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What is acne?
Acne vulgaris (commonly called Acne) is a skin disease, caused by
changes in the skin structures
consisting of a hair follicle and its associated sebaceous (oil)
gland. Severe acne is inflammatory, but acne
can also manifest in noninflammatory forms. Acne lesions are commonly
referred to as pimples, spots, or zits.
Acne is most common during adolescence, affecting more than 85%
of teenagers, and frequently continues into
adulthood.For most people, acne diminishes over time and tends to
disappear, or at least decrease, after one
reaches his or her early twenties. There is, however, no way to
predict how long it will take for it to disappear
entirely, and some individuals will continue to suffer from acne
decades later, into their thirties and forties and
even beyond.
The face and upper neck are the most commonly affected, but the
chest, back and shoulders may have acne
as well. The upper arms can also have acne, but lesions found there
are often keratosis pilaris, not acne.
The typical acne lesions are comedones and inflammatory papules,
pustules, and nodules. Some of the large
nodules were previously called "cysts" and the term nodulocystic
has been used to describe severe cases
of inflammatory acne
Unfortunately, the main effects of acne are psychological, such
as reduced self-esteem and, according to at least
one study, depression or suicide. Acne usually appears during adolescence,
when people already tend to be most
socially insecure. Early and aggressive treatment is therefore advocated
by some to lessen the overall impact to
individuals suffering from it.
However, for those who have endured the lifelong effects of scarring,
the detrimental effects are pronounced.
Since the face is the key to social interaction, anything that visually
detratcts (such as scars) has demonstrable
impact on those suffering with scars, as well as the unwelcome reaction
of those around the individual with facial scars.
> What
is acne? | Types
of scars | Laser
therapy treatment
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