Acne: a problem for adolescents and adults

Acne: a problem for adolescents and adults

14.08.2020

Acne (Acne vulgaris), or colloquially pimples, are changes on the skin of the face, chest and back that most often affect adolescents, but are not uncommon in adults.

The most common trigger for acne are hormones, which is why it is usually first encountered in the teenage years. During puberty, both boys and girls secrete more of the hormone testosterone, which causes the sebaceous glands to produce more sebum than the skin needs. Since boys have more testosterone than girls, their skin is usually more affected and the clinical picture of acne is more severe.

 


Acne or pimples can appear at any time. There may also be risk factors for acne:

  • hormonal changes associated with pregnancy or the menstrual cycle; 
  • taking certain medicines regularly;
  • inappropriate use of cosmetics (too many oily creams);
  • aggressive facial cleansers;
  • psychological stress;
  • certain foods;
  • unhealthy lifestyle (smoking, fast food, fizzy drinks).

Genes also contribute to the tendency to develop acne. If both parents had acne when they were teenagers, there is a good chance that the child will have acne at some point.

Acne occurs when the sebaceous glands become blocked by plugs of sebum and sloughed-off skin cells (keratinocytes). The plugs obstruct the outflow of sebum and the hair follicles bulge. This results in comedones, which are a non-inflammatory form of acne. Comedones can be open (black dot) or closed (white cell), depending on whether the hair follicle is enlarged or closed.

If bacteria (Propionibacterium acnes) colonise the clogged sebaceous glands and cause inflammation, inflammatory acne results. These can be in the form of a red cell up to 5 mm in size, but can also cause pain and severely inflamed nodules in the dermis of the skin or subcutaneous tissue that cause permanent scarring.

 


From our centres

At BIORESONA centres, we help with various forms of facial acne and skin lesions. Acne-like changes can also be caused by unsuspecting factors such as micro-organisms (skin mites) or natural cosmetics. For this reason, patients with acne-prone skin are often advised to bring with them all the active ingredients, cleansers and cosmetics they apply to their face. At the examination, the cosmetic products can be tested to see if they are suitable for further use.

With BICOM, we can take a holistic approach to acne treatment by detecting factors from food, the environment, medications pathogens that are stressing your body. After the examination, we work together to tackle each of them step by step.

You help us in this process by following the instructions and dietary advice we give you after the first examination.

Appropriate skin care is also very important. Here are some useful skin care tips:

  1. Wash acne-prone skin with lukewarm water and neutral soaps.
  2. It is advisable to exfoliate the skin at least once or twice a week.
  3. Avoid using water that is too hot or too cold, as this can aggravate acneic skin.
  4. It is important to always remove make-up at the end of the day.
  5. After proper cleansing, the skin should usually be moisturised with a suitable skin care cream to support the healing of acne and to contribute to skin renewal.
  6. For acne-prone skin, we use dermatological products for problematic skin containing vitamins A, C, E, provitamin B5 and mild antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory properties.
  7. In summer, we recommend the regular use of an appropriate sunscreen specifically designed for oily acne-prone skin.

Prepared by: Aleksandra Barbarić Kovačić, MD

 

 

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