Acne Essay

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What is acne?
Acne is a common skin condition and it appears to run in families. A link between the family history and patients with acne problems has been formed which suggests that there is an increased probability of developing acne if an ancestor had suffered from the condition. (Twin Research and Genetic Epidemiology Unit, 2002). This skin condition causes hair follicles to affect the patients face, chest and/or back. During puberty many teenagers experience acne at different severity levels but many individuals may also suffer from this disease later on in their lives. This condition involves the development of sensitive red bumps are formed which most commonly are referred to as pimples. (Cole, 2013) The difference between a whitehead and a blackhead (or comedone) is that a blackhead is an open pore which is exposed to air which oxidises the contents of the pore and gives the dark colour whereas a whitehead is covered by a thin layer of skin and is not exposed to the air and does not get oxidised so the contents colour does not change. (Brannon, Comedone, 2004)
Acne is a disorder formed by a sebaceous gland, a hair follicle and a hair. Sebaceous glands produce sebum which is an oily substance that keeps the skin moisturized. During puberty these glands enlarge and produce more sebum under the control of hormones. Pimples are formed easily during adolescence because corneocytes (skin cells) are trapped under the skin and sebum production increases. When this content buildup happens within a pore, a microcomedone is formed underneath the skin. Bacteria called Propioni-bacterium acnes (or P.acnes) uses this sebum oil for growth which means that when sebum production increases then P.Acnes bacteria also increases. At this stag...

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A combination of internal and external treatments will help with your acne condition but there is a possibility that you may never get rid of it. (Seppo, 2012)
Consulting a dermatologist
Patients should consult a dermatologist when there is a potential for scaring. Possible medications which are prescribed for this condition may include tropical (externally applied) antibiotics, Anti-bacterials, Retinoids (e.g. Adapalene and Tazarotene), oral antibiotics (for example Tetracycline, Doxycycline and Minocycline), oral contraceptives (e.g. Estrostep and Yaz), Spironolactone (e.g. Aldactone), Cortisone injections or Isotretinoin. Many of these medications have negative side effects which should be taken into consideration before the medication is used. Some side effects include inflammatory bowel disease, depression, birth defects, sun sensitivity, etc. (Cole, 2013)

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