What is Acne?

There is so much to cover on acne, but I’ll just give a quick overview on the important concepts.

Acne vulgaris is a skin condition that causes inflamed patches of skin including pimples, whiteheads and blackheads. It occurs when pores become clogged.  Each pore in your skin opens to a hair follicle, and each follicle has a hair and oil gland.  The oil released by these glands remove old skin cells and keep skin looking soft but when too much oil is produced, these pores become blocked.  This blockage allows dirt, cells and bacteria to build up, creating plugs or comedones.

Acne is most common in teenagers, but it can also occur in adulthood and even in babies.

Symptoms
-blackheads
-whiteheads
-crusting of skin bumps
-cysts
-papules (small red bumps)
-pustules
-redness around skin eruptions
-scarring of the skin

Treatment
There are countless over the counter treatments for treating acne, but the most essential and basic treatment is the classic  3 Step Process:
1. Cleanse (Facial wash/salicylic acid)
2. Acne Treatment (Benzoyl Peroxide/AHA)
3. Moisturize

While the OTC treatments work for most people, the best acne treatments are prescribed by your doctor.  These medications are reserved for more sever cases of acne and include topical ointments, oral antibiotics, and as a last resort, isotretinoin (Accutane)