An Overview of Acne

Shanker Kumar^*
*Correspondence: Shanker Kumar, Department of Dermatology, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Jodhpur, Rajasthan, India, Email:

Description

Acne vulgaris, generally known as acne, is a long-term skin disorder in which dead skin cells and oil from the skin block hair cells. Blackheads or whiteheads, pimples, greasy skin, and scarring are all common symptoms of the condition. It primarily affects skin with a high number of oil glands, which includes the face, upper chest, and back. The ensuing appearance can cause depression, negative self, and, in the worst-case scenario, depression or suicidal thoughts. In 80% of cases, acne susceptibility is primarily inherited. Diet and cigarette smoking appear to play no function in the disease, and neither hygiene nor exposure to sunshine appear to play a role. Androgens, which cause increased sebum production in both sexes, appear to be part of the underlying mechanism. Excessive proliferation of the bacterium Cutibacterium acnes, which is prevalent on the skin, is another common reason.

Acne can be treated with a variety of methods, including lifestyle changes, drugs, and medical treatments. Eating fewer simple carbs, such as sugar, may help to alleviate the problem. Azelaic acid, benzoyl peroxide, and salicylic acid are typical treatments administered directly to the afflicted skin. Antibiotics and retinoids are available in acne therapy formulations that are applied to the skin and taken by mouth. Antibiotic resistance, on the other hand, may emerge as a result of antibiotic therapy. Several types of birth control tablets can assist women avoid getting acne. Isotretinoin tablets are usually reserved for severe acne because of the increased risk of side effects. Some medical professionals urge for early and intensive acne treatment to reduce the overall long-term impact on patients. Acne is characterized by increased greasy sebum secretion by the skin, as well as microcomedones, comedones, papules, nodules (big papules), pustules, and scarring. Acne appears differently depending on the color of your skin. It could result to psychological and sociological problems.

Scars

Acne scars are generated by inflammation in the dermis and are estimated to affect 95% of acne vulgaris sufferers. The scar is caused by abnormal healing and skin irritation. Scarring is more common in severe acne, but it can happen in any kind of acne vulgaris. Acne scars are characterized based on whether an aberrant healing response to skin inflammation results in excessive collagen deposition or loss at the acne lesion's location.

Pigmentation

When an inflamed nodular acne lesion heals, the skin in that area often darkens, a disease known as Post Inflammatory Hyperpigmentation (PIH). Inflammation causes specialized pigmentproducing skin cells to create more melanin pigment, resulting in a darker appearance of the skin. People with different skin tone are more likely to get PIH. The term "pigmented scar" is commonly used to describe PIH, although it is deceptive because it indicates that the color change is permanent. PIH is often preventable by avoiding irritation of the nodule, and it fades over time. If the deeper layers of the skin are affected, untreated PIH can linger for months, years, or even be permanent. Even a small amount of skin exposure to UV radiation from the sun can cause hyperpigmentation.