Acne-A Part
Of Growing Up:
What Is Acne?
Acne is the general term for plugged pores, pimples, and
deeper lumps that can occur on the face, neck, upper back, chest, or
shoulders.It is a skin condition that occurs when the oil-secreting
glands in the skin are clogged and become inflamed or infected.Acne
is so common that it can almost be considered a normal part of
growing up.While it affects the majority of teenagers, it can also
appear later in life.Both boys and girls get acne but boys face the
brunt because they have more skin oils.85% of adolescents develop
acne.Among adults, 12% of women and 3% of men have acne.
How Does It Occur?
In order to understand how acne comes about, it is
important to get an idea of how our skin functions.The skin contains
numerous glands, called sebaceous glands, which secrete an oil,
called sebum, that lubricates the skin and keeps it soft and
pliable.The protective outer layer of the skin is made up of dead
cells which are constantly shed and are replaced by new ones.In the
teenage years hormones stimulate the growth of body hair and the oil
glands secrete more oil.If not regularly cleaned the dead cells on
the surface of the skin clump together, thereby plugging the hair
follicle's opening, so sebum cannot reach the surface of the
skin.Bacteria grow in these clogged pores and produce chemicals and
enzymes that causes inflammation.When the plugged follicle cannot
hold its contents any longer, it bursts and spills everything onto
the nearby skin-sebum, shed skin cells, and bacteria.This irritates
the skin and results in the developement of lesions or pimples,
better known as whiteheads, blackheads and pustules.
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| Things That
Often Make Acne Worse |
| 1.Oil-based
make-up, suntan oil, hair gels and sprays. |
| 2.Stress. |
| 3.Menstruation in
girls. |
| 4.Squeezing or
picking at blemishes. |
| 5.Scrubbing the
skin hard. |
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Do's And Don'ts In Treating
Acne:
1.Avoid scrubbing your
skin or using abrasive soaps.Hard scrubbing of the skin is harmful
because it irritates the openings of thye oil glands and can cause
them to be more tightly closed.
2.Avoid putting any oily or
greasy substances on your face.Oily and greasy substances make acne
worse by blocking the glands.If you must use cover-up cosmetics, use
water-based cosmetics and wash them off at bedtime.
3.Avoid hair
tonics or hair creams(especially greasy ones.When you sweat these
substances will spread to your cafe and aggravate the acne.Try to
keep your hair clean.
4.Don't stop your acne medicine too
soon.
It
takes about 8 weeks to see a good response.
| Personal Habits
And Acne |
| 1.Wash your
face 2 times a day with a gentle soap.Change your towel every
day.Bacteria can grow on damp cloth. |
| 2.Wash your
hands often.It's a good idea not to touch your face.Don't rest
your face on your hands while you study, read, or watch
TV. |
| 3.Don't
Squeeze, pick, scratch, or rub your pimples.You may get
scars. |
| 4.Shampoo
your hair at least twice a week.Pull your hair away from your
face when you sleep.Style it away from your face during the
day. |
| 5.When
choosing make-up, women should be sure to choose water-based,
oil-free cosmetics. |
| 6.Wash as
soon as you can after you exercise. |
| 7.If
certain foods seem to make your acne worse, do not eat those
foods. |
| 8.Try not
to work in hot kitchens where greasy foods are
cooked. |
| 9.Try not
to get sunburnt. |
| 10.Try not
to become stressed.Take some quiet time, get exercise, or talk
to a counsellor, if needed. |
| 11.Talk to
your doctor.Keep a record of the medicines you have
tried.Write down how they have worked.Don't give up.Keep
working with your doctor until you find a way to keep your
skin clear. |
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