Acne
Background to acne
Acne is a very common skin condition in adolescents that can sometimes persist into adulthood. The signs of acne are spots- these can range from small skin-coloured bumps, all the way to sore, red, pus-filled spots, or even nodules/cysts.
Acne is initially caused by sex hormones (“androgens”) which increase as puberty begins. These hormones:
- Increase the amount of skin oil (“sebum”) production in hair follicles.
- Contribute to an overgrowth of skin cells in the outer layers of skin.
These two processes can block hair follicles, which causes the initial, smaller spots. From here:
- A bacteria that naturally lives on the skin called acnes can move in to the follicle.
- The body responds by sending natural defences to clear the bacteria, causing the redness/inflammation. The build-up of extra skin oils, skin cells, and byproducts of fighting the acnes combine to form the pus that can present in more severe forms of acne.
What is the impact of acne?
- Acne can cause scarring, with the likelihood increasing with the severity of the spots themselves.
- Acne of all types can cause significant psychological distress and impact on self-esteem, which is another important reason to seek treatment.
Treatments
- Most treatments can be prescribed privately by our clinicians and are targeted at the four acne processes numbered above.
- Treatment is generally topical (applied to the skin), although more severe spots may respond better to oral antibiotics in addition to other treatments.
- Book an appointment to discuss these options in more depth with one of our clinicians, and choose the treatment plan that is right for you.
Book an Appointment
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