General Acne Information for Teens and Adults

Nearly everyone has had some acne at some time in their lives. But if you’re dealing with a serious case of acne, or you’re close to someone who is, you probably want to know more about this unattractive and potentially embarrassing skin disease. Here is some basic acne information.

What Acne Is

Acne is a common skin condition that manifests in pimples, blackheads and other unwanted skin formations and discolorations, although not all skin lesions or discolorations are acne. Acne occurs when oil glands in your hair follicles produce sebum, an oil that combines with hair and dead skin cells to produce bacteria which produces acne. The specific causes of acne are unclear, although hormones and stress do play a role.

Types of Acne

As mentioned, there is no one form of acne. Acne manifests in different ways, including papules – the pink bumps people normally think of when they think of acne, pimples – red bumps with a white center, nodules – large, hard bumps underneath the skin, cysts – pus-filled nodules, whiteheads – completely blocked pores that result in white-looking spots on the skin, and blackheads – partially blocked pores that appear as black-looking spots on the skin.

Cures for Acne

While there is no single cure for acne, there are a number of treatments like Proactiv that have proven to be effective. The first thing you should do if you are dealing with a troublesome case of acne is consult with your family doctor. He or she can outline your options when it comes to acne treatment.  Acne treatment you can adopt immediately include regular washing the affected area with soap and water and over-the-counter acne medications.

For more severe acne that does not respond to this treatment, the doctor can provide a variety of treatment options including prescription anti-acne drugs like isotretinoin, antibiotics, both topical or oral, that are used to kill the bacteria that causes acne, and certain herbal medications that can improve the skin’s condition with a minimum of side effects.

Laser Treatment for Acne

There are two basic laser treatments that can be highly effective in dealing with acne. The first is pulsed dye laser treatment. Pulsed dye laser treatment tends to be used for less severe acne, wrinkles and Rosacea. It is a laser that specifically targets certain deep tissue in the skin to safely and effectively remove skin lesions.

The second is infrared laser treatment. This is a fairly safe, effective procedure that uses a V beam and a cool touch laser to reduce acne scars and tighten skin.

More About Acne

Acne scars or lesions should never be scratched, popped or otherwise tampered with without a doctor’s supervision. Any attempts to remove or relieve acne without use of an approved treatment can result in pain and infection and can actually make the acne worse, in addition to having no permanent positive results with respect to your acne condition.