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Acne - the facts!
Acne is an inflammatory
disease which occurs in pores on the face, arms, back and
chest.
It occurs when the skin reacts abnormally to the male hormone testosterone which occurs in both men and women.
Testosterone makes the skin produce sebum which keeps the skin moist. With acne, the sebum builds up in a hair follicle and causes the cells lining the follicle to grow abnormally.
As the follicle becomes blocked, it becomes a breeding ground for bacteria. The bacteria feed on the sebum and produce chemicals causing inflammation and soreness.
Acne may cause permanent scarring in later life, but the good news is it is treatable.
The sun may help to dry out spots but it is possible in hot climates that it may make acne worse with increased sweating etc. Also oily sunscreens should be avoided.
It is possible that stress may make acne worse but no link has been found between acne and diet.
There are a number of treatments for acne - although a cure cannot be guaranteed for everyone it is likely that there is a treatment that can be used to control your acne.
If some well meaning soul tells you "you'll grow out of it!" don't listen but seek advice from the TADIC or your doctor.