Acne

Acne:

Acne vulgaris (commonly known as acne) is a common skin problem. Acne appears in form of seborrhea, which is scaly red skin patches, acne also may appear as black and white heads on skin, pustules and sometimes as cysts (cystic acne).


Acne appears in more density in areas where sebaceous follicles are dense, face, upper chest and upper back are common areas for acne.


Severe cases of acne can lead to severe inflammation that need both topical and systemic treatment.


Acne usually appears during puberty and usually heals after some time (if mild), but it may also appear later, even in thirties, as acne rosacea.


What causes acne?


Acne can be triggered by many factors:

1-Acne is mainly triggered when sebaceous follicles are blocked due to over-activity and too much secretion, especially during puberty.



2-Testosterone can also trigger acne (for both male and female), so for post menopausal females, inflammations and acne rosacea is more likely to appear due to lack of anti-acne secretions (estradiols).


3-Psychological condition is also a major factor for acne, there are studies on this issue, but a link was identified.


4-Some bacteria may also cause acne and increase severity of already existing acne, most commonly, Propionobactarium acne.


5-Diet is mildly linked to acne, mainly chocolate and fatty diet.


How can acne be treated?

Acne treatment should be accompanied with diet control, various medications can be used for acne treatment:


1-Benzoyl peroxide and hydroxyquinolines are common topical treatments for mild to moderate acne that acts through peeling infected areas, treatment may take quiet long time, main side effect is photosensitivity (inability to tolerate sun and light), so sun screen should be used during this kind of acne treatment.



2-Antibiotics for acne: antibiotics can be used for acne, especially when acne is caused byPropionobacterium acne, common antibiotics used for acne are erythromycin, clindamycin, tetracycline and minocycline.


Avoid tetracycline for pregnant women as it causes teratogenic effects.

3-Topical medications for cystic acne: topical retinoids can be used for severe cystic acne, retinoids are derivatives of vitamin A, Adapalene is common as a topical treatment for cystic acne


4-Systemic retinoids: can be used with topical retinoids for severe acne management.


Natural medications for acne:

Although not clinically proven completely, there are natural treatments for acne that managed to treat some cases of acne:


1-Tea tree oil (topically).


2-Aloe vera (topically).


3-Topical caffeine.