Web Doctor Articles

Most people know about the skin condition called acne that may affect the face, shoulders, neck or chest with inflamed pores. Acne can affect anyone, no matter what their age.

When the pores in the skin are closed with dead skin cells, body oils or other materials, they cannot excrete the oils that are meant to keep the skin moist and subtle. Sometimes a bacterial that lives on the skin can cause infection of these cells that can cause even further problems.

Hormonal changes in the body seem to trigger acne. Therefore it is prevalent in teens, women at different parts of their menstrual cycle or during pregnancy or when starting or stopping birth control pills.  This is sometimes known as pregnancy acne or hormone acne.

If acne becomes infected, it can leave scaring. Facial scars from acne can affect a person for a lifetime.

There are many treatments recommended for acne. For teens, products containing benzyl peroxide are often effective at drying outbreaks and preventing more outbreaks from forming. Washing the face with a good antibacterial soap can also help to prevent further outbreaks of acne.

Benzyl peroxide is often too strong for adults with acne and they have better results with products that contain salicylic acid.

When you have an outbreak of acne, you should avoid squeezing, picking or touching the skin that is already irritated. This can cause the scaring to become even worse.

If you are using the preferred over the counter medication for your age group, but your problem is not clearing up, you may need a prescription for a mild antibiotic. When taken as directed, the antibiotic lowers the possibility of infection and the scaring that is associated with it.

While it is not always possible to prevent outbreaks of acne, there are steps that can be taken that will lessen the chances of permanent scaring. While these steps may seem like a hassle in an already busy teen’s life, in the long run this preventative care will be worthwhile for the rest of your life.