Acne is a skin problem which affects millions of people to varying degrees of severity. Acne usually develops when the sebaceous glands and the lining of the hair follicle begin to work overtime, as they do in adolescence. Normally, the lining of the hair follicle sheds cells that are carried to the surface of the skin by the sebum. When the follicle is overworked and clogged, cells and sebum accumulate, forming a plug or comedo.
If the plug stays below the surface of the skin, it is called a "closed" comedo or white-head. If the plug enlarges and pops out of the duct, it is called an "open" comedo or blackhead because the top is dark. This is not dirt and will not wash away. The discoloration is due to the way light is absorbed by the skin cells within the opening.
Acne is characterised by these plugged pores (blackheads and white-heads), inflamed pimples (pustules) and deeper lumps (nodules). Acne occurs on the face, as well as the neck, chest, back, shoulders, and upper arms. Although most teenagers get some form of acne, adults in their 20’s, 30’s, 40’s, or even older, can develop acne. Often acne clears up after several years, even without treatment. Acne can be disfiguring and upsetting to the patient. Untreated acne can leave permanent scars; these may be treated by your dermatologist in the future. To avoid acne scarring, treating acne is important.
Symptoms of Acne
There are two main types of acne: non-inflammatory and inflammatory. In non-inflammatory acne, there are usually just a few white-heads and blackheads on the face. A relatively mild type of acne, it can often be treated effectively with non-prescription medicines. The majority of people with acne have this type of acne.
With inflammatory acne, the white-heads become inflamed and red pimples and pustules develop. In its most severe form, inflammatory acne can cause disfiguring cysts and deep, pitting scars of the face, neck, back, chest and groin. Prescription drugs and sometimes surgery are needed to treat inflammatory acne.
Acne is not caused by dirt. Testosterone, a hormone which is present in both males and females, increases during adolescence (puberty). It stimulates the sebaceous glands of the skin to enlarge, produce oil, and plug the pores. White-heads (closed comedones), blackheads (open comedones), and pimples (pustules) are present in teenage acne.
 Early acne occurs before the first period and is called pre-pubertal acne. When acne is severe and forms deep "pus-filled" lumps, it is called cystic acne. This may be more common in males. Adult acne develops later in life and may be related to hormones, childbirth, menopause, or stopping the pill. Adult women may be treated at the period and at ovulation when acne is especially severe, or throughout the entire cycle. Adult acne is not rosacea, a disease in which blackheads and white-heads do not occur.
Oily & Combination Skins
Oily skin is caused by hormonal fluctuations, diet, contraceptive pills and sometimes hot and humid weather. All these factors cause the skin to lose its moisture and essential fatty acids (Linoleic acid in particular). To compensate for this loss of moisture, the skin begins to produce larger amounts of Oil. Oily skin is characterized by a shiny, think and dull appearance, often accompanied by coarse, enlarged pores, pimples and other skin conditions such as blackheads.
There are several causes of oil skin including imbalanced hormone levels, diet, heredity, pregnancy, use of birth control pills and humid and hot weather.
Because of the hormonal rollercoaster of adolescence, oily skin is common in teenagers, but it can occur at any age. In general, skin tends to become dryer with age. The flow of sebum or oil increases during adolescence and starts decreasing with age. During pregnancy and menopause, hormonal imbalances can also upset the oil balance and increase the activity of sebaceous glands.
Many people have skin that is oily only in certain areas and dry or normal in others, a condition known as combination skin.
Whilst oily skin can have many draw-backs, one of the good things is that this type of skin ages more slowly. It is essential when dealing with Oily skin to avoid using products that would dry out the skin, as most people tend to do. This would just cause the glands to produce even more oil to compensate for the dryness when the upper layer of the skin shrinks.
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