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23.06.09: Acne (Part I)
Acne can be distressing and annoyingly persistent. The lesions heal slowly, when some heal, the new ones appear. So if you decide to struggle with them by yourself the battle will be long-lasting.
Acne development may be caused by hormones, That is why they are quite frequent in teenagers, women with hormonal changes associated with pregnancy, period, or starting or stopping birth control pills. However people of all ages can get acne.
Treatment of teenage and adult acne can take a long time. The effective treatment is available. In mild cases the treatment includes self-care methods: washing the skin every day with a gentle cleanser and using an over-the-counter acne cream. In severe cases the treatment usually includes medications.
Acne typically appears on the face, neck, chest, back and shoulders, because in these areas the skin has the largest number of functional oil glands.
Acne can take the following forms:
Comedones (whiteheads and blackheads) – are created when the openings of hair follicles become clogged and blocked with oil secretions and dead skin cells. When comedones are open at the skin surface they're called blackheads because of the dark appearance of the plugs in the hair follicles. When comedones are closed, they're called whiteheads — slightly raised, skin-colored bumps.
Papules. These are small raised bumps that signal inflammation or infection in the hair follicles. Papules may be red and tender.
Pustules. Similar to papules, pustules are red, tender bumps with white pus at their tips.
Nodules. These are large, solid, painful lumps beneath the surface of the skin. They're formed by the buildup of secretions deep within hair follicles.
Cysts. These are painful, pus-filled lumps beneath the surface of the skin. These boil-like infections can cause scars.
To be continued ...
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