Nearly 17 million Americans have acne, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center. A large proportion of those afflicted are teenagers, due to the increase of the hormones called androgens, which rise rapidly during puberty. People also tend to be acne prone at other times of high hormonal activity, such as during pregnancy, Acne vulgaris is the scientific name for the condition of acne.
Definition
Acne is a skin disorder involving the hair follicles and sebaceous glands. The sebaceous glands, which are housed in the dermis layer of the skin, normally provide oil for lubrication of the skin and hair shafts. Acne occurs when there is a blockage of oil in these glands, which leads to infection, inflammation and the appearance of bumps or nodules on the skin surface.
Development
Acne develops when dead skin cells, dirt or other debris blocks the pore leading from the sebaceous gland out to the hair follicle. Once a follicle has become plugged up, a bacteria called Propionibacterium acnes, or P. acnes, starts to grow there, using the debris as food.
Immune Response
The immune system reacts to the presence of the bacteria by sending immune cells to the location, which leads to inflammation. As the immune cells destroy the P. acnes, pus is formed, which is sometimes visible from the surface and is sometimes hidden deep in the underlying layers of skin where it causes pain, but cannot be seen.
Types
Blackheads are caused when the blockage of the hair follicle is only partial. A complete blockage leads to whiteheads. Whiteheads and blackheads are collectively called comedomes. When pus builds up in the clogged pore, an abcess forms. Pustules and papules are tiny inflamed areas with and without a small white head respectively. Nodules are acne deep in the follicle that forms a painful lump, and cysts are deep acne that is full of pus.
Treatment
Effective treatments for acne target the biological basis for this condition. Some topical medications work by killing the bacteria P. acnes or halting its growth. Others reduce inflammation or aid in cell turnover. Oral antibiotics kill the bacteria from inside the body, while other oral medications shrink the sebaceous glands and limit oil production to prevent the buildup that leads to acne.
