Acne is the most common skin condition in the United States, affecting about 40 to 50 million Americans at any one time. Most people who are affected by acne are teenagers and young adults. However, acne can develop at any age.
Causes
The development of acne is multifactorial, meaning that many processes lead to the formation of an acne bump.
Acne appears when a pore is clogged. This clogging process is begun by dead skin cells. Typically, dead skin cells are rise to the surface of the pore and are shed. However, when our bodies produce too much sebum (or oil), the skin cells become more “sticky”, causing them to stick together and get trapped inside the pore.
This initial clog traps all sorts of other debris inside the pore. Sometimes, p. acnes, a bacteria that naturally lives on our skin, also gets trapped inside the pore, where they have the perfect environment to multiply quickly. This encourages inflammation of the pore and promotes the development of more inflammatory acne bumps.
Excessive oil production is also a factor in the formation of acne. Oil glands are controlled by hormones in the body, which means acne often increases during times of hormonal changes like puberty and pregnancy.
Treatment
Given the multifactorial nature of acne formation, several medications or treatments may be required to treat the different aspects of formation. When you visit Pure Dermatology, our providers will develop a treatment plan that is specific to you.
Treatment types include topical treatments and medicine. Topical treatments are applied directly to your skin. Some help kill bacteria, and others reduce oil production. Medicine is sometimes necessary to treat acne, including acne cysts and nodules. Your provider may prescribe an antibiotic, birth control or other hormone related medicines (which are especially helpful for women), or Isotretinoin.
Whatever treatment plan you are given, consistency is important. Medications and topical treatments must be used consistently, or they will not be effective. Even with a great treatment plan, it usually takes several weeks for acne to start clearing up. Be patient and continue with your treatment until your next follow-up appointment. Typically, it will be 6-8 weeks before you start seeing results from your treatment.
