Many of us have suffered endlessly through the distresses of acne at some point in our lives and many a times we are helpless when they crop out in countless numbers leaving behind angry looking pustules and nasty looking scars. Acne is a skin condition that occurs when your hair follicles become plugged with oil and dead cells superadded by bacterial activity that leads to inflammation. It occurs more commonly in the face, neck, chest, back and shoulder areas. Life Online spoke to general practitioner Dr. K.K.W. Perera to gain some insight in to it.

What are the different types of lesions seen in an outbreak of acne?

Non inflammatory and inflammatory lesions are seen in an outbreak. The non inflammatory lesions are the comedones (whiteheads and blackheads) which result from blocking of the openings of hair follicles with oil secretions, dead skin cells and sometimes bacteria. When comedones are open at skin surface they are called black heads and when they are closed they are whiteheads. The inflammatory lesions are the papules, pustules, nodules and cysts.

What causes acne and what are the risk factors for its development?

Three main factors contribute to the formation of acne,

v  Overproduction of oil

v  Irregular shedding of dead skin cells

v  Bacterial buildup

 

Hair follicles are connected to sebaceous glands which secrete an oily substance called sebum which travels up along the hair shaft then out of the hair follicle to the skin lubricating hair and skin. When your body produces too much sebum and dead skin cells they build up in a hair follicle forming a soft plug, creating an environment where bacteria can thrive.

 

Factors that trigger acne are androgen hormones which enlarge sebaceous glands specially during puberty, medication containing corticosteroids and androgen and also a diet with carbohydrate-rich foods and dairy products.

 

Other risk factors include certain oil based cosmetics, stress, a family history of  acne and friction or pressure on skin by cell phones tight collars helmets etc.

 

What measures can be taken to control acne?

 

Basic self-care measures can be adopted to prevent new breakouts such as washing face with a gentle cleanser, but one must be mindful not to overdo this as it can irritate the skin. Acne around the hairline can be controlled by shampooing hair frequently.

 

Avoid skin irritants such as oily cosmetics and greasy hair styling products as much as possible. Remove makeup before going to sleep and also clean cosmetic brushes regularly with soapy water.

 

For some, the sun worsens acne so try avoiding sun exposure as much as possible and when stepping out wear sunscreen.

 

It’s very important to keep hands away from the face and touching and squeezing blemishes as it may aggravate the problem.

 

Make sure to shower after exercise and strenuous workouts because oil and sweat on skin trap dirt and bacteria.

Wear loose fitting clothes, and avoid tight fitting straps backpacks as much as possible as these may trap heat and moisture and irritating skin.

 

Various kinds of over the counter medication, prescription medication is available in both oral and topical forms which work by reducing oil production, speeding up cell turnover, fighting bacterial infection and reducing inflammation or doing all four.

 

But it’s always advisable to use dermatologically recommended medication as some of these over the counter medication can further irritate the skin.

 

 

Text by Samurddhi Tillekeratne