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Putting
Your Best Face Forward:
Treating Acne and Rosacea
(May 2001)
Understanding Acne
Acne occurs when oil glands within the skin become plugged.
The medical term for oil is sebum and the term for oil gland is sebaceous
gland. The most active sebaceous glands are most acne-prone and are
located on the face, back and chest. Sebaceous glands are attached
to every hair follicle on the body. A follicle is a tiny, almost
invisible, cavity in the skin out of which hair grows. Normally, sebum
flows out of the sebaceous gland, up through the follicle and out a pore
to the skin’s surface.
Acne occurs when this path gets blocked and sebum cannot reach the skin’s surface. The main contributors to blockage formation are sticky follicle skin scales and thickened sebum. Normally found in follicles, a bacterium called P. acnes grows excessively in acne-prone skin and alters follicle skin scales and sebum contributing to follicle blockage and pimple formation.
The factors that most influence the tendency to develop acne during puberty are hereditary and hormonal. Foods and cleanliness play little if any role. Stress can make acne worse and sunlight, though damaging to the skin overall, may temporarily improve acne.
Due to the dramatic hormonal changes that occur during puberty, the onset of acne is most common during the teenage years. Acne, however, is not merely an adolescent issue. Adults can also experience the onset of acne.
There are many reasons adults develop acne. These also often include a mix of hereditary, stress related and hormonal factors. Although some adult men suffer from acne, adult women are much more likely to develop adult onset acne. Conditions such as pregnancy, hormonal irregularities in the menstrual cycle, and ovarian cysts may all contribute to a woman developing acne.
Acne Treatments
There have been many new developments in the treatment of acne
during the past few years. Improvements have been made in the many
topical treatments available, as well as in oral medications that can be
prescribed.
The effects of acne can be devastating to people of all ages. Dr. Kraffert suggests trying one of the many over-the-counter products for mild acne. (acne treatments) Be wary of overpriced nonprescription programs on television and elsewhere that typically promise incredible results. If acne is particularly severe, professional treatment should be sought. Severe acne can lead to scarring. Seek professional help before this occurs.
What is Rosacea?
Rosacea (pronounced rose-ay-shah) is a condition affecting the skin
of the face - mostly the area where people blush. There are a number of
symptoms, ranging from mild to more severe.
- Redness - this
can look like nothing more than a blush or sunburn. It’s caused by
flushing (when a large amount of blood rushes to the blood vessels
just under the skin, and the vessels expand to handle the flow). If
this continues to happen, over time, the redness becomes more
noticeable and does not go away. The facial skin may also become very
dry.
- Pimples - As a
result of continual flushing, the skin eventually becomes irritated
and inflamed and pimples may appear on the face. This is why rosacea
is often referred to as "adult acne" or "acne
rosacea".
- Broken or Enlarged
Blood Vessels - Doctors call this telangiectasia
(tell-an-jek-taze-yah). It is caused by repeated flushing. When
people with rosacea flush, the small blood vessels of the face get
larger - eventually showing through the skin. They may appear as spots
or as thin wavy lines.
- Enlarged, Bumpy Nose - This condition is called rhinophyma (rhy-no-fye-muh) , and is present in the more advanced stages of rosacea - especially in men. When rosacea isn’t treated early, small, knobby bumps may gradually appear on the nose, giving it a swollen appearance. This is the symptom that can substantially contribute to the emotional upset experienced by many patients.
Rosacea
Treatments
Your dermatologist can recommend appropriate treatment designed for
your symptoms. There are many factors that tend to trigger rosacea
and your dermatologist can help you identify and minimize your exposure to
rosacea triggers. Regular sunscreen use is crucial, as sunlight has
been shown to be the leading trigger of rosacea. (sun
protection products) Redness and pimples can be treated with
topical and oral medications. Broken blood vessels and rhinophyma
associated with rosacea respond well to vascular laser and resurfacing
treatments respectively.
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