Acne

What is acne?

Acne is a very common skin disorder that most young people get in their teens. It normally reaches its peak around the ages of 17-19, and usually disappears by the mid-20’s.

It happens when your body starts to produce the hormone testosterone. Both males and females produce testosterone. In your teens, it causes the oil glands in your skin to become very active. These glands get blocked up, causing acne.

Environmental things such as pollution, intense heat, humidity or cold can also help cause acne. For women, changes caused by pregnancy or menstrual periods can also cause acne.

People who suffer from serious acne can find it very depressing. Severe acne can also cause scars which will never disappear.

Most young people experience a problem with spots – having acne does not make you an alien or an outsider.

What can I do to prevent and treat spots?

Wash your face twice a day with a mild cleanser. Make sure you wash your skin whenever it becomes sweaty. Do not scrub your face, as this will only make your acne worse.

Don’t over wash – spots aren’t caused by dirt and washing too much can make your skin dry and sore.

Avoid hairstyles where your hair always touches your face. Shampoo your hair regularly.

Squeezing or picking at pimples is not really a good idea – for more info, go to www.stopspots.org.

Avoid exposing your skin to too much cold, heat and sunlight. Sunlight may improve your acne for a while, but it won't cure it. Too much exposure to sunlight can lead to burning and skin cancer.

Choose a sensible diet, drink lots of water and exercise regularly.

Mild acne can be treated with over-the-counter medications. Try them for eight weeks to find out if they are working. Start with a mild treatment at first.

Can I see the doctor about acne?

Your doctor will take you seriously if you go to see them about problems with acne. It might be time to go and see your doctor if over-the-counter medications aren’t working after around 8 weeks. Also think about seeing your doctor:

• If acne is making you depressed
• If there are big, tender pimples
• If the acne causes scars
• If you have dark skin and dark patches form where the pimples used to be

What can make acne worse?

• Working in a damp environment with oil, grease and other chemicals
• Stress or emotional problems
• Squeezing or picking at the spots
• Menstrual periods
• Some medicines and chemicals

More information

More information and helpful hints can be found at www.stopspots.org