At any age, severe acne manifestations are accompanied by a decrease in self-esteem, lead to psychosocial disadaptation and even worsen the quality of life. Especially it is dangerous in adolescence. But, despite the prevalence of this dermatosis, only 20% of people turn to specialists for help, the rest rely on their strength and knowledge, and often lose this fight against acne.
Strangely enough, but the term "acne" in Greek means "flowering". Perhaps, the ancient authors had in mind the fact that the person "blossoms", like a flower. But the expression was fixed.
So, acne (or acne) is a chronic disease of the sebaceous glands, often genetically conditioned, associated with their activity in response to stimulation by androgens (sex hormones, sometimes called masculine, but in the female body they are also produced). Also, the appearance of acne is promoted by the uneven squirming of skin cells and the inflammatory response of tissues. The main reason for the formation of acne is excessive keratinization in the interior of the pores. From the fat and keratinized cells there are plugs, they block the fat out. Acne is manifested on the skin by the appearance of non-inflammatory and inflammatory elements.
And now we turn to the questions that concern acne and acne.
What is acne and where do they come from? Why only yesterday was clean skin, and today is a problem?
Of course, like any changes in health, skin changes are not a matter of one day. Usually the first signs of acne are emerging in adolescence, when androgens, developed by the organs of internal secretion, begin to function in the body of the child yesterday. And not only in boys, androgens are produced in girls. Androgens affect the activity of the sebaceous-hair follicles, increasing their activity, which, in turn, leads to an increase in the quantity and quality of sebum. Due to the increase in the amount of sebum, the ducts of the sebaceous glands are stretched, it expands the pores of the skin, in which, in fact, hide comedones (popular name - black dots). Comedones are open - ordinary black dots, and closed - whiteheads, miliums (popular name - apiary). Both open and closed comedones are not an inflammatory form of acne, which many of the adolescents and adults do not even consider a problem for themselves. But why do some people have clean skin, while others have full acne. It depends on the amount of androgens that are excreted by the body, and also on the sensitivity of the skin itself to androgens. In two different people, the same amount of androgen can be released (not elevated), but for someone with skin that is more sensitive to androgens and will be more affected by this problem. This is mostly true of women.
How can you get rid of acne?
Since there are several factors involved in the formation of acne, the fight against the problem must also be complex. But the most important thing is proper hygienic skin care. Namely:
- To remove excess horn cells from the skin surface in time - this will allow it to participate more freely in the metabolism and facilitate the access of oxygen to the skin. Bacteria are most comfortable in conditions with a lack of oxygen.
- Reduce the production of sebum. In adolescence, it is more difficult - the excess of androgens in the body, both young men and women, is the age norm. But in severe cases of acne, a cosmetologist can prescribe medications (for external or internal use) that reduce the production of sebum - this will improve the skin condition.
- Refer to anti-inflammatory therapy (in case of severe conditions of acne with inflamed or conglobate acne) to affect the bacterial flora.
- Take measures to reduce the negative consequences of acne (resorption of scarring and scarring, lightening of pigment spots, correction of pore size) and prevention of the appearance of new acne.
- Increased immunity of the skin and the body as a whole.
Why can not you squeeze out your acne yourself? And if then rub this place with alcohol?
It is better to do without self-activity and not to take chances. The reason is simple and clear: the person's skin is the only one for life, it's impossible to change it like clothes, it's impossible to disguise oneself for real and for a long time. Therefore, the best way is a thorough care, and in case of acne, a gradual qualified correction of this condition is also made. Every teenager knows how to squeeze out acne spontaneously, but almost no one knows how to do it correctly and when this can not be done at all, because, firstly, it is a big risk of infection, and secondly, with improper (unprofessional) squeezing out of acne, the chances of getting scars and other unpleasant consequences. And thirdly (and this is the main thing), the elements that are already inflamed do not remove at all, for it is no longer necessary for them to leave without help themselves after a while. Even a cosmetologist, when cleaning the face, removes only non-inflamed elements in order to prevent further inflammation. But, in my opinion, the reason that people continue to squeeze out acne persistently, in another - it is believed that it is squeezed out, it has a more attractive appearance, that is, the cause of extrusion is purely psychological. I declare authoritatively: no, it will not be better from this - unless there is a bigger scar.
You can do without acne, or is it an obligatory tribute to puberty?
Let us turn to statistics: some form of acne is observed in 65-90% of people in adolescence and in 30% of people after 25 years. Therefore, even the age limit has significantly shifted over time, which allowed dermatologists to speak no longer of acne, but of "full" acne. But, like any disease, the acne has its own stages (3 or 4 according to the estimates of different specialists), so do not despair. We can not always completely avoid this problem. But in our power to control its manifestations. Oily, problem skin is not always a drawback.
Does the food play any role in the occurrence of acne?
No scientific study has shown that there is any connection between the onset of acne and the consumption of certain foods. People suffering from acne can eat anything - chocolate, fried potatoes, eggs. Among obese people, acne occurs not more often than among lean ones, rather vice versa. In other words, fats absorbed by a person do not show themselves on the skin as acne. However, if someone is convinced that a certain type of food causes him or her acne, then it is better to avoid eating this food.
It seems that girls are more likely to suffer from blackheads than boys. This is true?
Girls suffer more from acne, and boys just pay less attention to this problem. In girls, thanks to the menstrual cycle and the associated hormone exchange, these problems have a monthly exacerbation. For boys, the action of androgens is generally the norm, the sebaceous glands are larger in size, the skin is oily, and acne, in my opinion, in some stages have a worse appearance. And how many boys will watch the skin carefully? From my own experience I can say that many boys are very difficult to force even to wash themselves thoroughly. But lately young men have begun to take more care of their own appearance, that's why even cosmetologist is visited more often than before.
Acne is just a cosmetic defect or a signal about some serious problems?
In adolescence, this may be the norm, but after 25 years it is not quite normal. It is believed that the skin is the target organ for hormones. Therefore, the skin itself can not "generate" acne - they always indicate those or other features of the metabolism. If in adolescence this is justified by the growth of the body, then later the grounds may be different, but most of them are related to the action of hormones. If an adult woman has acne with age, this may indicate a violation of the function of the ovaries (in connection with polycystosis, for example, when the number of male sex hormones increases at times). A healthy woman from the appearance of acne is protected by estrogens - hormones of the ovaries, and disruption of homeostasis in the female hormonal sphere can affect the skin condition. In the classification of acne there is even the so-called "acne tarda" - late acne that appears during the menopause, which again is associated with changes in the hormonal background.