Acne is a skin problem that commonly occurs during puberty which is caused by clogging of the hair follicles of the face, chest, and back. Acne is not caused by infections but is made up of oil, dirt, and dead skin cells in the body.
How is acne formed?
Acne is caused by several factors depending on where the acne is found. Generally, acne is formed when there is an excessive production of sebum which is a natural oil substance in the body, and which plugs the pores of the skin. Initially, whiteheads or blackheads will appear on the surface of the skin, and as the plugged hair follicle enlarges, normal skin bacteria may infect the deeper layers of the skin and cause an inflammation before forming a cyst known as acne.
Causes of forehead acne and chin acne
Acne may appear on different places of the face and body and is usually caused by different factors. For example, forehead acne is caused by factors which may be different from chin acne such as dandruff, oily scalp, over exfoliation, caps, and hair products. Meanwhile, causes of acne on the chin may be due to general factors such as hormonal imbalance, stress, and medications.
What does acne look like?
According to medicinenet.com, common acne usually appears on the skin as inflamed red bumps known as pimples, pus-filled bumps called pustules, deep pimples and boil also known as cystic or ball acne, and obstructed pores such as blackheads and whiteheads.
How to get rid of facial acne quickly
To remove facial acne quickly, a person may opt to get treated by their dermatologist through therapies and medications or use natural ways to remove acne.
Among the best dermatologically-approved medications for acne include retinoids such as adapalene, tazarotene, and epiduo gels; oral antibiotics such as tetracycline, doxycycline, minocycline, cefadroxil, amoxicillin, and sulfa drugs; and cortisone injections, among others.
Acne ointment treatments are also effective in removing acne and reducing the risk of developing acne scars. According to livestrong.com, acne creams or ointments are formulated to be less greasy and faster acting in killing bacteria causing acne and reducing oil production of an individual. Acne creams which a person may use to treat their acne fast include medications such as adapalene, acnexus, benzoyl peroxide, salicylic acid, erythromycin, sulfacetamide, clindamycin, and azelaic acid.
What are acne scars?
Often times, acne leaves unsightly blemishes known as acne scars which may come in the form of skin discoloration, craters, and dark spots. Acne scars are formed when acne becomes inflamed and ruptures the skin's surface. When this happens, acne can damage the skin and leave lasting scars that can take a long time to heal.
The different types of acne scars
According to verywell.com, acne scars may be classified into different types depending on how the scar is formed. Acne scars which leave a mass of raised tissue are known as hypertrophic or keloid scarring, while scars which are depressed or which leaves a crater on the skin is known as atrophic scars.
Most cases of acne scars are known as post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation. This type of scarring is known as a false scar as it usually fades away on its own.
How to get rid of acne scars
Acne scars are more effectively treated through dermatological procedures as compared to natural remedies. As acne scars can leave openings and craters on the skin, common treatments for acne scars include laser treatments, radiofrequency, micro fat injections, cryosurgery, and topical medications.
How to prevent acne scars from occurring
While it may be impossible to totally prevent acne scars especially for those who are more prone to develop acne, there are some ways you can do to minimize acne scarring.
According to verywell.com, some of the steps you may do to prevent acne scarring include:
*avoiding picking at pimples
*treating acne at the onset
*reducing inflammation of acne
*and avoiding picking at healing acne marks
Natural remedies to treat acne
Acne may be caused by many factors including genetics, stress, hormonal imbalance, and infections. While dermatological procedures and medications are still the quickest and most effective way of treating acne, there are also natural remedies you may use to help get rid of acne quickly.
According to healthline.com, some of the best home treatments for acne include using apple cider vinegar for the face, taking zinc supplements, making natural face masks, spot treating with tea tree oil, using green tea as a facial mist, using aloe vera as a moisturizer, and daily exfoliation.
You may also do some changes in your diet to incorporate food which has low glycemic content such as fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, and nuts. Meanwhile, you should avoid eating foods which have high glycemic index including foods such as white bread and sugary treats which can raise insulin levels in the body and increase sebum production.
[메디컬리포트=Carissa Marie 기자]