Acne is something I have suffered over years and I will be sharing a lot of my experiences and treatments with you guys in installments.This post I will be discussing Basics of Acne.When dealing with Acne,a lot of factors come in to the picture.So in order to figure out the treatment options,we have to understand the causes of acne,skin type,degree/intensity of Acne.
Acne is basically clogged pore on the surface of skin. It is a Skin Disease caused due to Inflammation/Infection of Sebacous glands leading to pimples.Commonly occurs on the onset of Puberty.
Causes of Acne:
- It is caused by Hormonal Imbalance in the body like:
2)Stress.
3)Fluctuations in Sugar(Insulin) Levels/Diabetes.
4)Vitamin D Deficiency.
5)Hereditary.
6)Certain Food Allergies like Milk-Dairy Products.
7)Overactive Oil Glands due to increase in Androgens.
8)Steroids/Few Medications also trigger Acne.
9)Dandruff.
10)Sudden Climatic Changes.
11)Puberty.
12) M*sturbation.
12) M*sturbation.
- Apart from that commonly found triggers in Women are:
14)Pre/Post Pregnancy due to hormone fluctuations.
15)Menstrual Cycle /Periods.
16)Heavy/Pore Clogging Make-Up.
17)Comedogenic Salon Facials/Oil Massages.
18)Threading Eyebrows etc.
- Poor Digestion followed by Poor Diet/Lifestyle.
- Of course not to rule out usage of Comedogenic Products/Cosmetics in your Skin Care routine.
Types of Acne:
1)Blackheads-This is due to partial blockage of pores which allows some bacteria,dead skin cells and sebum to escape and thereby resulting in dark color comedone on the skin surface.
2)Whiteheads/Zits-This is complete blockage of pores resulting in accumulation of sebum,bacteria,dead skin cells beneath the skin thereby forming pus filled pimple.
3)Pustules-These are similar to Whiteheads but are inflamed and deeply embedded in skin.
4)Papules-These are painful red bumps without any heads,again deeply embedded in skin.
5)Nodules-These are the most severe form of Acne which are large painful and hardened bumps beneath the skin surface and the take the longest time to heal.Nodules also leave deeper scarring on face causing pits due to loss of collagen.
Acne is not restricted to Face.It also effects Chest,Back and rest of the body too which is known as Body Acne.
Degree/Intensity of Acne:
Acne falls into three categories:
1)Mild Acne-It is the minor form of acne where the intensity of acne is small scale and not widely spread.It is mostly few blackheads/whiteheads occasionally.Mild acne is not inflamed or deeply embedded in the skin.
2)Moderate Acne-Acne is either mild or severe form.Moderate acne may be a few papules/pustules and inflamed but not as much as severe acne.
3)Severe Acne-This is worst form of Acne accompanied by many pimples which are nodular and deeply embedded in skin and take the longest time to heal.
Irrespective of Degree/Intensity of Acne,it is something that should not be Ignored and it should be reported to a Dermatologist and treated at the earliest.
In the next post I will be discussing Treatment Options available in the current market for Acne.
