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Acne

What is acne?

Acne is a common condition that causes pimples. Acne can happen at any age to men and women. Nearly 50 million Americans suffer from acne.

What are the signs and symptoms of acne?

Acne is often found on the face, neck, chest, and back. There are several types of pimples. The most common types are:

• Whitehead: Pimple under the skin’s surface.
• Blackhead: Pimple on the surface of the skin. The dark color is from exposure to the air, not dirt.
• Papule: Tender pink bumb.
• Pustule: Also called whitehead, these appear pink at the base and are filled with pus.
• Nodule:  Large, solid pimple deep in the skin. These can be painful.
• Cyst: Deep, painful, pus-filled pimple. These can cause scaring.

What causes acne?

Acne is caused by an excess of normal skin oils. The oil works to remove dead skin from your pore. The pore can become clogged by too much oil, dead skin, or the hair. The pore becomes inflamed and skin bacteria increase.

Your acne could be caused by several different factors:

• Hormones, during teen years, early adulthood, and pregnancy
• Change in oral birth control
• Family history of acne
• Some types of medicine, ask your health care provider
• Food sensitivities

Acne can be made worse by:

• Washing your skin too hard
• Pollution or high humidity
• Pressure from hats, helmet, and tight clothing
• For women, hormone changes before your period
• Oily skin products, such as lotion or cosmetics
• Stress

Acne is not caused by poor hygiene, greasy foods, or chocolate.

Is my acne normal or severe?

Acne can range from mild to severe. If you have severe acne you may want to see your health care provider about starting acne treatment.

• Mild acne includes whiteheads and blackheads.
• Moderate acne includes whiteheads and black heads as well as some swelling, red bumps, and pustules (swollen raised bumps, with pus).
• Severe acne mild or moderate acne with painful nodules or cysts (zits deep in the skin).

Who gets acne?

Nearly 90% of Americans will have acne at some point in their life. Acne is most common during teenage years, but can occur later in life.

How can I treat my acne?

For mild to moderate acne over the counter methods can work. Below is a list of ingrediants you could look for when choosing a product.

• Benzoyl peroxide: destroys bacteria found in pores.
• Resorcinol: reduces blackheads and whiteheads.
• Salicylic acid: reduces the sheding of dead skin cell that can clog pores causing blackheads and whiteheads.
• Sulfur: helps reduce blackheads and whiteheads.

Remember acne treatment takes time. Dermatologists suggest that a new treatment may take 8 weeks before you see an improvement.

Some people may be more sensitive to skin products. If you experience irritation, burning, or redness reduce the number of times you use the product each day. If the discomfort continues, stop using that product.

Self-care and prevention tips

Most acne does not need to be treated by a health care provider. Below are some self-care tips to help you manage your acne.

• Wash skin gently: Scrubbing skin can make your acne worse. Use a gental cleaner in the morning and evening and after heavy workouts.
• Avoid touching your skin: Pinching or squeezing pimples can cause scaring. Oil on your hands can clog pores and make acne worse.  
• Shave carefully: Soften skin with warm water and soap before applying shaving cream. Use a sharp razor. “Safety razors” can reduce irritation of pimples which could lead to scaring.
• Stay out of the sun: Some acne treatment make you more sensitive to the sun.
• Choose makeup and toiletries carefully: Look for products that say “oil-free” or “noncomedogenic” on the label. These products will not clog your pores.
• Continue treatment: Even when skin clears, continueing caring for your skin as if it you still had acne. This can prevent future outbreaks.

When should I see a health care provider?

If you have deep, painful acne you should see a dermatologist. This type of acne may lead to scaring. The American Academy of Dermatologist provides a guide for when to see a dermatologist.

Additional information

National Institute of Health Interactive Tutorial http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/tutorials/acne/htm/index.htm

12 Ways to Get Better Results from Acne Treatment (American Academy of Dermatologist Acne Net)

What is acne? (American Academy of Dermatologist Acne Net)

References

Acne. National institute of Arthritis and musculoskeletal and skin disease. Available at: http://www.niams.nih.gov/Health_Info/Acne/acne_ff.asp. Accessed February 20, 2009.

Questions and Answers about Acne. National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Disease. Available at: http://www.niams.nih.gov/Health_Info/Acne/default.asp.%20Accessed%20February%2020, 2009.

Acne facts. American Academy of Dermatology. Available at: http://www.aad.org/media/background/factsheets/fact_acne.html. Accessed on: February 23, 2009.

Authored by: Nikole Allen
Reviewed by:  Mariann Carle, M.D.
Last updated: 06/09/09