Bad acne — the most frightening skin ailment common among teenagers are also known as pimples, zits, skin rashes, whiteheads, blackheads and so on. Though it doesn’t bear any serious life threat, but the onset of acne is able to bring about psychosocial impairment by pushing one into depression and isolation. This apparently harmless ailment is not only able to distort one’s mental hygiene, but also could shatter the level of self-confidence and ability to socialize.
A Few Facts on Formation of Bad Acne
Most often people are misled by the wrong notion that dirt is the reason behind acne formation, while the real reason is born within the skin itself. It is oversecretion of body oil from the sebaceous glands, and certainly not dirt, which is responsible for triggering acne on your face. It happens mostly due to hormonal imbalance.
However, dirt alone cannot be blamed for this entire process, due to wrong exfoliation process, dead skin cells which fail to flake off, get stuck into the accumulated body oils present in and around the hair follicles, thereby clogging the follicles trapping the body oil within it.
This initiates the formation of comedones or small swellings on the affected areas, which we call as acne. In later stage these comedones get infected by resident microorganisms called Propionibacterium acnes and proliferate in larger and painful acne cysts, inflicting a greater danger of permanent scarring.
Various Forms of Bad Acne
Different forms of acne constitute a broad range starting from mild to severe. In their mildest forms they often appear as whiteheads or blackheads. Both are similar comedonal formations with an exception in the clogging of the skin pores. In whiteheads, the skin pores are completely blocked, while in blackheads the comedones are partially blocked.
In later stage these smaller comedones get inflamed due to the bacterial buildup within the skin follicles, resulting in pus formation. They grow larger in size and red in appearance, and most often they are characterized by pain as well. In different stages of severity they are called in different names like papules, pustules, and acne cysts. The swelling grow bigger with a visible white center filled with pus.
Popular Remedial Approaches
Bad acne can be dealt with available over-the-counter medicines as long as you do not have a sensitive skin or the severity of your acne condition is not alarming. Benzoyl peroxide and salicylic acid are the names of very common OTC skin care products which are used chiefly for getting control over acne.
The initial application of such products is quite likely to create some common side effects like dryness of the skin or irritation. But they are not alarming and often it is found that they tend to diminish with time, after a prolonged continuation. Although situations getting out of control is a rare incidence; still as a precautionary measure it is always wise to consult an experienced dermatologist before using any topical skin care product, just in case.
Severe acne lesions should strictly be treated under close medical supervision. These days several remedial approaches for bad acne are used by physicians depending on the skin type, severity of acne, and patient’s physiological condition. Use of antibiotics both orally and topically are more common for relatively complicated acne cases.
Still in some cases application of tretinoin or isotretinoin is preferred as a more effective treatment method. Light therapy, chemical peeling, laser surgery are some of the latest additions in the field of acne therapy which are not only the breakthroughs in the field of acne removal but also effective in dealing with scarring. The name of chemical peeling is remarkable in this regard.
A Few Do’s and Don’ts to be Remembered
People most often feel confident while popping out the zits, thinking it to be the handiest way to a quick relief. What they do not realize is that by doing so they are actually begging for a worse situation or acne scarring. Bad acne are usually picked by the trained physicians at doctor’s office using some sterilized needles and other equipments which are extremely essential to perform such tasks. Therefore it is wise to leave them alone or for the concerned physician.
Keep your hair, hands and pillow slips clean as well, because these are the major source of resident microorganisms, excess oil and also dead skin cells—a complete recipe for the formation of bad acne.
