Indeed, During acute periods of the disease, the skin seems to “bloom” with acne. Doctors, seeing such a patient, say: “It’s blooming!”
Initially resulting from blockage of the sebaceous glands, as well as increased production of sebum, the disease quickly becomes chronic.
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On the one hand, it may seem that there is nothing terrible about this disease, that it is temporary and will go away on its own. People often resort to independent methods of treatment: folk remedies, take medications without a doctor’s prescription, squeeze pimples, spreading the disease further along the skin, or mask them with foundation, under which new comedones ripen. In connection with this, the situation only gets worse, spoils the patient’s mood every day, and sometimes even leads to depression.
It is important to remember that acne is a complex disease of the body and requires medical supervision. After all, incorrectly selected treatment can lead to scars on the skin.
Risk groups
It is generally accepted that acne — This disease exclusively affects adolescents, and is associated with a surge in hormonal activity. However, recent studies conducted in the United States have shown that 50 million people suffer from this disease in America alone. And these are people of different ages.
Acne can appear at any age. Sometimes it goes away, but then it comes back again.
There are many factors that contribute to the development of this disease, for example, a person’s lifestyle, ecology, nutrition, cosmetics, the presence of hidden diseases in the body.
Heredity plays an important role. By conducting a genetic analysis, you can predict with a high degree of probability whether you are at risk or not.
A separate line should be said about the so-called “infant acne,” which occurs in 30% of newborns after the second week of life. They usually do not cause any discomfort, do not require treatment and disappear without a trace by the third month of the baby’s life.
Causes of acne
Changes in hormonal levels in the body have long been considered almost the only cause of acne. Indeed, in the post-pubertal period, acne is much less common. After all, the hormone testosterone, which provokes a surge in this disease, returns to normal in adulthood. But this, unfortunately, is not always the case. The main causes of the disease are as follows:
- Hormonal changes in the body (restructuring of the newborn’s body, puberty, menstrual cycles, pregnancy, menopause);
- Hereditary factors;
- Diseases associated with the gastrointestinal tract (gastrointestinal tract);
- Demodex (a disease caused by the opportunistic acne gland mite);
- Stress;
- Hyperfunction of the sebaceous glands;
- Skin damage;
- The use of steroids, as well as drugs containing fluorine, chlorine, iodine, lithium and barbiturates.
Types of acne
Doctors distinguish two types of acne based on the causes of their occurrence.
Endogenous: occur due to internal causes. These include hormonal changes, hyperfunction of the sebaceous glands associated with increased levels of the male hormone testosterone in the blood of both men and women, seborrhea, various infections, diseases of internal organs.
Exogenous: they are caused by external factors. Acne occurs when substances that clog pores (so-called comedogenic substances) come into contact with the surface of the skin: various oils, greases, tar. They can also be caused by incorrectly selected cosmetics: greasy creams, blush, powder, tanning products. Clothing that retains moisture, is too tight, causing blockage of the follicles, can also contribute to the worsening of the situation.
Forms of the disease
It is customary to distinguish three forms of the disease:
- Mild: there are about 10 closed or open acne on the skin of the face, back or chest without any significant signs of inflammation.
- Moderate: the number of acne varies from 10 to 40.
- Severe: more than 40 acne lesions, usually purulent, which are characterized by an inflammatory process.
Treatment methods
< p>Our skin is a barrier that daily repels attacks from various microbes and bacteria. If the whole body works harmoniously, then there are no problems with the skin. But as soon as something inside us breaks down and starts to work wrong, then all the changes are immediately reflected in the condition of our skin.
Therefore, in the treatment of acne, complex therapy is used, aimed not only at improving the external situation, but also at eradicating the possible internal cause of the disease.
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When it comes to a mild form of the disease, local therapy is usually used: lotions, creams, ointments. These medicinal cosmetics prevent the occurrence of comedones, reduce the production of sebum, and relieve inflammation.
For moderate and severe forms of the disease, in addition to external agents, tetracycline-based antibiotics can be prescribed, as well as hormonal drugs if problems are identified specifically with hormones.
In both cases, peeling is recommended, chemical, acid-based, or mechanical, removing the upper layers of the skin, a special so-called pinch massage, superficial cryotherapy, and sometimes laser.
Several years ago, a treatment method was very common acne using large doses of vitamin A (100,000 IU per day for 2 months). The result was amazing, however, this method has many side properties. For example, it cannot be used by either women or men if they are planning pregnancy in the next 2-3 years. Recently, the effectiveness and justification of this method has been questioned.
It is quite difficult to talk about the pros and cons of one or another method of treating acne, since the treatment is selected individually, based on the results of the study of each specific case.
< p>And yet, any disease is better to prevent than to treat. Therefore, you should take a closer look at your health, carefully select cosmetics, avoiding greasy creams, oils and ointments, eat right, avoid stress, get enough sleep and under no circumstances squeeze pimples if they occur.