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THE ACNE GROUP is dedicated to providing accurate, reliable information on the treatment of acne, acne skin care and eliminating acne. Believe it or not, acne IS a skin disorder! Everyone seems to have acne and everyone seems to suffer from it.
- 1) Abnormal keratinization of the lining of the sebaceous gland caused by androgen stimulation, resulting in plugging of the gland;
- 2) Increased production of sebum by the sebaceous gland due to androgen stimulation; A bacterium Propionibacterium proliferates within the gland and modifies the sebum.
- 3) Propionibacterium is a bacterium normally found on the skin.
Acne is influenced by many more factors. Hormones play a part in the production of conditions, which can promote the occurrence of acne. Over use or abuse of acne treatments themselves can cause a worsening of acne. Makeup applied to the skin can in some instances cause conditions leading to the symptoms of acne. Diet, while not normally thought to be a cause of acne, can in fact lead to a pH imbalance in the body and the body's largest organ, the skin will also be affected. Hair spray, gels and conditioners can clog the pores along the hairline leading to acne pimples.
The best way to understand and treat acne is to first separate the myths from the facts.
ACNE FACTS:
1) 80 percent of the population suffers from acne.2) Bacteria is generally the number one cause of acne.
3) There are many different types of acne.
4) Ultraviolet rays are acne contributors, not preventors. Sun rays damage skin, not help it. Although a tan may temporarily mask acne, the sun can make the skin dry and irritated, leading to more breakouts in the future. Always protect your skin by choosing a sunscreen of at least SPF (sun protection factor) 15 that says noncomedogenic or nonacnegenic on the label, which means it won't clog pores.
ACNE MYTHS:
1) Acne is caused by dirty skin. Acne pimples are not caused by dirty skin but by clogged pores. In fact, if you wash your skin hard and frequently, you can actually make your acne worse. Vigorous washing and scrubbing will irritate the skin and make acne worse. The best approach to hygiene and acne: Gently wash your face twice a day with a mild soap and pat dry. Aggressive cleansing of the skin will irritate it, causing the skin to produce more oil to form a protective barrier against abuse.2) Chocolate or fatty foods cause acne. It may seem that each time we eat certain foods our skin erupts in acne, but its not so much the specific food as it is the acidic nature of the food. The key is to balance your intake of acidic and alkaline foods, which keeps the skin in the proper pH range.
3) Stress causes acne. Stress can not cause acne, but it can make acne worse, and having acne can be very stressful. When the body becomes stressed, the adrenal cortex converts adrenal androgens to testosterone in BOTH men and women, resulting in over active sebaceous glands. The ovaries produce 25% of the testosterone while 75% is converted from adrenal androgens in the normal female. Women only have 10% of the testosterone that men have. Men have thicker skin and muscles than women and can handle much more testosterone. When the male or female body is stressed, the adrenal androgen conversion can almost double the testosterone in both men and women. This causes the T zone of the face to be oily, while other areas are still dry from dehydration. Adult acne and rosacea are sometimes by-products of stress and/or dehydration. Water and estrogen calm the "body's stress alarm system." The most important element of acne treatment is to keep the skin (body) hydrated.
ACNE RELATED SKIN CONDITIONS:
1)Rosacea: Acne does not cause rosacea, but many of the medications used in the treatment of acne can contribute to the onset and/or aggravation of rosacea symptoms. People with rosacea may be prone to prolonged episodes of facial flushing and tend to develop numerous "broken" blood vessels (telangiectasias) and over grown oil glands on the face and neck (sebaceous hyperplasia). In more advanced cases, these oil glands may merge on the nose to give a strawberry type nose (rhinophyma). Eyelid irritations (blepharitis), as well as other types of eye problems, are also associated with rosacea. Rosacea and acne are two entirely different conditions, although they do appear together sometimes.
Clogged skin pores and bacterial infections cause acne. The blackheads, whiteheads and pimples are all different forms of acne and sometimes appear with rosacea or combined skin disorders appearing at the same time. Rosacea consists of red bumps called papules. The papules and pustules that occur in rosacea may look like typical acne, but closer observation by a trained physician reveals the absence of whiteheads and blackheads. In rosacea, the pimples and cysts rarely appear on the chest and back.
2)Peri-oral Dermatitis: Peri-oral dermatitis, peri-oral refers to the facial area around the mouth while dermatitis pertains to inflammation, redness or irritation of the skin. In addition, there are usually small red bumps or even pus bumps and mild peeling as the skin is extremely aggravated. This condition may be wrongfully thought of as acne while others believe it to be a manifestation of their rosacea. Peri-oral dermatitis is often aggravated by fluoridated or tartar-control toothpaste, chapstick, the ingredients in lipstick, and mouthwash. Peri-oral dermatitis is a common skin problem that mostly affects young women, however, occasionally men and children are affected by it.
3)Seborrheic Dermatitis: Seborrheic dermatitis involves over active sebaceous glands which cause inflammation, flaking and a red rash in the central portion of the face. If one looks closely, the flakes usually have a greasy look, smell and feel. The dryness of seborrheic dermatitis is perceived because of the flaking which consists of dried layers of accumulated oil. Seborrheic dermatitis causes yellowish scales to develop on the scalp, the hair line and the eyebrows. This is often confused with the crusting and scaling on the eyelids that occur with ocular rosacea.
Below are a few examples of what acne can look like. The third picture illustrates acne scarring, which is caused by severe cases of acne:
ACNE COMEDONICA
ACNE VULGARIS
ACNE SCARRING
Look further into the Acne Group for more information on acne, acne treatments, the cause of acne, etc.
DISCLAIMER:
The information the Acne Group provides should not be considered medical advice, nor is it intended to replace consultation with a qualified physician. The Acne Group does not evaluate, endorse or recommend any particular medications, products, equipment or treatments. Acne may vary substantially from one patient to another, and treatment must be tailored for each individual case. Information provided by the Acne Group about products, medical conditions, symptoms, and related products has been obtained from the manufacturers sponsoring these products. The products and treatments described on this site are for informational purposes only. Statements concerning the products or treatments detailed on this web site have not been evaluated by the Acne Group and should not be construed as factual or accurate as they are representations by the manufacturer. The products and treatments described on this site are not intended to diagnose, heal, cure or prevent disease unless they present themselves as doing such.
TYPES OF ACNE-PERIORAL DERMATITIS
When treating acne, one sometimes sees an acne-like eruption around the mouth area. Known as peri-oral dermatitis, peri-oral refers to the facial area around the mouth while dermatitis pertains to inflammation, redness or irritation of the skin. In addition, there are usually small red bumps or even pus bumps and mild peeling as the skin is extremely aggravated. Peri-oral dermatitis symptoms characteristically involve the mouth area, but generally do not affect the lips themselves. You may also notice flaking of the skin at the site of occurrence. Many times if the flaking is isolated to the lip area it may be mistaken for chapped lips. Often the skin around the nose is affected too, and sometimes it can affect the area under and around the eyes.
When peri-oral dermatitis expands to include the eye area, it should more correctly be termed "peri-ocular", or even, "peri-orificial" dermatitis. Peri-ocular dermatitis consists of similar flaking and redness with or without the appearance of small papules or pustules. This condition may be wrongfully thought of as acne while others believe it to be a component of rosacea.
The most common causes of peri-oral dermatitis are topical steroid use and fluoridated and/or tartar control toothpaste. Peri-oral dermatitis is often aggravated by fluoridated or tartar-control toothpaste, chapstick, the ingredients in lipstick, and mouthwash. The International Rosacea Foundation, recommends discontinuing the use of fluoridated or tartar control toothpaste for six months may help reduce the symptoms of peri-oral dermatitis. Peri-oral dermatitis is often aggravated by fluoridated or tartar-control toothpaste, chapstick, the ingredients in lipstick, and mouthwash. Peri-oral dermatitis is a common skin problem that mostly affects young women, however, occasionally men and children are affected by it.
The easiest first step for improvement is the prevention by eliminating those factors mentioned above so that the affected perioral dermatitis area may heal.
Sufferers of peri-oral dermatitis tend to have oily skin. Some people are more susceptible to peri-oral dermatitis than others, and recent research indicates the occurrence may be related in part to a proliferation of bacteria in the hair follicles.
The following conditions or circumstances have been found to aggravate Peri-oral dermatitis:
- Cleansing the facial skin with the wrong type of soap. A soap-free cleanser such as Cetaphil or Neutrogena is recommended. Avoid harsh scrubbing of the area.
- Facial scrubs or acne treatments may cause or worsen the condition.
- Applying face creams regularly to the area bounded by the cheek folds and chin, or around the eyes in the case of peri-ocular dermatitis. These creams include moisturizers, anti-wrinkle creams, cream cleansers, make-up foundation, and sunscreens. Many of the moisturizers and creams currently on the market contain sunscreens or ingredients that can cause or worsen the peri-oral condition. Anti-wrinkle or anti-aging creams contain retinols, citric acids, beta-hydroxy acids or alpha hydroxy acids which increased facial redness and skin irritation.
- Applying topical steroids to the facial area. The more potent the steroid cream, the more rapid and severe the occurrence of the peri-oral dermatitis.
- Lip balms, glosses and lipsticks that extend over the actual lip area can also aggravate the condition.
What is Acne?
Acne is the most common skin disease during adolescence and early adulthood. It peaks in females between the ages of 14 and 17 and in males between the ages of 16 and 19. Males are affected more severely than females. Eighty-five percent of high school students will have some acne. Ten percent of those with adolescent acne will continue to suffer from it into their 20’s and 30’s. And sometimes “adult acne” will begin in the 20’s, 30’s and 40’s and later years and continue due to stress and fatigue which can cause increased production of hormones by the adrenal gland with increased levels of androgens.