Have you ever had acne? Chances are that you have had or are

still having acne. Teens are primarily the ones cursed with at

least with a mild form of acne. But what is acne? Acne, also

known as acne vulgaris, occurs when oil and dead skin cells

form a plug and clog your follicles or pores.

Eighty-five percent of teenagers have had at least a mild form

of acne. During puberty increased hormone levels cause an

increase in oil production. This increased oil can then combine

with dead skin cells and cause acne. Acne does not discriminate

though as some adults, especially women, have intermittent acne

all their lives.

What is acne symptoms going to look like to most people? You

will most likely notice an outbreak of whiteheads, blackheads

or pimples. These can occur on your face, back, shoulders, or

chest. Whiteheads and blackheads are clogged pores, while

pimples have a bacteria build-up under the clogged pores. Large

and deep pimples are called cystic lesions and can be quite

painful and create scarring.

What is acne treatments going to consist of? Acne treatments

depend upon the severity of the acne. The goal is to reduce or

eliminate acne outbreaks and reduce any scarring that may occur

with an acne outbreak. The first method of treatment to begin

with is cleansing with a mild soap and warm water and using

benzoyl peroxide. This often controls and prevents mild acne.

If this does not reduce or eliminate the acne outbreaks, you

will need to consult a physician to try more aggressive

treatments. The physician may prescribe antibiotics combined

with topical benzoyl peroxide. This increases the effectiveness

of your treatment. If there is still no improvement and the acne

is severe, the physician may recommend Accutane as a last

resort. Accutane has rare but serious side effects and is very

expensive. A new treatment available is Light Wave Therapy.

This treatment was recently approved by the FDA and is helpful

in reducing and eliminating mild to moderate acne that has not

been responsive to other treatments.

What is acne reducing things that you can do to help reduced

your symptoms or outbreaks? Things you can do to help reduce

your acne symptoms are cleansing your face twice daily using a

mild soap and warm water. Use your clean, bare hands to wash

your face rather than a washcloth. Vigorous rubbing of your

skin will only make your acne worse. Follow your Doctor's

directions fully. This will help to ensure that your acne is

reduced or eliminated.

What is acne? Acne is a condition that can cause moderate to

severe embarrassment and self-esteem problems, as well as

depression. If your acne is not responding to treatment then

seek out a treatment that works for you or your skin.