|
Acne, causes and types
Contrary to popular belief, acne can affect anyone and at any. It is
more common teenagers hence why it is usually thought of as a young
person’s illness however it can be triggered at any age. It is a
common skin disorder, caused by old glands on your face becoming
inflamed and infected. This can be trigged by hormonal changes
(pregnancy), stress or even such day to day things as intense hot or
cold or pollution.
It is not known the exact reason that people get this disease but in
puberty it is thought to be due to the increased production of the
androgens hormones (male sex hormones) in both males and females. This
stimulates the glands that produce sebum. Cases caused by this can be
so severe they need medical treatment.
As well as the usual “acne spots”, this skin disorder can cause
pimples. This is caused by a strain for acne known as
Propionebacterium – This is a bacterium that produces waste products
and fatty acids, causing the skin to become inflamed.
Acne can be very painful and irritating and the urge to pick, rub and
squeeze the spots can become unbearable. However it is vital that
these are left alone as acne spots can easily scar. There are so many
acne scar removal treatments available in the market now.
This skin disorder can be eased (and often prevented) by take a few
simple steps. Firstly when washing your face you should be gentle and
do not scrub. Your face should be washed with a mild cleanser at least
2 times each day and even more so if it becomes sweaty. If you find
you are susceptible to acne you should make sure that your hair is not
constantly touching your face. Hair should also be kept clean as
greasy hair can make acne worse.
You should also avoid (where possible) extremes of heat. Too much heat
or too much cold can bring out acne spots. Sunlight in mild doses can
help ease acne, however will not sure it and if you go to extreme your
face will burn.
Don’t use oily moisturising creams and bear in mind that foundations
block the pores which can cause pimples to form on your face.
There is no medical evidence to show that any types of food can make
acne worse however if you find in your case that a particular type of
food makes it worse then obviously you should remove this from your
diet. A healthy and varied lifestyle with plenty of water will also
help keep your skin clear and looking fresh.
Many people are not aware that there are 4 main types of acne. These
are Acne conglobata, Acne fulminans, Gram negative folliculitis and
Nodulocystic acne.
Acne Conglobata
More common in females this is a sever form of acne. It can cause
severe skin damage and scarring (you can find many acne scar removal
treatments from this site). Blackheads form all over the face as
well as the arms, next and buttocks. It causes inflammation to the
skin and deep abscesses.
Often the spots with this type of acne increase largely in size and
start to pus. Once it gets to this stage the urge to pick and squeeze
them becomes unbearable and this is often what causes the scarring.
This usually occurs between the ages of 18 and 30.
Acne Fulminans
This strain is usually sudden and can be highly destructive. It
usually occurs after some one has been treated for Conglobata acne,
and is usually dealt with by your doctor prescribing steroids.
Nodulocystic Acne
This is the rarest type of acne and is more or less unheard of. It is
more extreme than the other types of acnes and results in large cysts
of at least a couple of centimetres diameter forming on the face. They
can also spread to the neck, back, chest and scalp.
Gram-negative folliculitis
This is caused by bacterial infections and is usually after you have
already had long term antibiotic treatment or acne. It is usually
dealt with by your dermatologist. A different strain of antibiotics or
Isotretinoin |