Acne

Acne – General Information

Acne is an inflammatory medical condition of the skin, which appears due to the changes in the pilosebaceous units – which are skin structures made of a hair follicle and its sebaceous gland. Acne develops due to a blockage in the follicles. It usually appears in the adolescence affecting almost all of the teenagers, but it may continue in the adulthood. In most of the cases the disease begins to diminish in time and tends to disappear around the age of twenty.  There is no information about the age when it totally disappears and some people may suffer from it till their forties. Until now, nobody knows why some people get Acne and others do not, but it is true that it's somehow hereditary. Here are some reasons for getting this inflammation:

• As it is hereditary it usually runs in the family, so if the parents had it, the probability of the children to get it too is of 80%.
• Puberty and the period. In the puberty there is noticed an increase in the levels of androgens –which are male sex hormones- , which cause the glands to produce more sebum.
• Stress is another factor.
• Hyperactive sebaceous glands.
• Accumulation of bacteria in the pores of the skin or of dead skin cells
• The intake of the anabolic steroids.
• Medications which contain: iodides, chlorides, bromides, lithium, androgens or barbiturates.
• A skin irritation and scratching may lead to the activation of the inflammation.
• Persons who consume drugs, especially opiates and opioids have a greater risk of developing the inflammation.

Acne – Symptoms

It is well known that any medical disorder (including Acne) can trigger a variety of symptoms. Therefore, some of this medical condition's most uncommon symptoms have not been listed here. This is why we strongly recommend you to contact your personal health care provider whenever you develop any unusual, bothersome or unpleasant symptoms. Your personal physician will be able to tell you if you are suffering from Acne or from any other medical disorder. You should also remember that the symptoms developed, also depend on the type of Acne you have, as it can be inflammatory or non-inflammatory.
Here is a list of the most common symptoms of the disease:

• The neck and face are the most affected parts of the body, although you may also develop this inflammation on the shoulders, chest and back.
• Inflamed white-heads and black-heads
• Can cause disfiguring, cysts and deep, scars–only in the severe form
• Red pimples and pustules appear
• Papules – which are small raised bumps, and can be red and tender
• Nodules – which are painful lumps, that appear beneath the skin
• Patients may flush and blush easier
• Patients usually have a bulbous nose
• Skin eruptions
• A possible redness of some parts of the affected area or all of it.
• Persistent and also recurrent red sports.
• Red swellings, which are usually filled with pus
• Acne conglobata – is a very are form of inflammatory disease, which firstly appears on the back and chest, it is characterized by nodules, papules and pimples, but a severe bacterial infection may develop.

Acne – Treatment

Fortunately there are many ways of treating Acne, as well as many products which are sold as treatment, but have no proven effects. Usually the treatments improve the aspect very little in the first one or two weeks, and the Acne begins to decrease after approximately three months. A way of treatment is with cortisone, which can bring quick results. The treatments usually have the following scopes:

• A hormonal manipulation
• They normalize the shedding in the pore, in order to prevent a possible blockage.
• Antinflammatory effects

Here is a list with the available treatments:

• Topical batericidals – are products that contain benzoyl peroxide and that are used in the moderate and mild forms of the inflammation. They can be found as gel, creams, bar soaps. Benzoyl peroxides may prevent the apparition of new lesions. You can also use other types of antibacterials such as triclosan, chlorhexidine gluconate but these are usually less effective.
• Topical antibiotics – are those that are applied externally. These antibiotics such as: clindamycin, stiemycin, tetracycline and erythromycin usually kill the bacteria that cause the inflammation. These antibiotics are recommended because they cause no harm to the stomach are have no side effects.
• Oral antibiotics – also include tetracycline, oxytetracycline, Doxycycline, minocycline, lymecycline, trimethoprim and erythromycin. But these antibiotics do not assure the reappearance of the Acne.
• Topical retinoids - are a group of drugs which help in the normalizing of the follicle cells. Here are a few retinoids: tretinoin, adapalene, tazarotene, and isotretinoin. The retinoids usually have mild side effects.
• Oral retinoids – is a treatment for a period of four to six months that consists of taking vitamin A derivative isotretinoin. Isotretinoin helps in the reducing the secretion of oils by the glands.
• Hormonal treatments – are usually used in women and are combination of progesterone or oestrogen methods of contraception. In reducing the androgenic hormone levels the most effective is Cyproterone combined with an estrogen.
• Phototherapy which is divided in “blue and red light”, photodynamic therapy and laser treatment.
• Laser treatment – is used to reduce the scars that remain after the Acne, but now it can also be used in the prevention of it by:
• Burning the sebaceous gland that produces oil.
• Burning the follicle sac in which the hair grows.
• Inducing the formation of oxygen in the bacteria and killing them.

The only fear of the laser treatment is that it can cause a hyperpigmentated areas and dryness of the skin on long terms.
Here is a list of other drugs that can be used in treating the Acne or even prevent it:

• Clindamycin capsules
• Benzac
• Brevoxyl
• Clearsil
• Desquam
• Oxy 5
• PanOxyl
• Triaz
• Cleocin topical solution
• Clinda-derm
• Clindagel gel
• Akne Mycin Ointment
• Emgel
• Erygel
• erythromycin Tablets
• erythromycin Oral Suspension
• Claravis
• Amnesteem
• Sotret
• Altinac
• Avita
• Renova
• Retin A
• Retin A Mycro gel