Acne is one of the most widespread skin diseases in the United States today. It is quite a scary statistic that over 80% of young Americans between the ages of 17 and 24 will be affected by acne, and for some unlucky souls it will last long into adulthood meaning an increased risk of permanent skin scarring. This need not be the case, by adopting a proactive acne approach towards your condition, you can minimize the risks of acne scarring.
One statistic in particularly that troubles health care professionals is the 40% of acne sufferers who will never seek treatment or any help for their acne - that equates to over 20 million US citizens!
What is Acne?
Acne is a very common non-discriminatory skin condition that can affect people of any age and of any skin type. The condition typically manifests itself in the form of blackheads, whiteheads, greasy skin, spots that are usually red or yellow and can be filled with pus, and skin scarring.
Generally acne will start around the time of puberty, and for most sufferers, it has disappeared by the time they reach their late teenage years or early twenties - some sufferers will find that their acne will remain well beyond their early twenties as mentioned above, and it's these patients that are most at risk from permanent acne scarring.
The majority of people will suffer nothing more than a few spots on the face, arms, neck, cheat and back - though even a small amount of acne can cause severe psychological problems for the acne sufferer. More serious cases can cause the patient to suffer embarrassment and severe depression which will affect their quality of life greatly.
What causes acne?
The medical profession isn't entirely sure what the root cause of acne is, although it does have a good understanding of what causes the various skin eruptions - it is this understanding that has enabled the development of some very successful acne treatments.
From our understanding of acne as it is today, we know that within our skin we have millions of tiny little glands (sebaceous glands) that produce a substance called sebum. Sebum is an oily substance that is an essential part of the hair growth cycle and is found anywhere on the body where hair is needed. For some reason, it appears that the sebaceous glands of acne patients are overly sensitive to normal levels of testosterone, and that sensitivity causes the sebaceous glands to produce very high levels of sebum which clogs up the pores causing spots and blackheads etc..
At Home Treatments
Not all acne sufferers will need to consult a doctor or dermatologist about their condition, their symptoms will be quite mild and, by being proactive, acne acne improves and they will cope well on products that they buy over the counter.
If you are one of these 'lucky' people, find a treatment that suits your skin and stick with it - you must use your treatment every day even when your acne is clear, this will help prevent further breakouts.
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