Acne is an inflammatory disease involving the sebaceous glands of the skin. A pimple is a plug of fat, skin debris and keratin (what nails, hair and skin are made of) stuck in a hair duct. When the duct is open, it is called a blackhead; when closed, it is called a whitehead. Whiteheads often cause the walls of the hair duct to rupture, leading to redness, infection and the familiar pustules and cysts of acne. Acne can be almost anywhere on the body but predominantly occurs on the face and back.

Severe acne is characterized by numerous pustules, nodules and inflamed skin. It can affect many aspects of life, causing embarrassment and increasing stress levels. Since this condition can be disfiguring and require more-intensive treatment, it is important to see a dermatologist.

Causes

Teen and adult acne are caused by several factors, sometimes in combination:

• Hormones
• Stress
• Bad cosmetics
• Harsh cleansers and cleansing practices
• Certain prescription drugs, including steroids and oral contraceptives

Hormones play an important role in the formation of acne, leading to excess oil secretion, faulty closing of the hair duct and infection. Stress stimulates the adrenal glands, causing an overproduction of hormones. Certain cosmetics clog pores, and using harsh cleansers or scrubbing the skin too vigorously further irritates the skin. Some birth control pills, as well as prescription drugs, also lead to acne outbreaks. Since they alter a woman’s hormones, oral contraceptives sometimes have the opposite effect, providing relief for acne sufferers.

“You can’t wash away acne and it isn’t caused by diet,” said Christopher A. Moeller, M.D. “Treat your skin gently.”

Acne Treatment

Whether dealing with teen acne or experiencing adult acne, treatment is similar:

• Wash twice a day with warm water and a mild cleanser. Do not overwash; the glands will produce even more oil. And be sure to wash immediately after exercising.
• Exfoliate with gentle formulas, not harsh scrubs that irritate the skin.
• Avoid products with high concentrations of isopropyl alcohol. (Alcohol strips the top layer of skin, causing glands to produce more oil.)
• Don’t squeeze or pick. Squeezing or picking blemishes forces bacteria deeper into the skin, increasing the chances of a permanent scar.
• Make sure to use and ask for noncomedogenic (won’t clog pores), oil-free makeup, lotions and sunscreen, and keep hair products off of skin, as they can aggravate acne.
• Be smart about sun exposure. While small amounts of sun exposure may improve acne for a few days, suntans also make skin shed dead skin cells faster, increasing the probability of a flare-up.
• Choose products with proven acne fighters, and see a dermatologist for prescription-strength products: benzoyl peroxide, salicylic acid, tretinoin (Retin-A^®), antibiotics, oral contraceptives, anti-androgens and isotretinoin (Accutane^®).
• Try laser therapy to minimize or eliminate scarring. Fraxel^® laser therapy uses pinpoint laser beams to penetrate beneath the skin’s surface to eliminate old, damaged skin cells.

“We also have lasers that treat active acne,” said Dr. Moeller. One benefit of Fraxel laser therapy is its overnight healing time. Cool Touch III, a collagen-building laser that is used for the treatment of active acne, is another option.

“You can’t wash away acne and it isn’t caused by diet”