What is Acne?

What is Acne?
Acne, or Acne Vulgaris, is a condition of the skin caused by clogged pores. Pores can become clogged for any number of reasons, but the most common causes are oils and dead skin cells. Acne can surface in a number of ways including: whiteheads, blackheads, and blemishes. You may often hear acne referred to as pimples, zits, or outbreaks.

Acne doesn’t just effect your face. Acne can appear almost anywhere on the body ranging from your neck to your legs, and everywhere in between. Acne typically starts appearing in your teen years, as you hit puberty, due to changes in hormone levels, but acne doesn’t just effect teens. People of all ages can get acne. Sometimes it can be even worse for adults.

Acne Symptoms
Acne will first appear as whiteheads, blackheads, and blemishes on the face, neck, back, and chest. If you start showing signs of acne, it is important that you keep your skin as clean as possible. This will reduce chances of infection. It will also help reduce inflammation, and worsening of the acne.

Again, acne is most common among teens, but is certainly not limited to this age group. If you start showing signs of acne, get your skin clean, and start an acne treatment as soon as possible.

Acne Treatment
There is a near endless variety of acne treatment and skin treatment products. But the best way to start treating acne is by washing your skin regularly, but not too much, so you don’t irritate the skin. When choosing a skin cleaner look for soaps that are noncomedogenic, which will be clearly labeled on the product. Gently wash your skin twice a day with the appropriate soap or cleanser. Picking and scratching will only result in scarring, so avoid doing so at all costs.

Unfortunately, this form of acne treatment will only get you so far. If you acne surpasses the point of a few pimples at a time, it may be time for you to move up to a stronger acne treatment.

The next step is to turn to a over the counter (OTC) acne treatment. Benzoyl peroxide or salicylic acid are the most common ingredients in such products. There are many other OTC acne treatments available on the market today, but many of them are just glorified scrubs or soaps. Try your best not to buy into the latest over the counter acne fad.

If OTC skin treatment still isn’t doing the job, it may be time you see a skin doctor, also known as a dermatologist.  The can prescribe heavy duty skin treatments in the form of creams, gels, and even pills such as Accutane. For women, birth control pills may be able to regulate your hormones in order to reduce signs of acne.