What is Acne?
Acne is a common skin disorder of adolescents and young adults, although it can affect individuals at any age. The cause of acne is associated with hormonal balance, heredity, diet, cleanliness, and general health (Hall, 1999, p. 119). While acne is not a fatal disease, it is often associated with emotional distress and can cause permanent skin scarring. There are many treatments for acne, mostly designed to clean the lesions and cause increased peeling of the skin; there is no cure for acne.
Acne occurs when a combination of excess sebaceous oil, dead skin cells and Propionibacterium acnes bacteria (P bacteria) clog the skin follicles and pores. The clogged pores create an anaerobic environment, which in return fuels the rapid proliferation of bacteria. Continued oil (sebum) production coupled with the proliferation of bacteria typically causes the rupture of the skin’s wall and sebaceous glands, leading to inflamed lesions and acne.
Acne is characterized by various types of bumps, such as comedones (blackheads and white heads), pustules, cysts, and noodles, as well as by scarring of varying severity. Acne usually occurs on the face, neck, and less commonly on the shoulders, chest, and arms. It does not affect the general health of an individual. Comedones, which are the least severe acne, are known as blackheads and white heads. Blackheads are open comedones clogged with a mixture of sebum, dead cells, bacteria, naturally occurring melanin, tiny hairs etc. Unlike blackheads, white heads have smaller, closed openings. A papula is a small and solid bump caused by a cellular reaction, which can cause permanent tissue damage and scarring, due to often extensive inflammation in the pilosebaceus unit. A noodle is similar to papula and is dome-shaped. A pustule is a fragile lesion that is typically formed on top of a sebaceous follicle and does not cause tissue and skin scarring. Cysts are unlike pustules; they are larger, and typically cause deep inflammation and scarring. They occur simultaneously with noodles and are hard to differentiate.
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