Acne usually appears on your face, neck, chest, back, and shoulders.
Effective treatments are available, but acne can be persistent.
Acne is most common among teenagers, with a reported prevalence of 70 to 87 percent.
Increasingly, younger children are getting acne as well.
Depending on its severity, acne can cause emotional distress and scar the skin.
The earlier you start treatment, the lower your risk of lasting physical and emotional damage.
He or she can prescribe stronger medications.
These areas of skin have the most oil (sebaceous) glands.
Acne takes place if hair follicles become plugged with oil and dead skin cells.
Hair follicles are connected to oil glands.
These glands secrete an oily substance (sebum) to lubricate your hair and skin.
They form a soft plug, creating an environment where bacteria can thrive.
If the clogged pore becomes infected with bacteria, inflammation results.
The plugged pore may cause the follicle wall to bulge and produce a whitehead.
Or the plug may be open to the surface and may darken, causing a blackhead.
A blackhead may look like dirt stuck in pores.
Pimples are raised red spots with a white center that develop when blocked hair follicles become inflamed or infected.
Blockages and inflammation that develop deep inside hair follicles produce cyst-like lumps beneath the surface of your skin.
Early, effective treatment of acne reduces the risk of scarring and of lasting damage to your self-esteem.
Here’s some information to help you get ready for your appointment.
Below are some basic questions to ask your doctor about acne.
If any additional questions occur to you during your visit, don’t hesitate to ask.
Your doctor is likely to ask you a number of questions.
Being ready to answer them may reserve time to go over any points you want to talk about in-depth.
It can take many months or years for your acne to clear up completely.
The drug your doctor recommends depends on the jot down and severity of your acne.
Often, drugs are used in combination.
Pregnant women will not be able to use oral prescription medications for acne.
Talk with your doctor about the risks and benefits of medications and other treatments you are considering.
These products work best when applied to clean, dry skin about 15 minutes after washing.
You may not see the benefit of this treatment for a few weeks.
And you may notice skin irritation at first, such as redness, dryness and peeling.
Choices for treating acne include tetracyclines, such as minocycline and doxycycline.
Tapering helps prevent antibiotic resistance by minimizing undue exposure to these medications over a long time.
You will likely use topical medications and oral antibiotics together.
Antibiotics may cause side effects, such as an upset stomach and dizziness.
These drugs also increase your skin’s sun sensitivity.
Combined oral contraceptives.Combined oral contraceptives are useful in treating acne in women and adolescent girls.
A serious potential complication is a slightly increased risk of blood clots.
It works by blocking the effect of androgen hormones on the sebaceous glands.
Possible side effects include breast tenderness, painful periods, and the retention of potassium.
Isotretinoin.This medicine is reserved for people with the most severe acne.
Oral isotretinoin is very effective.
But because of its potential side effects, doctors need to closely monitor anyone they treat with this drug.
These therapies may be suggested in select cases, either alone or in combination with medications.
Light therapy.A variety of light-based therapies have been tried with success.
But further study is needed to determine the ideal method, light source, and dose.
Light therapy targets the bacteria that cause acne inflammation.
Some types of light therapy are done in a doctor’s office.
Blue-light therapy can be done at home with a hand-held machine.
Possible side effects of light therapy include pain, temporary redness, and sensitivity to sunlight.
Chemical peel.This procedure uses repeated applications of a chemical solution, such as salicylic acid.
It is most effective when combined with other acne treatments, except oral retinoids.
Chemical peels aren’t recommended for people taking oral retinoids because together these treatments can significantly irritate the skin.
Chemicals peels may cause temporary, severe redness, scaling and blistering, and long-term discoloration of the skin.
This technique may cause scarring.
Steroid injection.Nodular and cystic lesions can be treated by injecting a steroid drug directly into them.
This improves their appearance without the need for extraction.
Increasingly, younger children are getting acne as well.
In one study of 365 girls ages 9 to 10, 78 percent of them had acne lesions.
If your child has acne, you may want to consult a pediatric dermatologist.
Treatment of children with acne is often complicated by their family situation.
If you tend to develop acne around your hairline, shampoo your hair every day.
Excessive washing and scrubbing also can irritate skin.
And be gentle while shaving affected skin.
You might also try products containing sulfur, resorcinol, or salicylic acid.
Avoid irritants.You may want to avoid oily or greasy cosmetics, sunscreens, hairstyling products, or acne concealers.
Use products labeled water-based or noncomedogenic, which means they are less likely to cause acne.
Use an oil-free moisturizer with sunscreen.For some people, the sun worsens acne.
And some acne medications make you more susceptible to the sun’s rays.
Check with your doctor to see if your medication is one of these.
If it is, stay out of the sun as much as possible.
Regularly use a nonoily (noncomedogenic) moisturizer that includes a sunscreen.
Watch what touches your skin.Keep your hair clean and off your face.
Also avoid resting your hands or objects, such as telephone receivers, on your face.
Tight clothing or hats also can pose a problem, especially if you’re sweating.
Sweat and oils can contribute to acne.
Don’t pick or squeeze blemishes.Doing so can cause infection or scarring.
Some studies suggest that using the following supplements may help treat acne.
Talk with your doctor about the pros and cons of specific treatments before you try them.
Acne and the scars it can cause may affect your social relationships and self-esteem.
Sometimes it can help to talk with your family, a support group, or a counselor.
Talk to your doctor about how you’re able to keep your skin clear.
you’re able to also use these acne-prevention tips:
Updated: 2015-01-20
Publication Date: 2000-12-19
