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Acne - What Is Behind The Red Spots?

Do you have whiteheads, blackheads or inflamed red spots on your face? If yes, then welcome to the biggest club in the world, that of acne sufferers. Pimples, the bane of adolescence strikes every teenager. Once it arrives, it stays on for a long long time. Also known as acne, it is an inflammatory condition of the skin. And as is well known by experience it can be seen as eruptions on the skin.  Acne usually begins at puberty and may last for several years after that. 

The causes and triggers
The severity of acne varies from person to person. Hormonal changes at the onset of puberty stimulate oil producing sebaceous glands within the hair follicles (we know them as pores) of the skin. And this in turn causes the familiar painful eruptions. As the oil secretion by the glands is more than usual, the pores of the skin get plugged causing an inflammation; we see this as a whitehead. If the tops of the plugs darken we have blackheads. And when the plug causes the skin to rupture, bacteria, dead skin and so on from the surface of the skin get inside and the result is an infection that manifests itself in the form of pimples.    

 

In the case of a few unlucky people the process does not stop here. It goes on to the next stage and turns into cysts. This happens when the infected areas are deep inside the skin. This cyst is also known as a sebaceous cyst and one of the main contributing factors to its formation is that the sebaceous glands continue to secrete oil and enlarge the inflammation. The cyst may increase in size for a while and still not rupture the follicle wall. When this happens, the cyst is not painful as it has not yet become infected. The usual areas that acne attacks are the face and shoulders but may in some cases also appear on arms, legs and the trunk too.    

The two main factors that aggravate acne are dirt and oil on the skin. This increases the chances of infections. The other factors that tend to aggravate acne are hormonal changes, too much of mental stress and exposure to extreme weather. In rare cases, the reason may be a disorder in the endocrine system or a tumor. Overuse of certain drugs also causes acne. 

Attempts at making them go away
Treatment or prevention measures for acne are generally designed to heal those eruptions that

Sebaceous cyst
Sebaceous cyst

have already made an appearance and attempt at prevention of the formation of new eruptions. Many OTC (Over The Counter) formulations are used for local application. These applications dry up oil when applied. In extreme cases, medical practitioners prescribe antibiotics to counter the infection. Some very extreme cases may need to go in for surgical help for removal of eruptions and drainage of cysts.

What is considered best for most teenagers (and some adults too) is maintaining a sensible and regular skin cleansing routine. The face and the hands should be washed as often as possible. Make up should never be left overnight on the skin, as it results in the clogging of pores. Hair should also be kept clean as flakes of dandruff from the scalp can act as a trigger for acne. And a strictly ‘hands off’ policy should be followed. Under no circumstances should these eruptions be poked at, squeezed or scratched. Doing so will leave scars in its wake and those will be permanent. 

Get scolded from your parents/teachers for resting your face in your hands, especially if it gives you a mournful look? Well next time thank them for pointing it out, as it not only irritates them it irritates the skin on your face too. Certain foods for some people trigger acne attacks so if you can identify such culprits do keep away from them.

The tendency to have acne persists for some well into the forties. So learn to grin and bear it. Keep your face clean and your fingers crossed. 

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