, premenstrual This subject flares were found to be the worst on day 22 of the average 28-day cycle.

Acne that worsens during a women’s monthly cycle isn’t something that women will grow out of as they get older, stated Dr.

Shalita, of the Department of Dermatology, State University of New York.